Águila Coffee Infuses Orlando With Warm Mexican Flavors

If you haven’t tasted coffee that smells like a Mexican kitchen, you’ve been missing out. Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village now hosts Águila Coffee, a 800-square-foot haven where cobalt blue walls and hacienda-style yellow hues meet the earthy aroma of Chiapas-grown beans. Co-owners Artie Burer and Antonio Rodriguez have crafted a space that feels less like a café and more like a family gathering, complete with conchas, soft gingerbread puerquitos, and drinks emblazoned with the brand’s Aztec eagle logo. It’s a bold departure from Orlando’s sleek coffee scene, rooted in Rodriguez’s heritage and his grandmother’s legacy of hospitality.

Rodriguez’s roots trace back to Tampico, Mexico, where his family’s restaurant served as a cultural anchor. Now, Águila channels that same warmth through its menu, blending Mexican staples with coffee. The Topo Espresso—a shot poured over Topo Chico with lemon—feels like a fiesta in a cup. Meanwhile, matcha guava blends and spiced Mexican hot chocolate prove that bold flavors can coexist with coffee’s complexity. “We’re okay with it being spicy,” Rodriguez says, acknowledging that some might balk at the heat. “But we hit most people’s palates.” The result? A menu that feels both familiar and daring.

The café’s cold brew concentrate, now a wholesale candidate, reflects Águila’s pragmatic side. Burer and Rodriguez, veterans of bars and restaurants, packaged it for ease of use—bars can simply stock cases and pour. Yet the space itself is a labor of love, not a replicable model. “Orlando is behind on its coffee supply,” Rodriguez argues. “There aren’t enough shops.” His vision? A city ripe for innovation, where unique concepts like Águila can thrive.

Key points: Águila’s success lies in its fusion of Mexican heritage and coffee craftsmanship, its cold brew’s bar-ready design, and its founders’ belief in Orlando’s untapped potential.