It was totally worth the wait. It was a short line during our morning visit, but we've seen it get longer during peak times. The line moves quickly. The coffee is sourced locally. The mocha latte was excellent. No syrups were used to make it. The mocha was prepared with something similar to a Menier or Cortez chocolate bar. How do I know? It was my mother's favorite when making hot chocolate. Every now & then, I'd shave off pieces of it to add to my coffee at home. The one I received at Café Mercado was just as amazing.
We couldn't pass up the pastries. We decided to try 2 of them. The guava quesito was a big surprise. It had a huge amount of filling in it. It tasted like a guava cheesecake. This alone was very filling. The pistachio croissant was also super filled with a delicious pistachio custard. I'd order the same items all over again, only I'd get one pastry at a time.
As far as ambiance goes... well it's located in the lobby of the Marriott Stellaris Resort which is clean, classy, and modern. It's decorated with images of San Juan. The image of "El Morro" stood out to me the most.
There is seating everywhere. The Sakana sushi bar and Azure lounge tables are routinely used in the morning as places to sit for coffee. Service was quick & efficient. It's a gem for guests at the resort, and a hidden one for those outside the resort. Hopefully we can revisit it again in the future. read more