Why go
Ecuadorian coffee at the centre
The coffee programme puts Ecuador first, which is rarer than it sounds. In New York specialty coffee, where menus more often lead with Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil or Kenya, the difference here is not only that the shop serves specialty coffee but that it makes Ecuadorian coffee visible in a Latinx neighbourhood. Cholita opened in June 2023 in Ridgewood, and its founder describes the project as promoting and supporting Latinx and Ecuadorian coffee and culture, which gives it a sharper identity than a general espresso bar. The name itself carries Ecuadorian meaning, linking the origin focus to the cultural one rather than leaving them as separate claims.
Art on the walls, coffee at the counter
The room is part of the message. Cholita is an Ecuadorian coffee shop with cultural drinks and art, so the visit extends past the cup: photography and visual work on the walls carry the same point of view as the sourcing does. In July 2024 the shop invited Ridgewood residents in to see work on display, which is a fair description of how it functions day to day, an espresso counter that doubles as a small cultural room and a fixture of local life. It works with an outside specialty roaster, Obscure Coffee Roasters, rather than roasting on site, and coffees from both have been available here, which points to a curatorial approach rather than a vertical one. The format stays a specialty coffee shop rather than a restaurant or a deli.
Order the Ecuadorian pour-over first
Start with the Ecuadorian coffee whenever it is on, especially when a special highlights it, because the origin is the most direct way to understand the shop. A pour-over gives it the clearest reading, since nothing sits between the coffee and the cup; the espresso drinks are the friendlier entry if milk is the habit. The menu also carries cultural drinks drawn from the same Latinx and Ecuadorian frame, and they sit alongside the core coffee rather than replacing it, so an espresso drinker is never asked to choose sides. Keep the visit coffee-led: an Ecuadorian pour-over, something from the cultural side if curiosity wins, and a look at whatever is hanging on the walls. It has been listed in the Eater Coffee Guide, which is a fair marker for a shop this size.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I order at Cholita?
An Ecuadorian coffee, ideally as a pour-over, since the origin is the shop’s whole premise and brewing it without milk gives the clearest reading. The espresso drinks are the easier entry, and the cultural drinks on the menu draw on the same Ecuadorian and Latinx frame.
Does Cholita roast its own coffee?
No. It works with an outside specialty roaster, Obscure Coffee Roasters, rather than roasting on site, and coffees from both have been available at the counter. The approach is curatorial: the shop chooses and presents Ecuadorian coffee rather than producing it.
Compare nearby places
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| Lê Phin | Café | East Village |
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| Suited | Café | Financial District |
| PPL | Café | Williamsburg |
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