Everybody knows that ‘terere’ and ‘cocido’ is deeply settled in the culture of Paraguay. Most families will start the morning with breakfast and a cup of cocido, what is a typical infusion prepared by boiling yerba mate in water – and a lot of sugar. Going to their jobs they will not leave the house without terere, a thermos fulled with cold water and a guampa, prepared with different kinds of mate yerba.
But over the last few years, the consumption of coffee is growing. Nowadays there is an average of two cups of coffee consumed per person each day in Paraguay. Currently, instant coffee is the most common type consumed by Paraguayan families at home. But for a coffee outside the house, options such as filtered coffee are getting more and more popular. Slowly but surely, the range of coffee bars in Paraguay is increasing.
For a coffee lover in Paraguay, it can be a challenge to find a coffee bar where they serve good quality filtered coffee. But good news for those coffee lovers: A new cafeteria has been opened since the first week of November this year! It’s located at the most important street in downtown, ‘Palma street’, next to the tourist information office.
The sign outside is small, but KAFFE’i can be instantly recognised by the beautiful big glass windows and door. When you enter the place you will instantly smell the freshly-brewed coffee. You will immediately notice that the married couple that own KAFFE’i have put a lot off effort into the architecture and decoration. It took them eight months to renovate the building and mix the atmosphere between Paraguay and Asia.
In the front, where you order the coffee, there are special seats for people that need to wait for their ‘takeaway’ coffee. And if you need to wait, all seats are provided with adapters to connect your phone to make sure you don’t run out of battery whilst checking your social media!
But for the people that want to socialise in real life, there are enough tables and seats available to enjoy a good coffee with your friends. There is also a second floor with more tables and a conference table. Wifi is available for those that need to do some work on a laptop. Working is always better with a fresh filtered coffee to make sure there is enough energy to be focused on the job! The interior and the music on the background will give you a feeling that you are in peace. Order a coffee with that feeling and you get totally relaxed.
The menu is divided into hot coffees and cold coffees. Of course there are options for an espresso, american or latte. But they are also offering some interesting coffees with a twist, like a ‘cafe latte mango’ the ‘limonada de cafe’ or the ‘matcha latte’.
Unique about this place is their fresh filtered coffee that can be ordered. They will grind the beans in front of you, and with passion and patience the exact amount of beans and water will be prepared. And when the temperature of the water is correct, it all gets filtered.
For now there two options for the fresh filtered coffee. One is quite similar with the coffee from Paraguay, but with a little twist of caramelo. The other one is more fruity. But of course, the best way to taste the difference is to try them yourself! The coffee is specially selected and imported from Bolivia. In the future they will have different coffees from all over the world. And they will also sell fresh beans so you are able to make the coffee at home as well!
For those who are allergic to lactose, there are options to make the lattes with lactose-free milk.
The prices start from Gs 10,000 (approximately US$1.25), and are totally in balance for the good quality coffee, the relaxing atmosphere and the service they offer. It is a place to really enjoy a good coffee and sit with friends or do some work behind your laptop. You will definitely stay more then an hour and leave the place totally unstressed.
And for the coffee lovers that also want to eat something with their coffee, there are enough options. It is a big change that, even when you already had eaten something, you will get hungry again while you order a coffee. By seeing the delicious cakes it will be difficult to reject them! Like the smell of the coffee when you enter the place will get you in the mood to order a coffee, just by taking a look of these cakes will make you want to eat one.
Also, notice that they have sandwiches – and they are not ‘just sandwiches’, they are sandwiches with an Asian twist. Like the sandwich with cheese, bacon and baked peanut butter. Yes you are reading that right – ‘baked peanut butter’. It makes the taste of the sandwich unique!
And just like the coffee is specially selected, their bread and cakes are specially selected as well.
You can see, smell and taste the effort they put in KAFFE’i – make sure to try it sometime soon!
