RENOcafe

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
RENOcafe was born from the idea of ​​being a meeting point for Cancun's creative community, a place where new projects and friendships can be fostered, taking advantage of the potential of the surroundings and everyone involved (artists, architects, designers, chefs, photographers, etc.). All this while offering a pleasant atmosphere, with good quality coffee, homemade bread, fermented foods, and delicious breakfasts.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
We love having the opportunity to meet and chat with some of our clients, with whom we often share many common interests and have very interesting conversations. We've also really enjoyed welcoming tourists staying in downtown Cancun, moving beyond the typical tourist who arrives to All Inclusive and instead, they seek a more authentic and local experience. On the kitchen and bar side, we really enjoy experimenting and creating new seasonal products such as drinks, baked goods, and new dishes.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
A homemade kombucha, a filtered coffee from café Mutante, a laminated cinnamon roll and some chilaquiles with castacan or some turkish eggs.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
The location was a factor we thought we'd struggle with, because we're not on a main avenue but on a mostly residential street, but this has given the café a special vibe. We've also discovered that this area has a special value for pioneering businesses in the city.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
Our main goal is to create a space where people can have a pleasant and memorable time, whether during their trip or in their daily lives. We also believe it's important for Reno to have the essence of Cancun, so that people can easily connect Reno and Cancun.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
We are inspired by the local art scene; we believe that stronger and more meaningful projects can be built together as a community. Artists like Made in Cancun, Alex Lechuga and Elena Caltz, and places like the pottery workshop Lodoso and the chocolate shop Ki'Neek’who are doing things particularly well.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
It would be a dream to collaborate with Noma and to do a dinner together, we've been greatly inspired by her work in the world of fermentation, the way she's standardized and made the processes for preparing kombucha, koji, and homemade vinegars more accessible to cooks, as well as her approach to ingredients and local culinary culture through her pop-ups in different parts of the world. We would also love to create a new project with chef Daniela Soto-Innes: we really like her cooking style and her sensitivity towards art.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
The books and vinyl records we have available in the café for customers to read and listen to have great sentimental value; we've collected them on trips we've taken over the past couple of years. The books are mainly travel and cookbooks, and our vinyl records range from a very complete Taylor Swift collection to local Japanese artists.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
It would undoubtedly be contemporary Cancun, a Cancun that celebrates its culture formed by people from all over the republic who have come to contribute to this new identity.

Answers by Juan Esteban Rodríguez Buitrón (chef and owner) and Alejandra Ponce de Leon Arias (manager and owner).