Abner Roldán and Karla Ly Quiñones remember how, during their early dates, they found common ground over a cup of coffee. Years later, they lead Café Comunión, a space where coffee and people of all kinds come together, at their Santurce location and at their new spot in Río Piedras.
"Coffee shops represent a third home or a third space. And for us, the coffee shop was like a refuge, one we'd go to before," Quiñones tells Platea. Back when the couple were teachers in the public school system, they used those places to escape the daily grind. The experience led them to dream of a space of their own, which would eventually become Café Comunión.
"We wanted to build a business, a café where we actually wanted to be. I'm passionate about making coffee, but in a place where I'd feel comfortable, an environment that was welcoming, not something too exclusive or too cool to serve you coffee, but something that brought together all parts of the community," Roldán says.
From that vision, with an eye toward providing a community space, Comunión was born. "Every time we went to a café, we made comunión, a community with each other, and we met a lot of people, friends who to this day are still in our lives," Quiñones says.
"Coffee has always been part of our relationship and has pushed us to create this concept we have, which makes us very proud, because more than serving coffee, I think it's the community experience we want to offer," adds the former history teacher.
Putting down roots in Santurce and Río Piedras
Roldán and Quiñones's dream took shape with their first location, on Avenida Ponce de León. Since it opened, it has also become an oasis in the Santurce routine, with an interior courtyard. Their new location in Río Piedras carries the same sense of community and also contributes to revitalizing the historic downtown.
"The community deserves beautiful spaces, spaces of love, spaces where coffee isn't for a few people, it's for everyone," Quiñones says.
The Río Piedras location, for instance, has a second floor where classes are offered at the Aula Escuela de Café, including Fundamentos de la Preparación de Café and Fundamentos de la Catación.
Ready to order?
If it's your first time visiting Café Comunión or you're looking for a recommendation from the team, Roldán suggests ordering a pastrami sandwich.
Quiñones, for her part, shares a classic with a Comunión twist: a ham, cheese and egg sandwich. Don't forget to pair either with a coffee, which will let you discover new flavors and textures from "a wide selection of international coffees from the best coffee-growing regions in the world." Buen provecho!
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
