On the first day in Antigua Guatemala during my recent visit, I decided to walk across town from north to south to discover and experience the famed local coffee culture first hand. I had created a little list of places I wanted to check out and Artista de Café was the furthest away so it became my first destination.
Before I talk about this cute café, I just have to say how absolutely beautiful Antigua is. I was gagged honey. Being half-Mexican and having seen many colonial beauties across Latin America, I realised that Antigua is somehow on another level. It’s not just its natural surroundings with a total of three visible volcanos but the incredibly well-preserved buildings, cobbled streets and laid back atmosphere too. It stole my heart immediately.
Artista de Café is a bit outside of the core centre where it is generally a bit quieter but I was surprised that inside the café it was basically a full house. With various spaces, levels and outdoor seating to boot, Artista de Café is hugely popular with expats who live in the city. Thanks to its wide-ranging brunch menu and excellent coffee, it’s also a draw to visitors like myself.
I walked up to the bar and asked the host for a recommendation. She held up three little glass containers with their selection of beans and suggested that I go for an anaerobic processed Gesha, which was then promptly prepared for me by one of the baristas. The elegant interior is a manifestation of Artista de Café’s founder María Andreé Negreros de Durán envisioned when she created this space. It creates a strong contrast with the often bold reds, blues and greens seen on the façades of buildings all over the city.
María drew part of her inspiration from her Guatemalan roots and the close proximity of coffee producers and roasters. There are fantastic coffee farms just 10 – 15 minutes drive outside Antigua, for example. But María also spent some time with Gloria Montenegro of Parisian roastery La Caféothèque where she was able to expand her knowledge and understanding of this unique beverage.
My coffee was sweet and floral, exactly what I expected from a Gesha. Behind the bar, I could spot the current Guatemalan Aeropress Champion Carlos Emanuel Vivar Ajuchan hard at work and the public at the time of my visit was a wild mix of locals, expats and tourists poking their heads inside.
I didn’t end up ordering any pastries or breakfast despite the fact that the food looked delicious. I’ll just have to save it for my next visit!
