Catita: a coffee gem in Mexico City
Coffee is one of the most consumed non-alcoholic beverages in the world, right after water, with a consumption of about 2.25 billion cups per day. In Mexico, approximately 89 million cups are drunk during a day, making it the second country in Latin America with the highest consumption of this delicious drink. But are we really drinking quality coffee? How can we know?
Specialty coffee
In the 70s, the term specialty coffee was coined by Erna Knutsen, an enterprising woman who began to import the grain in small batches, paying special attention to its attributes and making sure certain characteristics were met.
The first is the high quality of this coffee, since on a scale of 100 points it must meet at least 80, this score is determined by qualified specialists who taste the drink and check that it has the fewest defects.
The second is traceability, which consists of knowing exactly where the coffee comes from, who did the roasting and making sure the person who prepares the final drink, the barista, is also qualified.
Therefore, traceability could be defined as a straight line of information from the origin of the product to the final consumer; this way, in each process you can appreciate the quality of the grain and the care given to it so that it preserves its characteristics. In addition, the above helps to create fair trade between all people involved in the process, thus generating equitable payment and decent wages for producers and workers alike.
Coffee Bars
In Mexico this term began to resonate just a few years ago and from this, coffee bars began to emerge. These places started popping up with the idea of offering quality coffee, paying attention to the characteristics of the bean and the work of the people involved. Unfortunately, nowadays not all coffee bars work like this and many of them continue to offer low quality coffee, with poor roasting and, if that were not enough, a faulty technique for making the drinks.
Therefore, if you want to avoid a bad taste in your mouth, we invite you to visit those that are really dedicated to specialty coffee. You will be able to know immediately not only because of the taste of the coffee but also because the people who work there know the origin of their beans, their characteristics and the best way to prepare them so that you can enjoy all of their benefits.
An excellent example is Catita Pan y Café, a true coffee gem where you can not only enjoy high-quality coffee with the best care but also a delicious variety of Mexican sweet bread (pan dulce).
Why visit Catita Pan y Café?
Catita Pan y Café is a project led with lots of love and passion by chef Anaïs Ruiz and barista Said Flores, a couple who, like sweet bread and coffee, go together perfectly to make this place work. The idea arose during the pandemic, with the concern of offering quality coffee to people who at that time could not leave home. They created special packages that were delivered to the clients with everything necessary so that each person could make their own filtration by hand, led by Catita’s experts through the tutorials they could access in online platforms.
Little by little, Catita started growing with online experiences and as “normal” life returned after the pandemic, they decided to open their location where one of the differentiators is not only the specialty coffee, but also a delicious, traditional sweet bread that you can accompany it with. This to avoid the common experience in which you find very good coffee but lousy bread or vice versa.
Making community
The sweet bread offered at Catita is mostly traditional Mexican. The idea arose with the desire to offer a bread that is reminiscent of childhood, a quality bread with a taste of home that adequately develops traditional techniques and includes quality ingredients. Unfortunately, nowadays much of the bread offered is made with standardized flours and in the end they all seem to taste the same.
In this way, Catita is a refuge, where in addition to having products that satisfy the most demanding palates, you can feel the warm embrace of flavors that take you back to childhood. All this, accompanied by exceptional service and a most pleasant atmosphere.
In Catita, different events are also held with the purpose of creating community among its attendees, many of them are themed and very fun; trivias, special menus… and interesting prizes are awarded to the winning teams. If you want to spend a pleasant moment with your family, partner, friends or even meet new people, be sure to visit Catita .
You cannot miss these …
Drinks:
–Nomoka 19. A delicious drink that combines a mixture of espresso and fermented cacao, with fruity notes and great benefits for the body, it is recommended as a shot of energy in the mornings.
–Naranjamomo. It is a fresh, slightly carbonated drink that mixes orange, cardamom and coffee, perfect for breakfast or a hot afternoon.
Sweet breads:
–Rebanada. Portions of sliced bread covered with butter and sprinkled with sugar, it is like a piece of heaven on the palate.
–Ojo de limón. It is a very interesting bread that combines two baking techniques, the outside is a crunchy dough and the filling is a lime pound cake.
Their delicious savory menu: At Catita you can find different options for breakfast, brunch, lunch and small snacks.
Coffee tasting experience: With the help of Catita’s experts, 4 different varieties of coffee are prepared with the same pouring technique in order to open the perception to all the aromas and benefits that this drink offers. Don’t forget to make your reservation through direct message at Catita Pan y Café.
Location
Catita Pan y Café is located in the Narvarte neighborhood, considered one of the quietest and safest residential areas in Mexico City. This middle-class neighborhood has wide, tree-lined streets to take a quiet walk outside of the busiest areas.
If you go in the morning you can’t miss their delicious breakfasts and from here you can easily leave for other points of interest such as the Condesa or Roma neighborhoods, or the bustling Historic Center.
If you are a little more adventurous in spirit you can try going in the afternoon and make sure to save space for our “Narvarte at Night: Tacos, Chelas and Mezcal” tour where you can spend a very pleasant time trying the most delicious tacos in the area (and probably in the city), learning a little history about Mexican food and ending the night with a delicious tasting of mezcal.
Don’t forget Catita Pan y Café at: José María Vértiz 997, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, CDMX.
Photos by @michelleburgos_ and @historiasdemalta