The Love Inside The Latte: Cafe Niña Offers Coffee With Mexican Childhood Flavors

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on May 9, 2024

From dulce de leche and mazapán to cajeta and arroz con leche, you can get your caffeine fix with an Eastside twist at Cafe Niña.

Putting a spin on everyday coffee recipes, the spot on 4th Street in Boyle Heights draws people looking for their daily latte mixed with classic Mexican flavors.

Cafe Niña’s owner, Janet Cerda, is a Boyle Heights native who always dreamed about owning a business in the neighborhood that reflects its uniqueness.

“The reason why I started this business was because of my love for coffee,” said the 32-year-old. “When I was younger I felt coffee used to bring my family together.”

One day, she decided to just go for it. In February 2023, she quit her full-time job to launch her homefront business Cafe Niña, a Mexican-themed coffee cart.

Cerda recalls her first sip of coffee being from her grandmother Dolores “Lolita” Medina’s cup. Introduced to the world of all things café by her family matriarch , the bond between them is intertwined in every aspect of the business, from the name Cafe Niña to the “Lolita” latte.

“It’s the love inside the latte that brings it [business]. It’s just like when your abuelita makes food for you, you feel the love when you’re eating it. That’s what I think I’m putting into my drinks.” said Cerda.

Walking up to the house-front business, Cafe Niña welcomes you with Cerda ready to take your order. Customers can choose from a regular menu, with coffee house staples, or the specialty menu, full of ingredients that hold special memories for Cerda’s family.

“Those are my childhood treats that I used to have. For example, the galletas [Marias Gamesa cookies], those I used to have with coffee with my grandma. That’s why I named the latte after her, the ‘Lolita’ latte.” said Cerda.

“The ‘Arroz Con Leche’ [rice pudding] latte, that’s one of the desserts my grandma used to make as well. The mazapanes [marzipan candies], we used to eat them after school and buy them at the liquor store. That’s how I came up with all the flavors [on the menu]. I tried to mix them up with the coffee.” said Cerda.

She offered these blends to her friends to see what they thought at the beginning of her journey.

“I started sharing my drinks with them and then with my family. That's when they were like ‘You should just start something,'" said Cerda.

From pop-up shop to local favorite

Initially, Cerda was hesitant to start her business.

It took a year of convincing from her close friends and family, after which she took the first step by signing up for a local pop-up market to soft launch the business. She quickly bought all her equipment and got ready for the local 323 Market in East L.A.

“It was a great hit, I got a lot of support and when I saw that I thought to myself, ‘You know what, I’m going to keep this going,’” Cerda said. “It’s bringing people together and that’s my main goal… I want to create community.”

Even in the first few weeks after opening when Cerda had only a few customers, she remained optimistic, always content that she at least made a few people happy.

Eventually, she believed, it would all work out.

Today, the 4th Street spot draws in everyone from local regulars to social media onlookers enticed by Cafe Niña’s unique flavors.

Now, with Instagram reels to TikTok posts, the popularity of the business has gone beyond local residents and has been featured everywhere from L.A. Taco to Univision’s Lo Que Somos Podcast and iHeartRadio.

But Cerda’s relationship with her customers and the community is what she values as a part of her business. Knowing that local customers prefer her business over big-name coffee chains, she says it’s not only about her business’s authenticity but also how her drinks are made.

“I feel like there’s been a big change. In the beginning, I used to get one or two people a day and I didn’t give up. I was like ‘You know what? I have to be consistent because eventually there’s going to be five [customers]’ and now there’s fifty,” she said.

Adriana Valencia, 16, has supported Cafe Niña since its opening last year. She and her sisters can often be found in line for coffee. She said the uniqueness of selections is what keeps her coming back.

“Besides the environment, what makes her very different is that a lot of the traditional Mexican flavors are turned into drinks, and I think that’s really awesome to see because not a lot of coffee places do that. You see the traditional vanilla and caramel, but seeing ‘Lolita’, and ‘Arroz Con Leche’ [on the menu], it’s really nice to see our culture,” said Valencia, who usually orders a Mazapan latte with oat milk.

At a glance, the business still has the same grab-and-go nature from its first pop-up, but Cerda has been trying to keep clients in the neighborhood for longer to connect, chat and keep coming back. Cerda’s father even built a small patio area for customers to sit and enjoy their coffee.

For Cerda, coffee isn’t just something you drink to keep you up. It’s a cultural experience you can enjoy with other people, a gateway to meeting new people and a liquid adding substance (or “way to build on”) to your current relationships.

The space harbors a unique vibe for these conversations, with seasonal decorations, inspiring quotes, fresh flowers in bloom and chances to snap a pic for social media.

Samantha Chavez goes to Cafe Niña weekly. She says that what keeps her returning to this coffee cart is the unique home-front set up and her new favorite latte.

“I’ve never seen anyone sell coffee from their house and now it’s my favorite coffee spot to go to. Each [coffee] is handcrafted on the spot” said the 21-year-old whose favorite drink is the ‘Viva’ latte.

On the weekends, Cerda offers pastries on her menu that she buys locally at the panaderia just a few minutes walk from Cafe Niña.

With a board dedicated to highlighting Boyle Heights small businesses posted alongside her cart, Cerda’s love for her community goes beyond serving specialty coffee, as she actively supports fellow Boyle Heights businesses.

Cafe Niña is located at 3264 E. 4th Street. Alternating menus can be found on the coffee shop’s social media pages including Facebook and Instagram.