Java Bean Café: Delicious Coffees and Delectable Desserts

Editor’s Note: As of September 28, 2014, this café is closed.

If you’re ever in the vicinity of Calle 33 and La 80 you have to visit Java Bean Café.

It is the perfect combination between a bakery and a café, integrating the best of both worlds, excellent coffee and delicious sugary treats.

I heard about Java Bean Café after looking for the best REAL cheesecake in Medellín.

Someone on Facebook answered and told me about this café and mentioned that they even used imported Philadelphia cream cheese to make their cheesecakes.

It took me WAY too long to go try it, but it was definitely worth it. I fell in love with all the baked, sugary goods; I tried a cupcake, a carrot cake and strawberry cheesecake.

Honestly, it was a challenge to not eat everything and save some for my mom. (No shame.)

The next time I went I bought cupcakes, red velvet and chocolate. They always use Hershey’s chocolate and Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

The owners, Jessie and Vanessa, moved here over a year ago with their two children.

Vanessa does most of the cooking and baking while Jessie is the designated taste tester. (A job that I would not mind having.)

The café is located in Laureles next to Calle 33 by a little park.

When they opened Java Bean they filled the giant gap in Medellín that was real American baked goods, like carrot cake or buttermilk pancakes.

It has become challenging to find good cream cheese frosting, little things that were taken for granted when they were readily available to us.

My personal favorites are the cheesecakes and anything-red velvet, be it cakes, cupcakes or even cheesecake.

I spent six years looking for anything similar to a real red velvet cake. The fact that this cafe is so close to my house is wonderful for my taste buds but terrible for my “diet.”

Menu

Java Bean Café serves great breakfasts, like Belgium waffles with strawberries, eggs, bacon and coffee for 9,500 pesos ($5), or Hershey’s waffles with strawberries for 6,000 pesos ($3).

For lunch you can pick from a variety of paninis like the bacon avocado for 5,000 pesos ($2.65), or a vegetarian option of avocado, tomato, mozzarella cheese and mushrooms for 7,000 pesos ($3.71), amongst others choices. I promise the only reason I’m not a vegetarian is because of bacon.

Being a café they take their coffee very seriously. Their coffee is purchased from a local farm right here in Antioquia.

They have everything from espressos to lattes and macchiatos to cappuccinos. They make sure they have the highest quality coffee and the best machines to produce the best flavor and aroma.

Bakery

If you have as much of a sweet tooth as I do you’ll probably love the baked section more.

They don’t have a set menu as far as sweets go, but they will always have cupcakes, cakes and cheesecakes. You never know which one you’ll find.

They make flan, tres leches, M&M cupcakes, chocolate cake, fudge brownies, lemon poppyseed cupcakes, and I’m gonna stop there because my mouth is watering.

WHEN, not if, because we all know you will visit, really sit down and enjoy whatever delicacy you order. Places like these are hard to come by.

Editor’s Note: As of September 28, 2014, this café is closed.