El Huerto Restaurante

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
This project was born in 2012 as a result of experimenting with local products and harvesting from our family garden. We sought to create experiences inspired by what moves us: food and architecture; and to share our passion for coffee, our enthusiasm for cycling, and our love of yoga. Bringing all these concepts together in a single “space” is what made us different and helped us connect with a community open to tasting, listening to, and feeling our brand.

¿Qué parte del día, del espacio o del proceso creativo disfrutan más quienes trabajan ahí?
There are many moments and spaces we enjoy, but overall: savoring a cup of coffee, talking with our customers, being accomplices in a healthy lifestyle, feeling part of a community, and knowing that the brand’s identity has transformed the everyday lives of those of us who make the service possible each day. That is what we enjoy most.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
The intention lies in the details: the spot where the light comes through, that cozy corner, the presence of plants, the display of textures and materials, the layout of the menu. All of it serves as a guide to taking a piece of El Huerto with you on every visit. It can always feel like a first time when you discover a new fragment.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Sustaining a space that has been conceptually different from its social surroundings—yet resonates with the local community and invites them to belong and stay—has represented a constant challenge. Over time, what keeps the project alive is the convergence of a diverse, itinerant, external, and local audience. That social connection is what keeps us relevant.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
Without a doubt, coffee and our love for food are our greatest references. Sharing with the community a space with personality and a cup of coffee with character is our daily pursuit.

From the very beginning, we have been driven by social commitment. We know that the rise of the fourth wave of coffee has brought specialty coffee bars into the spotlight and, of course, it inspires us to see ourselves reflected in that movement—without losing our connection to the community and while enriching coffee culture from our own place and perspective, through curiosity, creativity, and constant exploration.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
During a visit to La Paz, we discovered DoceCuarenta Tostadores de Café, the flagship café in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. This project made a strong impression on us—not only for its coffee bar and aesthetic, but also for its sustainability and its role as a symbol of growth and evolution. It led us to internalize that love for coffee begins with selecting the bean, building relationships with producers, caring for the roast, and overseeing every step needed to achieve a cup profile. All of this has the power to connect people and shape stories. We can’t help wanting to tell ours.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
In 2020, during the pandemic, the radio program Reactivemos , hosted by Orlando Abad, helped boost small businesses and entrepreneurs. Those minutes on air at Reactor 105.7 significantly positioned us in the home-delivery market.

We believe a collaboration with Orlando would give meaning to that moment. We would recreate a radio booth to play music, have conversations, and drink coffee—it’s an idea we love to imagine.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
In 2024, we painted a large-scale mural using stencil and spray paint. The original design and creative direction by Fran Reza led us to connect the concepts that unite El Huerto and Espacio. The piece captures elements in motion—transitions of body, soul, and consciousness—crossed by coffee culture, yoga, and cycling. Today, it serves as signage and a representation of who we are.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
We identify with the album Moctezuma from Porter. We like to explore, but we also enjoy stillness and permanence. Returning to cultivate and recreate family recipes gave the project its purpose.

Our maternal grandparents grew corn, beans, and squash on this land and founded the first tortilla shop, El Esfuerzo. El Huerto now stands on what used to be their home: a blend of tradition, flavor, and timeless design.

Answers by Marte, architect, creator and founder; and Tania, sociologist, creator and founder of El Huerto Restaurante & Espacio Natural