Chida

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
Chida was born from a vision that brings together design, nature, respect for everyone, and Mexican tradition. It began as a family business selling nieves de garrafa (traditional hand-churned ice cream), along with a desire to help decentralize specialty coffee shops in the city. Instead of giving up and closing our family business after five years, in 2020 we decided to bring Chida to life, keeping the ice cream on the menu and using it to sweeten our coffee-based drinks.

All of our suppliers are local businesses whose products are made naturally. We also strive to create a welcoming space—for both customers and the team—that breaks down discriminatory barriers, where anyone can feel welcome and be treated with the respect and warmth they deserve. 

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Sharing the space with chida people. Seeing them enjoy the drinks we prepare, the spaces we offer, and the support networks that slowly grow over time between the baristas and customers who eventually become friends.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
From the menu: any drink that includes nieve de garrafa—you won’t regret it. From the space: visiting our second floor. Besides a spacious area with books, board games, and an outdoor terrace, you’ll also find our friends and their projects there: Acento Florería and Alejandra Smith Art Studio. 

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
The pandemic! We opened Chida in February 2020, and a month later what we all remember with terror happened. Forced to close our doors indefinitely—with rent and bills still arriving—we had to find alternatives to survive. We started taking orders through social media and delivering nieves de garrafa once a week by the liter or half liter—and it worked! Our chida community rescued us with their purchases, affection, and good wishes, and little by little we found our way forward again.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The hope of creating a safe space amid all the chaos that can exist in the world. A place to enjoy small but necessary rituals like drinking coffee, eating dessert, soaking up some sunlight, reading a book, playing with your friends, buying flowers, taking a painting class, or simply stopping by to greet someone who will welcome you with a smile.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
We’re inspired by people who fight for what’s fair, who defend what is theirs, who move forward together and build community. For us, the social dimension is key—not as a marketing tool, but as a way for everyone to live with dignity.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We love collaborating on activist initiatives, especially social and environmental ones. We would invite anyone who wants to do something—from organizing a collection drive to hosting a special fundraising event.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
The archway leading to the second floor has been with us since the beginning. Chida first opened with a small single-level space, and when we arrived there was a door we couldn’t open because it led upstairs, which was rented by someone else. When we redesigned the space, we decided to keep the essence of that doorway by leaving the opening and framing it with an arch. What we never imagined was that four years later we would also rent the second floor—and that same arch would end up connecting us to our own growth.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why? 
If Chida were an album, it would be Abrazo from Silvana Estrada. If you play those songs inside the café, they fit perfectly: the warm colors, the shapes of the arches, the plants in every corner, the wood and clay. In her songs, Silvana blends love with protest, which also resonates with our values and goals.

Answers by Sarahí Ponce V., co-founder of Chida