Culto Coffee Co.

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
The idea of opening a coffee shop had been on our minds for years. Not as a structured plan, but more as a persistent intuition. We knew we wanted to do it, but we did not know when or how.

Everything changed after a trip to Italy. In January 2024, I was in Milan for work and Joel joined me. We had a few free days and, almost without planning it, we visited several cities in a very short time: Milan, Turin, Rome, Florence, and Bologna. In every place, we did the same thing: sit down and have coffee.

We did not miss a single opportunity. At small counters, tiny tables, in the January cold, with the slow rhythm of the mornings. It was there, cup after cup, that we looked at each other and, without saying much, knew we were convinced. We said, when we get back, we do it.

Once back in Mexico, we began looking for a space. It was not easy. We were asked for many requirements, long processes, conditions that did not quite fit. Until we arrived at the space where Culto is today. Everything happened organically. The owner only asked for two things and, more than a negotiation, it was an agreement built on trust. We clicked immediately. There were no doubts. We knew that was the place.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Mornings.

That moment when the day is just waking up. We open the coffee shop, the first light comes in, we turn on the machine, and the bread starts baking. Coffee is smelled before it is tasted. We greet people walking by. Some come in, others just smile.

It is a melancholic moment, almost silent. There is still no rush. Time moves slowly. That is when everything makes sense and we remember why we decided to be here.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
A latte, to understand our coffee; a citrus tonic for warm days; the Culto Shake if you’re looking for something creamier; and a sandwich made with our freshly baked bread.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Understanding that not everyone is used to consuming local products. Many times, people choose coffee that tastes like everything except coffee.

Our proposal is different. Here, coffee takes center stage, without syrups or added flavors. It has been a challenge, but also a conviction. We have not wanted to change that, even if the path is slower.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The local coffee shops we visit when we travel abroad. Small spaces with a clear identity, where coffee coexists with community, music, and design. Places that feel more like meeting points than businesses.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
James Coffee Co. in San Diego. We are inspired by the way they integrate branding, experience, and community. The merch has intention, the design is coherent, and the space feels lived in. It is not just a coffee shop. It is a well-built universe where everything is in dialogue.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We do not have a specific person in mind. More than names, we are interested in people.

We would like to continue opening the space to photographers, painters, designers, illustrators, musicians, DJs, and local creatives who need a place to show what they do. We have already hosted DJ sets and pop-up markets with local artists.

Even though the space is small, it is always open to collaboration. We believe coffee is also an excuse to meet, share processes, and build community.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
At one of the markets, a designer gifted us a small illustrated wooden board with space to write on. He told us to write our dream there. Without hesitation, we wrote: that Culto Coffee Co. becomes the best coffee shop in Mexico. We have it hanging in our corner of important things.

We often bring back objects from the coffee shops we visit when we travel, small keepsakes that allow us to have a little piece of each place here.

And there is a hidden duck. It is there because we believe we live too fast and lose attention to details. When someone stops, observes, and discovers it, we feel we have succeeded: offering a moment without rush, a cup of coffee meant only for them. Very few people have seen it.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Wrong Creatures by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

It is an introspective album, with layers, silences, and a melancholy that does not weigh you down, but stays with you. It does not try to please or be immediate. It builds slowly, like this project.

It has an honest rawness and an unexpected warmth, like coffee when it is taken without rush. That is Culto: a place that does not run, does not shout, and stays with you even after you leave.

Answers by Mariana Garcia Gonzalez, owner and co-founder of Culto Coffee Co.