After getting off my minibus from Antigua and dropping my luggage at the hotel, I wandered down to 12 Onzas in Zona 4. I was planning on meeting David Solano, the three-time Guatemalan Barista Champion and co-owner of 12 Onzas later that day. But I was early so I just had two Flat Whites to start my day.
The café is located in a happening part of Zona 4. This area is widely regarded to be one of the most diverse and exciting parts of Guatemala City. Everywhere you look, you can find something tasty to explore. From a local craft beer brewery to an award-winning pizza joint and from a cool food court to a popular bakery. 12 Onzas is nicely nestled somewhere in between.
I really liked the interior. It’s open, colourful and spacious. A large bar dominates the back of the café where a skilled team prepares all kinds of coffees and delicious brunch dishes. I finished my two flat whites and went off to discover Guatemala on that quiet Sunday before returning a bit later in the afternoon to meet with David.
David started 12 Onzas together with his wife Atenea Kairé and his brother Eddie. Atenea is responsible for the operations behind 12 Onzas as well as the branding while Eddie takes care of the coffee production at their own farm Finca Concepción Buena Vista, which is now in its 4th generation.
In the past, David represented Guatemala three times on the world stage including in 2018 when the World Barista Championships happened in Amsterdam. Today, he is focusing on growing the coffee business at home. With their export company, they are working towards supplying Guatemala’s finest coffees to roasters and importers from around the world.
Their café, on the other hand, is a place where they want to make Guatemalan coffees available to the local population, which for the longest time only had access to Nescafé. When I previously visited Central America, it was really hard to find any locally grown specialty coffee. This, thankfully, is changing.
Guate, as the city is also called, is often skipped by travellers. I think that is a shame. The city, while not super pretty, has a lot to offer. But I was surprised by how much was closed on Sundays! Luckily 12 Onzas is always open.
