Cafecito Social

The Tres Leches Latte is the drink that explains Cafecito Social: espresso, steamed milk and dulce de leche, pulled from beans roasted in Guatemala and shipped to Brooklyn every week. The café is rooted in Gowanus, and its own language is direct, “Rooted in Guatemala. Built in Brooklyn,” with culture, family and connection doing as much work as the coffee programme.

Guatemalan beans, roasted at origin

Cafecito Social centres on single-origin Guatemalan coffee in a casual café setting. The house programme uses lighter-profile beans roasted at origin, with weekly shipments from Guatemala rather than a relationship with a separate American roaster. Two core coffees are named: Antigua, the espresso base, and Fraijanes, the cold brew base. The menu builds out from there into the Tres Leches Latte, the Cardamom Latte, the Chocobanano Iced Latte, a Guatemalan Americano, a Tres Leches cold brew and a shaken iced espresso with dulce de leche. The Tres Leches Latte pairs dulce de leche with espresso and steamed milk; the Chocobanano Iced Latte brings chocolate and banana together. Tea and non-caffeinated drinks are part of the wider list, but coffee is the point.

A casual New York City coffee stop

The feel is closer to a neighbourhood gathering spot than to a dining room: warm, lively and community-centred, a place people come to for coffee, a pastry and conversation. The Guatemalan-founded identity comes through in both the sourcing and the hospitality, which emphasises connection over a chain format. Service is straightforward café service, with dine-in, takeaway and delivery all part of the model. There is some outdoor seating, though the footprint is small rather than expansive. The crowd is family friendly and LGBTQ+ friendly, and the café describes itself as a transgender safe space, which fits its stated emphasis on culture and community. Beyond the Bond Street counter, the business also trades at Smorgasburg on Fridays and Sundays in season, so it reaches past one room while staying rooted in Brooklyn.

Order the Tres Leches Latte first

Start with the Tres Leches Latte, because it captures the dessert-leaning Guatemalan style better than anything else on the board. If you want spice instead of sweetness, the Cardamom Latte is the next clear order, hot or iced. For a cold signature, the Chocobanano Iced Latte brings chocolate and banana into the coffee, while the Tres Leches cold brew points back to the Fraijanes base. The Guatemalan Americano and the shaken iced espresso with dulce de leche keep the list from ending at standard espresso drinks.

On the food side, Cafecito Social is pastry-forward and light-bite focused. The parmesan and black pepper twist is the savoury item to notice, alongside pastries, breakfast bites, small plates and vegan and vegetarian options. Coffee stays the main draw, with the pastry case as its natural companion.