CU chemistry students Paula Del Rey Bajo and Rachel Chambers chat over coffee at YeYe Cafe on Monday, Sept. 22 in Boulder, Colo. The new cafe, located on the corner of 13th Street and College Avenue, is owned by a family of Argentinians and Venezuelans. (Jade Lang/CU Independent)
YeYe Cafe, the new Latin American restaurant occupying Espresso Roma’s former plot at 13th & College, opened with the knowledge that they had some big shoes to fill.
I know what you’re thinking — another coffee shop in Boulder? We have Buchanan’s Coffee Pub and The Laughing Goat, both with strong espresso and delicious menus. And Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe, on The Hill across the street from Buchanan’s, has the distinction of being one of three poetry-only bookstores in the United States.
One could argue that because of this impressive selection, locals and CU students have become coffee shop snobs.
Knowing this, YeYe Cafe, which opened on June 30, chose to distinguish their brand with a concept no other coffee shop or cafe in the Boulder area currently has. On their website, they describe their menu as reminiscent of a Latin American coffee experience. It certainly delivers.
The owners are a local family of ex-pats from Argentina and Venezuela, which is why they created a menu that incorporates Latin American cuisine. With their grand opening, YeYe introduced the Boulder community to cachitos Venezolanos, sweet medialunas and salt medialunas (i.e., breaded balls of heaven).
Medialunas are Argentinian-style croissants, and Cachitos Venezolanos consist of sweet bread stuffed with a variety of savory ingredients. YeYe fills them with ham and cheese, bacon and cheese, Nutella or caprese (tomato and mozzarella). They fall somewhere between a chimichanga and a crepe, and are delicious.
Other Latin American items on the menu include alfajores, a type of shortbread cookie, an Argentinian or Venezuelan soup of the day option and chimichurri, a green sauce that tastes good on nearly everything. Chimichurri’s primary use is for grilled meats, but YeYe serves it on sandwiches. I first tried it on a toasted croissant with ham and cheese because of an employee’s recommendation, and it was a game-changer.
Another signature of YeYe is their extensive selection of smoothies. They have eight different types, the most popular — and my personal favorite — being the Joaqui, pronounced “Wah-kee.”
All of the smoothies are named after the owner’s children, using abbreviations, and have a free healthy add-in option that allows you to customize your drink. Add-ins include organic sprouted vegan protein powder, raw flax seeds and acai berry puree.
All of the employees are very knowledgeable regarding the menu, so don’t be afraid to ask about the origin of a dish, or its ingredients.
YeYe Cafe’s full menu and hours are available on their website.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Katie Garry at katie.garry@colorado.edu.
