Tetlán

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
Tetlán was born as a closed-door roastery, during a period of transformation and transition between names and projects. The heart of our work has always been the roaster: between 2019 and 2023, it gave life to a bar that, little by little and almost unintentionally, grew into a restaurant.

It was a beautiful journey that gave us certainty about our love: a fruit that later becomes liquid and fits into a cup. We wanted to devote all our time and energy to that. So we handed the restaurant over to someone else and, in the meantime, searched for a new space to keep our roastery running and continue supporting our clients. We found this place in the Santa Tere neighborhood, and here Tetlán was born. From Náhuatl, it means “place among stones,” and it is also the birthplace of our head roaster and founder, Jair Sánchez. 

Soon enough, the urge to share took over (as did the square meters waiting for a purpose), so we set up the bar and opened our doors. 

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Our favorite moments at work are definitely cupping and designing new drinks. If we had to sum it up, we’d say it’s the moments of discovering and creating. We also love talking with our clients—about coffee and about everything else. Conversations about coffee always lead to conversations about life, and vice versa. Coffee and people reveal themselves again and again. 

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
They shouldn’t miss the chance to explore. When you walk in, you’ll see shelves full of coffee, chocolates from Mikuchina Mulla, prints by Magenta Prints, speakers designed by Outfox, and our murals. Everything invites you to step in, ask questions, and start a conversation. Once you’re hooked, you can’t leave without trying a flat white or a filtered coffee made with the beans we recommend. 

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Tetlán is located in Santa Tere, a century-old, very traditional neighborhood with deeply rooted coffee consumption habits. Establishing ourselves in the local market with a specialty coffee proposal has especially challenged the way we communicate it. Well-made coffee is rigorous and technical, but making it accessible is our job. Language matters, but it’s just as important to remember that it exists to help us understand one another—not to restrict us. We’d like to remove the air of exclusivity that sometimes surrounds coffee culture. 

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
We’re still guided by the idea that extraordinary things can come from anywhere, and that what we do is for everyone. We like the unexpected. We like learning, relearning, and changing our minds when necessary. What continues to move us is our sense of wonder; we’re always headed in its direction. 

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
We’re inspired by many people and projects. We’ve always entrusted our visual identity to Wericklara and her incredible talent for translating our ideas into design. Her work inspires us deeply.

We’re inspired by colleagues like El Terrible Juan Café and Jorge Sotomayor, as examples and references within the Mexican industry. We also admire the visual identity work of Camelia with her brand Migrante Tostadores.  

We really appreciate the work of Standart and Roast Magazine; we keep their issues at the bar, always available for anyone who wants to flip through them. And we also love Metric. 

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We would love to collaborate with Roy Barba and Giselle Riestra; local artists and loyal drinkers of our lattes and flat whites, whom we greatly admire. 

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
Everyone asks about the author of our murals and what they mean. No one imagines that the artist is Diego, who is also a roaster and occasionally works behind the bar. The murals portray the journey coffee takes from its origin, combining human, magical, and natural elements in the form of a fable. We hope that those who see them recognize and enjoy the way the story is told, and that those who don’t know to ask and leave with a story. 

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Si Tetlán fuera una ciudad sería Naolinco, según Bryan, porque ahí vio cafetos crecer entre las piedras. Si fuera un libro, sería Like Water for Chocolate, según Diego, porque nos gusta que cada sorbo esté cargado de intención y emoción. Si fuera un disco, segun yo, sería The Best of Sade, because it has the perfect rhythms to move through the day. 

Answers by Giovanna A. Talavera, bar supervisor, social media and collaborations at Tetlán