Café de Amor

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
The idea of Café de Amor was born from the inspiration of some trips Emilio and I had taken together, and we decided to open a small, relaxed, and welcoming space. The idea began as a "café" for our first project. La Buena Vida, but little by little that small idea transformed into a space where you can go not only to have a delicious coffee, but also to enjoy a good breakfast accompanied by a very good atmosphere and very good service.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Enjoying the place, with a freshly brewed coffee, watching people arrive and sit down happily. Seeing those same customers return soon after and become regulars. There's nothing more satisfying than knowing a customer enjoys our place, our food, and our coffee. That feeling of rush in the middle of the morning, it's what keeps us alive every day.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
That's a great question. Without a doubt, I'd say the food. It's just that, being a relatively new place, many people don't know about—or simply don't give our dishes a chance. We firmly believe that our coffee tastes better with a good breakfast. Chilaquiles with mole, a salmon sandwich, or any other dish is a perfect combination for a great time at Café de Amor.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Undoubtedly, our biggest challenge is establishing ourselves as a place where you feel comfortable and happy to come. From day one, the flow of people was quite irregular, especially during the afternoon shifts. Through innovation, hard work, and above all, a love for what we do, we believe we have been able to consistently welcome all our customers every day.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
Always enjoy what we do, share what we like with people, creating healthy, quality food with local products.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
We are inspired by our first project Café La Buena Vida which, thanks to the people, it's been very successful in Colima, and we wanted to create a "little baby" but something different. We're also constantly inspired by other cultures and flavors that we learn about on every trip we take together.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We would love to collaborate with Interestelar and Pal Real, merging ideas and styles to create something together, which has also been a source of inspiration for us.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know about?
If we had to choose something, we would definitely choose our pets' paintings, which brighten our mornings every day.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
This question is interesting because, if I closed my eyes and thought of a city or place that reflects what Café de Amor is, I would undoubtedly think of la Ticla: the small, beautiful beach where our dream began fifteen years ago. It perfectly captures the essence of this place: love, great coffee, great music, and a place you can always return to.

Answers by Ale and Emilio, owners of Café de Amor.