Though Con Azúcar Café is located in Downtown San Jose, the traditionally flavored Mexican drinks will teleport Latinx customers to their best childhood memories and offer everyone else a delightful pick-me-up.
The cafe, located at 101 E. Santa Clara St., was founded by brothers Victor and Alex Garcia and their business partners Alexandria Gonzales and Uriel Valdivias.
The idea of creating Con Azúcar cafe blossomed from the brothers’ friendship with Gonzales and Valdivias.
"[Gonzales and Valdivias] brought up to us, ‘hey, we want to open up our own business,’ '' Victor said. “And I think that's what holds a lot of love to this business because we never imagined we could open a business with somebody else.”
While the cafe offers coffeehouse staples including regular lattes, cappuccinos and chai tea, the rest of the menu is heavily influenced by Mexican candies and other sweets or tart summer favorites.
Using a coffee art printing machine, the cafe can put any image on a hot latte – sorry iced coffee drinkers – as the milk foam on a hot drink is required to place the edible ink.
The ink is a tasteless, water-based food coloring, according to the Colorato coffee printer company website.
“I think we're the first ones in town, or you know, maybe California [to offer this style of latte art],” Garcia said.
For sweet latte lovers, Con Azúcar Cafe has a variety of syrup flavors including Duvalin, Horchata, Abuelita hot chocolate infused lattes and Marzipan.
Duvalin is a creamy Mexican candy that is split into three sections of strawberry, hazelnut and vanilla flavors similar to Neapolitan ice cream.
My personal favorite is the sweet and nutty Marzipan Latte served over ice.
Marzipan, specifically the candy sold by Mexican grocery store De La Rosa, is a staple treat in Mexican households and is known for its nutty flavors and iconic Rose packaging.
The drink in its iced version is presented with a mocha rim and covered with Marzipan crumbles.
The first sip of the drink features a milky, sweet and light coffee flavor that doesn’t taste artificial.
Instead, it has a pleasant Marzipan finishing note that’s almost missed if someone’s never tried the candy before.
For those who want a bit more flavor, I recommend asking the baristas to add some of the Marzipan crumbles or an extra pump of the syrup into the cup for that extra nutty flavor.
If you’re looking for something refreshing, Con Azúcar currently serves a Jamaica Raspberry iced tea, Tamarindo Lemonade and a Pepino Con Limon, or cucumber with lime.
Jamaica is a citrusy sweet drink made with hibiscus leaves, and tamarindo is a sweet and tangy fruit that is often used in candies but it also pairs well with lemonade.
Like a pavlovian pup, my mouth started instantly watering upon seeing the light-green cucumber lime juice with a chamoy and tajin rim of the pepino refresher.
The first sip was amazing.
The spicy-sweetness from the chamoy and tajin rim was contrasted by the cucumber lime juice, which is freshly squeezed throughout the day, Garcia said.
The cafe also has a few food options available including the “Three Cheese Grilled Cheese”, “Avocado Toast” and “Torta De Jamon” or Ham Torta.
The Grilled Cheese is made with American, Swiss and pepper jack cheese and sandwiches between two thick slices of white brioche bread.
As far as grilled cheese sandwiches go, this one offered a nice cheese pull, but lacked the flavor to pull me back for another one.
I think it lacked the slightly tangy taste that another cheese, like mozzarella, could offer.
While the grilled cheese did not not suffice, the fresh baked sweet breads were delicious.
Baked locally by Delizias Bakery located on Monterey Road, the cafe offers miniature versions of the classics like conchas, Cuernos and their concha muffins.
Cuernos are horn shaped sweet breads and Con Azúcar’s are absolutely delicious.
Con Azúcar Cafe is also full of “Instagrammable” moments.
The inside of the cafe features black booths, black plush chairs and wooden tables.
The black chairs give the space a very chic Los Angeles vibe while the red and white roses hanging from the ceiling make the cafe feel almost dreamy.
The tables are equipped with three USB ports and one electrical socket, making it a nice place for students to set up for a quick study session as long as they’re not looking for a quiet place to work.
The cafe is often filled with high-energy Spanish music throughout the day.
The first thing many customers notice when walking through the door is the swing hanging from the ceiling with a neon sign behind it with the words “Sienta El Pedorro.”
“Pedorro is like a funny slang way of saying sit your buttocks down,” Garcia said. “It doesn’t mean feel their fart, that is what Google tells you but it doesn’t mean that.”
Victor went on to say that the swing is a symbol of childhood joy.
“[When] you go to Mexico, you know, [kids] don't have any toys or anything but [they] have a swing.” Garcia said. “They will find a way to make it… that's what makes it really special.”
As customers make their way inside, they might notice a mural on the back wall of famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo with a Concha, a shell-shaped pastry, in one hand and a coffee in the other.
The mural was painted by local artist Artes Luna, Garcia said.
“That's what we're used to doing in Mexico,” Garica said. “You grab your coffee and Concha and you dip it in there– traditional.”
Overall, this new cafe is definitely worth a visit or two for the delicious drinks, cultural experience and excellent sweet bread.
