A taste of Latin America at Fresno's Mi Cafesito

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A new coffee shop inside of the Manchester Center is serving coffee with beans from Latin American countries.

For many, it's a taste of home.

"To bring a cup of coffee from Guatemala, El Salvador it's, 'Oh, I remember drinking this coffee with my Grandma.'"

Co-owner Evelyn Gutierrez says the dream of opening this family-run business is five years in the making.

"We wanted to portray something that represented us," she said.

But when she questioned why they never discussed any Central or South American coffee, it left her with a bitter taste.

"They said well, those are not good coffee beans. There are no good coffee beans in Latin America and I said, 'I'm going to prove you wrong.' I'm going to search and I'm going to bring the best coffee beans that I can from Latin America and here we are."

Barista Hassan Macedo has perfected the art of enhancing the taste of coffee, something you'll find when ordering from their latte menu.

"It takes a lot of trial and error to decide which coffee tastes better with each type of syrups," he said.

Of course, a little taste of Latin America has people coming back for more but what gets them through the door could have something to do with their signature names. You'll get a kick out of their Valentine's Day menu.

"We like to have fun when it comes to naming our drinks," Hassan said.

The Sweetheart Sunrise and Love Potion are some of the plant-based energy drinks.

Whether customers visit for a taste of nostalgia or for an extra pep in their step, one thing at Mi Cafesito is constant.

"We want them to feel at home here," Hassan said.