At El Cerro, high-altitude Puerto Rican coffee meets Capitol Hill cafe heights

Don’t wait. It already seems nearly impossible for El Cerro to keep bringing fresh roasted Puerto Rican coffee beans to Capitol Hill.

The cafe at the top of Pike/Pine is settling in after its summer opening and has recently expanded hours. It is now serving Wednesday through Sunday 7 AM to 4 PM.

CHS reported here in July on the new E Pike cafe from Jehú Torres Vega as the entrepreneur said he was channeling his Caribbean roots in creating the new warm and inviting addition to the neighborhood’s increasingly international coffee scene.

Its name translates to, appropriately, The Hill.

The new Capitol Hill cafe is focusing on Café Alto Grande, a premium Arabica coffee cultivated in the central mountain region of Puerto Rico and known for its sweet aroma, bright profile, and smooth finish. Sourcing the special bean consistently at scale is rare and expensive compared to more standard coffees of the Americas.

El Cerro is eating some of the cost of speciality with latte prices comparable to other Hill cafes working with more standard roasts.

El Cerro would also love for you to eat some pan sobao, handing out free slices of the delicious bread in a bid to get Capitol Hill hooked.

Meanwhile, coffee lovers looking for caffeinated flavors of the Caribbean will be happy to find specialities like the cafecito, a strong, sweet Cuban-style espresso topped with a sugary cream foam on the “De La Casa” menu.

El Cerro is open at 1316 E Pike. Learn more at elcerro.net.

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