So, by no means do I actually claim to be a coffee connoisseur…

I like my coffee sweet with milk and lots of different flavors. BUT, drinking coffee in Cuenca has taught me some distinct (and really enjoyable) ways to hang out and drink coffee with friends/family.

My first lesson concerning coffee in Cuenca was that in very few places is there a concept of “to go.” If you want coffee, you’re going to sit down and spend at least the next 15 minutes slowing your pace in the restaurant that you so choose. Most every cafe that I’ve visited is an extremely lax, friendly environment. Some have killer classic rock or classical playlists, while others just offer the sound of a bustling street or the quiet conversation of nearby patrons in the same cafe. There’s an incredible variety, and I haven’t visited a cafe that I don’t remember fondly. Below is a cafe that I’ve passed several times and intend to try (but I haven’t, and oftentimes it’s QUITE awkward to try and take a casual picture of a busy cafe in broad daylight).

Some further realizations include: I’m a fan of milk-based coffee. What? Is that even a thing? Yep. My host family has it every morning and it’s part of a really delicious, filling breakfast. I couldn’t drink it more than once a day though, since it’s so rich. But I definitely recommend giving it a try. Ecuadoran instant coffee is really good, too. They aren’t coffee grounds; they’re in this jar and they dissolve when you spoon them into your milk/water (again, this could be super obvious and I hadn’t realized with my coffee wisdom, so I apologize if that’s how all instant coffee is and I’m just new to this). Lastly, a lot of places spell coffee like “coffe” and it always makes me chuckle. I’m not sure whether it’s a purposeful spelling or referring to something different, but it’s an observation that I desperately needed to include.

So, if you’re planning on visiting Cuenca anytime soon (if not, take notes for your future visit), here are some suggestions. Visit Cafe Austria, as it has nice vibes, cheap coffee and good music. The best coffee I’ve tasted (and I have no idea the name of this place) is a hole in the wall two blocks from CEDEI towards Calle Larga. You can see them grinding their coffee from the sidewalk and you’ll realize you’ve found a swell place with the pungent coffee aroma (they’ve got killer tamales and dulces, too).

Have a good week, thanks for reading, and I’ll continue to freshen up my knowledge on coffee!