The Coffee, the instagrammable coffee shop in San Isidro where you serve your coffee yourself

Advantage spoke with Ericson Atalaya, one of the partners who brought the brand to Peru. “This is the first specialty coffee chain to enter the country and its story begins 5 years ago, in the hands of some brothers in Brazil who decided to bet on technology, design and a different product,” explains the owner.

They currently have 300 stores in Europe and Latin America, in countries such as Spain, France, Colombia and Peru. Its main inspiration is Japan, thanks to the stylized minimalist design that characterizes not only the store, but the brand itself.

“We started the brand here two years ago and we have been opening locally for just over 3 months. It has been a complex journey, since we opted for the use of local coffee, from Villa Rica, and we had to justify it to the chain,” explains Ericson.

Fortunately, as he comments, thanks to his letter and proposal they have been well received by the public. “We did not expect such a reception, since we are in a rather business area. But we realized that on weekends we also have a full house thanks to a very interested public in the area,” he adds.

The most innovative pillar of this experience is self-service. The store has two tablets through which customers can place orders for drinks and sweet or savory snacks, in addition to specifying levels of coffee, sugar and type of milk, among other characteristics. Although the workers cannot place the order for you, they are always willing to teach or resolve any questions about the process, a point in their favor.

unexpected flavors

When you hear the term specialty coffee shop you expect good coffee and here you can find one that meets expectations. From the most classic, like an Americano, to signature drinks, which take advantage of flavors such as salted caramel, matcha or kion.

He True White It is the best known version, which resembles a latte combining milk and coffee. We also recommend the Matcha Latte hot, ideal for these cold days. It can be ordered with regular milk, but they also offer plant-based or lactose-free alternatives.

If it is about curious drinks, we recommend the Matcha Iced Mint, which combines green tea, mint and milk, creating a kind of herbal freshness in each sip. It is a perfect frozen drink to calm the heat that sometimes accompanies us.

Another unexpected favorite was the Black Ginger, which consists of tonic water, ginger syrup, and espresso served over ice. The carbonation goes well with the acidity of the coffee and the ginger (or kion) complements it, giving an almost citrus flavor to the drink.

To complement the experience we recommend the blueberry muffin, fluffy, moist and with the precise amount of fruit and citrus touches. We also loved the croissant, which is usually served warm.

The Coffee It is one of those peaceful spaces that seem to be small oases among the chaos of the city. In addition, they have an interesting and well-executed menu that invites you to return to try new options or bet on the classics.