Last Updated on June 26, 2022 by Paul
There is a lot of great coffee in Guadalajara. The metropolitan region has 5 million people and a lot of those people drink good coffee. The beauty of the Guadalajara coffee scene is that it goes full cycle, from plant to cup, including all the different steps along the way. The best coffee in Guadalajara is prepared by baristas who explain the flavor profiles of unique varietals harvested with different processes and prepared in different methods. I am constantly on the hunt for a geisha variety of coffee with floral notes, at a reasonable price. This is an excellent place to learn about Mexican coffee culture.
Mexico may only produce a small fraction of what Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia produce but they are still in the top ten list of coffee exporting countries. Coffee was introduced to Mexico in the port of Veracruz in the 18th century but really didn’t take off until the 19th century.
The Guadalajara coffee scene has grown up in the last couple of years. Mexico is a powerhouse of coffee production but until recently the vast majority of roasters were burning their coffee because people liked “dark” coffee. Today there are a growing number of specialty coffee shops that are working directly with producers and highlighting little-known coffee regions that produce an incredible product. The baristas are focused on specialty coffee that highlights the subtle notes and regional differences that exist in this great coffee-producing country. This is the May 2018 edition of Guadalajara’s Essential Coffee Shops.
This article is focused exclusively on coffee. I don’t care about the wifi or the best coffee shops to work in. There are plenty of coworking spaces. This is about coffee, not real estate. Finding the best cafés in Guadalajara takes a little work but is worth the effort.
Check out some of my other articles about Guadalajara
- The best restaurants in Guadalajara
- The best hotels in Guadalajara
- The best things to do in Guadalajara
- The best tacos in Guadalajara
Café palReal
Calle Lope de Vega 113, Arcos Vallarta, Guadalajara // Instagram
Telephone: 33 1983 7254
palReal is the pinnacle of the Guadalajara coffee experience where you will rub shoulders with celebrity chefs, epicureans, and hipsters from all over. The partnership between roaster, barista, designer, and chef has made a bunch of talented kids into local celebrities. These are the pioneers who are changing the direction of the local coffee scene. Expect well-educated baristas, a variety of coffees to try from all across Mexico, and a spectacular breakfast menu in a beautiful space.
Two of the founders of palReal also own a coffee roasting company called Cafe Estelar. They were voted the best coffee roasters in Mexico in 2020 and went on to represent Mexico in the world coffee roasting championships. They have their own experimental farm in Oaxaca but most of their coffee is sourced from small farmers across the country. Buying bags of coffee from Cafe Estelar is a great way to learn about the geography of Mexico’s coffee-growing regions. Everybody knows that Veracruz, Chiapas, and Oaxaca have great coffee but Cafe Estelar will introduce you to lesser know regions in Nayarit, Hidalgo, Puebla, Michoacan, Jalisco, and Colima.
The reason that palReal comes first on this list is that they have trained many of the top baristas in Guadalajara. Many of their former employees have gone on to open excellent coffee shops across the city. palReal is one of the reasons that there is so much exceptional coffee in Guadalajara.
Café palReal is a mandatory stop when visiting Guadalajara
Comala Café
Manuel M. Dieguez 15, Ladrón de Guevara, Guadalajara // Instagram
Enora
Avenida Aurelio Ortega 515, Los Maestros, Zapopan // Instagram
Contraste Café
Calle Justo Sierra 2324, Ladrón de Guevara, Guadalajara // Instagram
Café 5 PM
Avenida Guadalupe 5181-B, Jardines de Guadalupe, Zapopan // Instagram
El Brew Lab Café
Calle Quetzalcoatl 408, Jardines del Sol, Zapopan // Instagram
Zenguele
Calle Lerdo de Tejada 2308, Colonia Lafayette, Guadalajara // Instagram
Vago Imperial Café
Calle Guadalupe Zuno Hernández 2143, Colonia Americana,Guadalajara // Instagram
Amoroso Café
Going on five years of roasting and brewing some of the best coffee in Guadalajara. Besides a great coffee, they are a hub of the cycling culture. I recommend getting a bag of the washed Guerrero and maybe some accessories for your bike.
Diagonal Golfo de Cortés 4139, Monraz, Guadalajara
Matraz Café
Maybe it was just the weather today but Matraz Café reminds me of a Seattle style coffee shop. The staff knew nearly every patron by name and most of the patrons knew one another. Hidden on a lush residential street in Providencia with lots of trees and coffee plants the space if appealing to spend the morning. They make a very good espresso and have all the methods that you could ask for. Parking is difficult but they have some cool bike racks out front.
The Monraz location is where they do their roasting. Make sure to take a bag with you.
Calle Buenos Aires 2679, Providencia, Guadalajara
Homero 108, Vallarta San Jorge, Guadalajara
Laboratorio Singular
This tiny coffee roaster is pumping out excellent coffee with a focus on Mexican producers. They also have a portfolio of coffees from some of the world’s prominent coffee producing countries. Make sure to try the excellent espresso or one of the specialty methods like V60, Chemex and a couple of exotic brewing kits.
Calle Manuel López Cotilla 1043, Colonia Americana, Guadalajara
Facebook Link
Neretta Café & Gelato
Tucked away on a beautiful side street in the Colonia Americana, Neretta is a micro-roaster, coffee shop and café. Their lead coffee roaster has a ton of experience working in some of the top roasters in Guadalajara and has made some really nice coffees. Plus, they have a great breakfast and world class gelato.
Calle Bruselas 25, Americana, Guadalajara
Taller de Espresso
One of Guadalajara’s favorite coffee roasters with a quaint espresso bar. Taller de Espresso has an impressive selection of great Mexican coffee that are harvested and processed in diverse styles. The Oaxaca red honey is REALLY good and very different from the natural from Colima.
Av. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 1586, Americana, Guadalajara
Instagram Link
Caligari Café
These guys really started to change the Guadalajara coffee scene in back in the day. The cafe has a vintage movie theme and a retro/mid-century design. It really is one of the coolest places to get a cup of coffee in Guadalajara. The place is small so on the weekends there is a huge line outside. Parking is difficult in this part of town but there is plenty of space to lock up your bike.
Calle Juan Manuel 1406, Santa Teresita, Guadalajara
Instagram Link
Fitzroy Espresso Bar
A great addition to the Guadalajara coffee scene. The man behind the espresso machine has over a decade of experience in specialty coffee and is dedicated to the craft. They also have a great tequila bar upstairs with a focus on craft tequila.
Calle Marsella 126, Colonia Lafayette, Guadalajara
Instagram Link
El Terrible Juan
The coffee shop is tucked into a beautiful corner of tree-lined street two blocks from Chapultepec. They have found some impressive farms to work with in Chiapas and have several different styles of espresso that will blow your mind. There is also a nice breakfast menu.
Calle José Guadalupe Montenegro 1871, Colonia Americana, Guadalajara
Instagram Link
El Café de Terry
I was super excited to find Terry serving some of my favorite coffees from other parts of Mexico. Terry has been working in the industry for years and has great relationships with some big name producers. His coffee shop is tiny but there is huge flavor hiding inside. If you are anywhere near Plaza Del Sol you need to check him out. This is a great place to get caffeinated.
Av Mariano Otero 1917, Victoria, Guadalajara
Café Rin Tin Tin
One of the more exciting recent additions to the Guadalajara coffee scene is Café Rin Tin Tin. Bernie is an experienced restaurateur having opened the ever-popular Pasteria Terranova. Besides being a huge coffee connoisseur he is excited to be serving fair-trade coffee from a specialty roaster in Chiapas.
Calle Morelos 1196, La Americana, Guadalajara
AmableCafé
Calle Argentina 268, Americana, Guadalajara
Instagram Link
Santa Clara Providencia
Santa Clara is a creamery that dates back to 1924 and also happens to have good coffee. Not every location knows how to pull a good espresso but the folks at Santa Clara Providencia put a lot of attention in the details. They have good machines, have good coffee and pack the espresso just right. If you haven’t tried their affogato you don’t know what you are missing.
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