Cafe Ollama Brewing on Southwest Boulevard in Crossroads

By Kevin Collison

Francisco Murguia wants patrons at Cafe Ollama, his new Crossroads coffee shop at 523 Southwest Blvd., to enjoy a tasty trip to places he knows well when they stop by for some cafe de olla.

“It’s an opportunity for us to socialize and give ourselves a different experience,” he said. “We provide coffee, nostalgia and what its like if we give someone the opportunity to taste cafe de olla,” he said.

The cozy space he opened last month with his wife Lesley Reyes is decorated with art from his native Mexico and even offers a few soccer shirts for sale. At the counter is the traditional clay pot used to serve cafe de olla.

Murguia attended grade school just up the hill from his new place at Primitivo Garcia, but his life’s journey has taken him Scottsdale, AZ, Los Angeles and Chicago in the U.S. and Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia.

Those places have created the cultural blend that touches his coffee drinks. They include Chatita, an espresso with agua de horchata, Mami Gloria, iced espresso with Mexican Coca-Cola and Chocolate Abuelita with steamed milk.

He and his wife plan to offer pastries as their business grows.

“We plan to be patient and see how it evolves,” Murguia said.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Cafe Ollama offers a cozy place to sip the flavors of Latin America on Southwest Boulevard.