718 Cafecito

 Located at 3612 Spring Garden Street in Greensboro, 718 Cafecito serves Puerto Rican/Dominican drinks and bites. It is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends, and closed Monday. Online ordering is available via DoorDash.

I was looking for both an afternoon caffeine boost and a new place to review for Hispanic Heritage Month. 718 Cafecito came up in a local Reddit post, and I’m glad that it did. This place is a hidden gem.

Housed in a nondescript plaza near Spring Garden and Merrit, 718 Cafecito is easy to miss unless you’re looking for it. Inside, it’s low-key but nicely appointed with plenty of seating, bright flags, and tasteful artwork.

The menu here includes coffee and matcha drinks, smoothies, frappes, crepas, and assorted pastries. You won’t find heartier fare – alas, no Cubano or arroz con gandules – but for lighter bites, they have you covered.

For my first visit, I went with the signature 718 Cafecito (Cuban espresso with toasted coconut, cinnamon, and sweet cream) iced and a guava pastry. Both were prepped quickly by a helpful barista (thanks for the pastry suggestion), and both were delicious. The latte was well-balanced with enough sweet and spice to take the edge off of the strong espresso. The pastry was flaky with plenty of guava.

While I don’t get out to this area of Greensboro all that often, I will definitely keep 718 Cafecito in mind when I do. This cafecito es muy bonito, en verdad.