When ALDI, the German-founded “no frills” grocery store, switched out Cafe Bustelo for their brand El Morro, customers were up in arms. They immediately took to Facebook asking: “Is Cafe Morro as good as Bustelo?” And “Why did Aldi stop selling Cafe Bustelo?”
The replies came in quick from fellow ALDI shoppers, with a common answer: “No, it’s not as good as Bustelo!”
The ALDI situation/crisis highlights a fact that we all know: Cafe Bustelo is simply the best espresso on the market. But, what many of us don’t actually know is where this bit of coffee goodness comes from. Cubans claim Bustelo as their own. Meanwhile, Puerto Ricans say it’s theres and from their island.
So, which is it, you ask? Is Bustelo from Cuba or Puerto Rico? Well, this is where things get really interesting. The favorite espresso found in most of our mami’s cupboards is not from the Caribbean at all. Oh, and it’s not from anywhere in South or Central America either. Nope, it’s not from Spain either.
Bustelo coffee was born in Spanish Harlem, in New York City. Did I just blow your mind? I know, right? Cafe Bustelo is from the U. S. of A. Grab a cafecito because there’s more to this story of the American espresso we all know and love.
Cafe Bustelo’s Humble Origins
You heard right. The coffee all of Latin America knows and loves is as American as apple pie.
According to its site, Bustelo was founded in New York City, in the 1920s, by Spanish entrepreneur Gregorio Bustelo. “Born in Spain, and consumed by wanderlust, Gregorio Bustelo spent time in many Latin American cities throughout his life, including Havana, Cuba,” the company site writes. “He ultimately settled in East Harlem, New York, alongside a diverse mix of many other Hispanic immigrants.”
As the story goes, Bustelo lived in Cuba and Puerto Rico, where he fell in love with the strong coffee. He also fell in love with Angelina, a Venezuelan with Italian parents, “who shared his passion for coffee.” The couple moved to Harlem where Bustelo created the espresso from a variety of coffee beans. He started selling “his hand-ground coffee” out of his home.
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“But by 1928, he had saved enough to realize his vision of running his own roaster,” the company site explains. “He opened a Bustelo Coffee Roasters storefront on 5th Avenue.”
When it was founded, Bustelo was ”one of the first coffee roasters that catered to all Hispanic communities.” By the 1930s, Bustelo coffee was all over the city, at Latino-owned bodegas and small grocery stores.
“Bustelo coffee roasters quickly proved to be a welcome addition to Harlem, and once word of mouth spread, the product proved popular in bodegas, stores, and eventually households the world over,” Mashed explains. “Even as Café Bustelo grew in popularity, it always remained affordable … and it’s always tasted awesome.”
Bustelo Stays Affordable
These days, Bustelo can be found at most major grocery stores across the country, even in the Deep South. Online shoppers can find the famous espresso at retailers like Walmart and, of course, Amazon.
It has competition on the Cafe Cubano front, most notably from the brands Pilon and La Llave, which are both originally from Cuba. In the online poll “Cuban coffee debate — Café Bustelo, Pilon or La Llave?” WKMG News 6 in Orlando, Florida asked viewers to vote on their favorite coffee. “Cafe Bustelo is what we have at our house,” Host Brianna Volz told viewers.
As for its preparation, everyone agrees that, for the best, and most authentic taste, brewing Bustelo in a traditional espresso cafetera is recommended. There are many online tutorials and recipes. The best part? To this day, Bustelo has no preservatives and remains affordable, at around five dollars a “brick.” Cafecito, anyone?
Featured image courtsy of Deposit Photos.
