Justicia Café (Biblioteca Nacional)

Justicia Café is a quiet specialty coffee bar hidden inside the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile, the National Library on the Alameda. It occupies the first floor of the building, in the room that once held the library's card catalogue, and its design follows the building's neoclassical style. For a coffee break in the centre, it is hard to find a more atmospheric setting.

The library is worth knowing about in its own right. Its founding proclamation was published in the newspaper El Monitor Araucano on 19 August 1813, and the present building was begun in 1913 as one of the public works for the centenary of independence; the library moved in in 1925. It shares the building with the National Archive and holds around 1.1 million records. The facade is a grand composition of columns and arches with a strong French neoclassical influence, and inside there are carved marble staircases, sculptures and paintings by Alfredo Helsby and Arturo Gordon.

The café serves specialty coffee, including a well-made espresso, along with sandwiches, toasts, muffins and cookies. Its sweets include vegan options and items that are gluten-free and sugar-free, which makes it a good choice for travellers with dietary restrictions. The atmosphere is calm, as you would expect in a library, so it suits reading, writing postcards or simply resting between sights.

Justicia Café opens from Monday to Thursday between 09:15 and 17:30, on Fridays from 09:15 to 16:30 and on Saturdays from 09:15 to 13:30. It does not list Sunday opening, so plan a weekday or Saturday morning visit. The café posts updates on Instagram.

Because the opening hours are tied to the library's working week, it is best for a morning or early-afternoon break. The library adjoins Santa Lucía metro station, and Cerro Santa Lucía rises immediately to the east, so it is easy to combine a coffee with a climb up the hill. Barrio Lastarria lies just beyond the hill. Respect the library setting by keeping noise down and calls short.

It is a good option for solo travellers, students and anyone who wants a peaceful break in the centre, and a pleasant way to see the inside of a major national building on the Alameda.