Today at La Tienda del Café we conclude our tour, and we couldn't do it any other way than with the iconic places to enjoy coffee in Colombia, a coffee-growing country, but also a thinker and artist. And these two great attributes come together in its history and in its coffee shops.
In the 20th century, Bogotá's cafés played a fundamental role in the development of literature and journalism. Intellectuals gathered there to reflect on the country, drink coffee, and perhaps other activities. Cafés such as El Automático, El Windsor, El Inglés, El Cisne, El Excelsior, and El Mercantil were meeting points for poets, journalists, and other artists. They also represent birthplaces of avant-garde ideas, for political and cultural progress in general, and for Colombian literature. Names such as Germán Arciniegas, Alberto Lleras Camargo, Ricardo Rendón, León de Greiff, and Gabriel García Márquez, to name just a few, passed through these cafés. In addition to their decor and furnishings, mostly in opaque wood tones, these places had the appeal of bringing these figures together.
And although many of these places no longer exist physically, they remain as memories of a great moment for Colombian and Bogotá coffee shops. But today, we still have some that have stood the test of time, preserving the same ideas and essence. And others that, barely built, capture the value of Colombian culture and history.
The Golden Bottle, Bogotá
The first café that, to this day, is deeply loved and remembered by Bogotá residents is "La Botella de Oro." At the beginning of the 20th century, residents of the capital used to frequent this place for their daily gatherings. This place was located on the corner of 10th Street, right in the atrium of the Cathedral in Plaza de Bolívar.
Generally, those who frequented this café were ordinary Bogotá residents, landowners from the savannah, and politicians and intellectuals who were thinking about building a better country.
Café Pasaje, Bogotá
Café Pasaje was the quintessential spot for lawyers and journalists. Located across from the Universidad del Rosario in the city center, this place remains open to the capital's residents.
This space bears witness to the day the idea of founding the Bogotá-based team Independiente Santa Fe was conceived. As in the previous cases, this café served as an extension of debate, newspapers, and knowledge.
The Málaga, Medellín
Tucked away among downtown shops and boasting a retro aesthetic, the most famous bar in the Colombian city where Carlos Gardel died in 1935 has endured a closure that has strained its finances and left its customers feeling melancholy. Considered a historic site in the city, it is a must-visit for early music lovers.
Founded in 1957 by his father, Gustavo Arteaga, El Málaga has been a meeting point for music lovers, musicians, teachers, journalists, and writers for six decades. Painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, former president Belisario Betancur, and filmmaker Víctor Gaviria were some of its most illustrious clients, at the feet of Gardel. Four years ago, a fire nearly cost him his award-winning music collection, consisting of more than 7,000 vinyl records, and the construction of the famous Medellín metro also threatened to ruin them.
Juan Valdez, Bogotá
This shop resembles a museum inspired by the coffee-growing region of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Juan Valdez practices sustainability and recycling by reusing different materials such as wood and beer bottles in the design of the shop and its furnishings, located on 73rd Street and 9th Avenue.
“With the design of this store, we aim to offer consumers the truly authentic experience of premium Colombian coffee , allowing them to continue discovering their perfect cup and the different origins of our coffee. We also further reinforce our commitment to the sustainability of coffee farming and our environment. It's a real breath of fresh air for Bogotá, as it presents a truly innovative sustainable design proposal,” comments Hernán Méndez, President of Procafecol.
We also see a tribute to the beliefs and way of life of the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa, and Kankuamo peoples, in line with an ecological culture and respect for and protection of the environment. The wooden slats that had provided the floor of the renowned terrace for 12 years were reused to create the new main wall, the bar, and several chairs and tables that are part of the space; some materials from the demolition find new life in furniture pieces and handcrafted lamps, inspired by the cacao tree from the Sierra and made from recycled glass bottles.
Many iconic coffee shops are no longer here, but on every corner of Colombia, everyone has their favorite spot for coffee; each place has its own story, and each path has something to tell. New ones continue to emerge, and artists continue to emerge who may one day share a table with you, and you'll be able to say, "I was there."
And this concludes our tour of the most iconic coffee shops. We took a long walk through Europe, Latin America, and Colombia. Soon we'll continue exploring paths and searching for stories that always lead us to the same meeting point: that lead us to coffee.