Vínculo Café

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
Vínculo was born from our love for specialty coffee and our desire to build a community where people feel they are in the perfect place to share, learn, and grow, using a great cup of coffee as the starting point.

We also created this space with the intention of being a refuge from the routine of city life, where people can step away for a moment and disconnect in our café.

What set us apart from the beginning was the hospitality we offer every person who visits, always aiming to provide the best possible experience.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
When customers arrive who are no longer just customers but friends and part of our community, making the moment enjoyable while we serve their favorite coffee, and when we build new relationships through coffee.

Creating a culture of learning when questions arise from customers or ourselves about a particular coffee.

When the team tastes a new coffee bean, as well as when we create special drinks.

Weekends, when the team is more complete and we get to share more moments together.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Beyond taking in every corner of our space, we have a section with merchandise and products from different local brands: specialty coffee, ceramics, artwork, and more.

Also, the opportunity to have a conversation with the baristas and the team about coffee or any other topic, since we like each relationship to begin with a simple exchange.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Questioning whether gentrification in the city, especially in the neighborhood where we are located, could negatively affect us.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
We are inspired by the idea that coffee allows us to connect with many different people: producers, roasters, owners of other coffee bars, and more.

Through this connection, we have built a community of growth and support, where we recommend things to each other, help one another in difficult situations, and share experiences.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Enora Café nos inspira porque es un espacio que transmite eso que nosotros también buscamos: sentirse acogido, tener un buen recibimiento y ser un oasis en medio de la ciudad, además de poder disfrutar de un delicioso café y alimentos.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
En Punto Barra de Café son grandes amigos con quienes ya tenemos historia. Desde que abrimos Vínculo Café nos han apoyado en varias ocasiones, y hemos platicado sobre la posibilidad de colaborar juntos en el futuro.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
Los libros que tenemos para uso de los clientes han sido donados, al igual que la mayoría de las plantas, que han sido obsequiadas por clientes y amigos. Son elementos que le dan vida a nuestro espacio y a los que les tenemos mucho cariño.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Ciudad: Nápoles o San Gimignano, Italia, por estar llenas de vida, arte y color, así como por la abundancia de plantas y naturaleza.

Book: El manual del guerrero de la luz, de Paulo Coelho, porque es un lugar que frecuentan muchos “guerreros” antes de seguir con sus vidas complejas y mágicas.

Canción: Mujer divina, de Natalia Lafourcade, porque reúne a varios artistas amigos y transmite justo ese ambiente de comunidad que se vive en Vínculo. Además, es un homenaje a un compositor mexicano, y sentimos que Vínculo también rinde homenaje al café.

Otra canción sería Beautiful, de Gustavo Cerati. La frase “mereces lo que sueñas” nos ha inspirado desde el inicio para crear este espacio, y la compartimos con clientes y amigos para motivarlos en sus propios proyectos.

Answers by Roberto Rodríguez and Victoria Salazar, propietarios de Vínculo Café.