Nine Coffeehouses in Guanajuato, Mexico

Coffee-housing is a Guanajuato tradition for its students, expats and visitors. You will find several coffee-houses in "El Centro," the Guanajuato downtown and others farther afield. Besides, you're likely to make your own discoveries to add to your personal list of Guanajuato places.

Antik, The Zilch and Café Carcamanas are all downtown. Antik, on the Plaza Baratillo, is the latest reincarnation of the old Café Dada and where the Zilch started out. Likely to be lively at night. I've heard the snacks include hummus with chips.

The Zilch, owned by cellist Michael Severens, is up two flights of stairs near the Hotel Luna along the Jardin. Live music almost every night. Comfortable seating for lounging. Wine available too.

To get to Café Carcamanas, go through the Baratillo, taking a left and walk uphill about a hundred meters to a small triangular plaz. The café, on the left, is the only one downtown with both indoor and outdoor seating. Some good books too while you wait to sip.

You'll know you're near the tiny El Conquistador on Positos near the Diego Rivera Museum when you inhale the aroma of coffee roasting.

If you walk up to Plaza Mexiamora along the callejon from Cantarranas, you'll come to El Zopilote Mojado. If you walk up the steps instead by the Teatro Principal, just ask someone in the plaza. Comfortable and often has the print edition of the NY Times.

Walking out from the center of Guanajuato, you'll come to two coffee houses along El Campanero, La Casona del Campanero and El Kaapeh. In La Casona, you'll be served in the patio, with upscale crafts shops part of the complex. El Kaapeh opened in December, 2009. Breakfasts available and like the Casona, it also offers salads. Like, El Zopilote, a bit pricey but you're likely to be in Guanajuato to enjoy yourself.

Entering Sangre de Cristo, you'll find the two-room Café Tal owned by former orchestra member, Greg Stavroukis, on your left. Usually a daily special of coffee plus pastry. Popular with emailers all the time and students at night. The Tal expanded from its original narrow location to the larger room across the callejon. Here they roast their own coffee beans, which they also sell retail.

Continuing up to Paseo de la Presa, at El Corazon Parlante on the left before the Escuela Normal, you can sit inside or out. Has tasty Mexican cookies as well as a selection of teas and, of course, coffee. You can order breakfast here too.

All these coffee houses serve tea too, but at a premium. And yes, Guanajuato does have two coffeehouse chains, Starbuck's to the right of the Jardin, and The Italian Coffee Company (despite its name, a Mexican firm based in Puebla), on Truco and in Plaza San Fernando.