Café
Pastelería La Florida
A downtown tea room and bakery founded in 1936 by a Spanish exile, famous for its chocolate santafereño and traditional Bogotá pastries.
Varietale
A Bogotá specialty roaster that buys directly from Colombian growers, with its main café on Calle 41 near the Javeriana university.
At a glance
- Type
- Specialty coffee roaster and café
- Area
- Chapinero (Javeriana), Bogotá, Colombia
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- varietale.com
Good to know
- Direct-trade coffee
- Teas
- Beans to buy
- Open daily
Why we recommend it
Varietale is a Bogotá specialty coffee roaster and café group whose model is built on buying directly from coffee farmers or their associations. The company sources from several Colombian departments, with origins including Huila, Cundinamarca, Cauca, Santander and Nariño, and it says its highest-scoring lot has reached 88 points. It also runs La Tostadora, a roasting service that supplies hotels, restaurants and companies with coffee under their own labels.
The café on Calle 41, which the company calls its Javeriana store, is the most central of its shops for visitors. Coffee is the focus, and the brand publishes a brewing guide that covers V60, Chemex, French press, the traditional Colombian greca and espresso, which gives you a sense of the methods baristas can talk you through. There is also a selection of teas, including black, green, white, pu-erh, rooibos and herbal infusions.
The Calle 41 café opens from 7:00 to 20:00 Monday to Wednesday, 7:00 to 21:00 on Thursdays and Fridays, 8:30 to 20:00 on Saturdays and 8:30 to 18:00 on Sundays and public holidays. Varietale also has cafés at Carrera 4A No. 57-02 in Chapinero Alto, on Calle 77, on Carrera 18 near the Parque El Virrey and in San Patricio, plus counters at several universities, so there is often one nearby wherever you are staying.
The café suits students, remote workers and coffee enthusiasts who want to compare Colombian regions side by side. Ask which origins are on bar that day, and try the same coffee as a filter and as an espresso to taste the difference. Bags of beans are on sale, and the company offers subscriptions for regular deliveries, with free shipping above a set order value and payment by card or PSE bank transfer.
Calle 41 at Carrera 8 is in the university district of Chapinero, a short distance north of the Centro Internacional and the Museo Nacional. The café makes a good stop on the way between the historic centre and the restaurants of Chapinero Alto. The phone number listed for this branch is +57 601 716 7576, and WhatsApp numbers for the shops and sales team are published on the website.
Varietale FAQs
What are the opening hours at Calle 41?
Monday to Wednesday 7:00 to 20:00, Thursday and Friday 7:00 to 21:00, Saturday 8:30 to 20:00, and Sundays and holidays 8:30 to 18:00.
Where does Varietale's coffee come from?
Directly from growers or their associations in Colombian departments including Huila, Cundinamarca, Cauca, Santander and Nariño.
Which brewing methods are offered?
The brand's guide covers V60, Chemex, French press, greca and espresso.
Does it serve tea?
Yes, including black, green, white, pu-erh, rooibos and herbal teas.
Are there other branches?
Yes, including Carrera 4A No. 57-02 in Chapinero Alto, Calle 77, Carrera 18 near El Virrey and San Patricio.
Can I buy coffee to take home?
Yes. Beans are sold in the café and through subscriptions.
What is the phone number?
+57 601 716 7576 for the Calle 41 café.
Is it good for working?
Yes. The long weekday hours suit students and remote workers.