Pueblo Querido Coffee Roasters — Bringing a Flavor of Colombia to Brooklyn
Woman waiting to place her order at Pueblo Querido. | Photo by Angelina Ispir
Mural of a Colombian woman at Pueblo Querido, 34th North 6th Street. | Photo by Angelina Ispir
Pueblo Querido Coffee Roasters, established in 2015 by Christian Felipe Guzman Herrera, celebrates Colombia and his country's contributions to coffee traditions in the U.S.
Pueblo Querido’s location on 34th North 6th Street in Williamsburg feels immersed in the country's culture through its vibrant aesthetic. Greenery thrives around the shop, paired with hanging hand-crafted baskets and scarves detailed with traditional Colombian patterns.
Immediately customers are whisked away by the pleasant smells and sounds of coffee beans being ground in the shop. Whether the customer decides to get a plain latte or a Coca Mocha from their menu, it’s essential to pair the beverage with an authentic Colombian pastry — just waiting to be purchased by the onslaught of ongoing customers. A personal favorite would be Pandebon, bread with an outer shell and soft inside made of cheese and yuca — perfect when toasted and paired with an iced vanilla latte.
Colombian-inspired decorations at Pueblo Querido. | Photo by Angelina Ispir
“I moved to New York in 2015. The beginning was hard when needing to have a background,” said Felipe Guzman Herrera, founder of Pueblo Querido Coffee Roasters. “Pueblo Querido began as a project for my master’s thesis in business. I started in Greenpoint, and the only one crazy enough to take me in was a friend who offered to rent me his building.”
The first months for Pueblo Querido were not easy. When COVID-19 came to the U.S, Herrera had to postpone opening his coffee shop.
“I thought I was going bankrupt,” he said. “However, I was able to keep everything afloat. I made my pastries and coffee — that's why I was able to keep the store open at first.”
Iced vanilla latte from Pueblo Querido. | Photo by Angelina Ispir
Herra has always been captivated by the coffee-making process. When coming to the city, he knew that his business had to stand out in the industry.
“You can only find basic coffees, which is why I started to dig into everything about the coffee process. It was very intriguing, and I have friends that work on coffee farms. So that’s when I started to pull everything together.”
What makes Herrera’s coffee stand out is the variety of blends in his roasts. Flavors like red apple and caramel as well as dark chocolate and honey are available in the store and online.
Main entrance of Pueblo Querido. | Photo by Angelina Ispir
Because of their small batch roasting, every order of Pueblo Querido coffee beans is sold fresh from the shop. Their menu presents an array of coffee drinks, teas and fresh juices to choose from; traditional pastries consist of arepas and empanadas.
Those from the Latinx community especially find comfort in shops like Pueblo Querido — including Carla, a recent graduate now practicing nursing, who moved to New York City this year.
“My parents are from Ecuador,” said Carla. “The food here at Pueblo Querido is authentic. I would buy it if I was in my home country.”
A woman being served food at Pueblo Querido. | Photo by Angelina Ispir
Herrera understood how meaningful this business was not only for him but for others in the community as well.
“It felt like something I needed to do. In Colombia, these types of things are not like a business as opposed to in the U.S. Before choosing my location I had visited Tennessee and Florida, but New York had everything.”
Carla and her Friend on The Left-Hand Side Spending Time Together | Photo by Angelina Ispir
Angelina Ispir is a freshman at The King’s College studying Journalism, Culture and Society. She is enthusiastic about the arts and is an avid coffee drinker.