La Nebulosa

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
La Nebulosa was born from Jocelyn’s journey, who began in the coffee world more than a decade ago, at her first job as a barista. Over the years that passion transcended. She convinced her partner in every leap of faith and everyday companion, Jacobo, and her nephew Mauricio (another accomplice in adventures) to board the ship.

The idea was always that coming for coffee would feel like walking into our living room. When we opened, it wasn’t planned: a space one block from our apartment became available and I thought it sounded crazy, but also totally possible; after all, we already had a café at home. Behind it there are more than fifteen years of experience working with coffee and a dream we had been imagining for a long time. I don’t know if that’s what makes us different, but from the start we’ve tried to build a real community, not just serve coffee.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Each person enjoys a different part of the day, and that’s what makes the space special. Diana likes calibrating the espresso in the mornings and welcoming the first regular customers. Juan and Geovanny enjoy the coziness of the space and that the bar lets them interact; that conversation flows with those who sit there. Mauricio and Jacobo really connect with the art in the café and how it opens dialogue with other creatives.

Luna and Alondra like seeing people enjoy their drinks and watching them be present in their own moments. Also that sometimes customers who don’t know each other can be united by a shared topic, and suddenly the entire café is part of the same conversation, as if they were old friends.

And Jocelyn, who is now more focused on roasting at Cosmos, enjoys something different when she returns to La Nebulosa: sitting down, picking up a book or magazine from the shelf, reading for a while, or chatting with regulars who are already part of the community.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Our specialty is coffee. We roast it in our roasting house, Cosmos, and we love when people ask us about it and its story. There’s also a lot of local art in the space — it’s worth sitting and observing it, noticing every detail that makes up La Nebulosa.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
When we began to grow, one of the biggest challenges was integrating new people into the team and finding a way to transmit the essence of the project. In that process we understood that everyone brings something of themselves, and that the identity of our space isn’t built from the place, but from the people who are with us day by day.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
We’re still guided by the idea of creating spaces where people share and remember, understanding coffee as an act of memory, learning, and permanence. Always with respect for processes, people, and the stories that surround them.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Lately inspiration has been coming from many corners of the coffee universe. Projects like Baristas Bravos and Seven Drips in Tijuana, Sobremesa in Sonora and La Fábrica Cafetería in Sinaloa remind us that coffee is community before competition. Many of these projects are led by women who are doing things with vision, character, and great intention. That inspires us deeply.

In the case of Bravos, their energy moves us: they’re passionate, always looking to improve, and above all warm. There we met Melissa, Jethro, Santiago, Kevin, and Isaias. At Seven Drips, Andy; at Sobremesa, Andrea and Pablo; and at La Fábrica, Mariana. These are projects where friendships and real community are built. When a project grows with purpose, it lifts us all.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Honestly, we want to collaborate with many projects, but if we could invite someone for a day, we’d love it to be Baristas Bravos. Their energy and their pursuit of the perfect cup inspire us. We imagine a shared experience behind the bar, opening up the behind-the-scenes and sharing it with our customers. It would be a day to connect, learn, and celebrate coffee.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
It’s hard to talk about a single object, because in La Nebulosa nothing is placed at random: every corner has a story and meaning for us. If I had to choose one, it would be a small painting with a watercolor made by our niece Nahomi. In the image is Jocelyn’s father, sitting in one of our iconic purple chairs, drinking coffee in a very recognizable spot in the place. He never got to know La Nebulosa, but for us his presence has always been there.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
If La Nebulosa were a city, it would be the city of Mos Eisley, on the planet Tatooine, within the Star Wars universe. Like the Cantina, we’re a meeting point in the middle of the desert where travelers, stories, and characters from all galaxies cross paths. You don’t come here just for coffee… you come to begin your next adventure.

Answers by Jocelyn Itzel Sánchez Martínez, founder of La Nebulosa