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Ilustre Specialty Coffee: Tijuana, MX
Local coffee roaster to Tijuana Mexico. Producer Carlos Cadena.
GM Dubbya
May 05, 2025
Just the Trips
First Time in TJEvery time I explore a new city, you can bet I’m scouting out a local roaster—actually, as many roasters as my caffeinated schedule will allow. This trip was my first-ever adventure to Tijuana, and even better—it was work-related, which practically makes coffee-tasting mandatory. I lucked out with a host who not only knew all the hidden coffee gems in TJ but also navigated the city streets like a Formula 1 champion. Seriously, the only place I've experienced driving this thrillingly chaotic was Paris. Quick heads-up: if weaving through fast-paced traffic isn't your jam, you might want to stay curbside in these cities. But for me? This is my kind of adrenaline rush. Buckled in tight, camera at the ready—I was primed for caffeinated adventures and street-level magic. |  Ilustre Coffee - Across the Street from Walmart in Tijuana |
SWING & A MISS
Dos Lobos - Coffee Roasters
Short and sweet—their coffee machine was down. By the time I came back inside after snapping some photos, I found out their machines were offline and they didn't have any roasted beans available for purchase. Fingers crossed we'll get to experience their caffeinated magic next trip.
Judging by the color scheme, I can only assume the owner of this fine coffee establishment is a Padres fan. Tony Gwynn woulda loved this coffee spot.
The Roaster
This roasting location is small and has a grab-and-go coffee option.
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Ilustre had 2 locations we visited while we were in town. I've never seen a coffee brand open two locations so close to each other before. In this case, the grab-and-go spot was exactly as advertised—just enough room to walk in, order your coffee, and head out. They did have some bags of coffee available on the shelf, including a small 250g bag of Geisha, but I didn't end up bringing that one home.
The Coffee Shop
This sit down location had great lighting and comfortable coffee vibes.
I can't say enough good things about the coffee—I was seriously impressed. I left with two bags: the Typica Naturals and a Kenya Washed that isn’t even listed on their website (score!). Both smell absolutely amazing, and they're next up in my home brew rotation.
I’m planning to run them through both the AeroPress and a pour-over to squeeze out every last note of flavor. Fruity? Floral? Funky? Bring it on. I’m hyped to dial these in and see what kind of magic’s hiding in those beans.
 Ilustre Entre Setup like any other coffee shop. Walk in right to the counter to get the order going. Plenty of seating at the bar by the window. Bench and table seating near the back. |  Great Lighting & Colors There’s a lot of bright pastels in this location. This theme is consistent with both locations. Service was awesome. Easy ordering and checkout. |  The Coffee I ordered black coffee and this didn’t disappoint. They didn’t drip coffee, they made it an americano. They also used their ‘reserva’ roast. I had 2 cups and a to-go. |
I'm really curious about their espresso machines. The roasting location is rocking a La Marzocco, while their sit-down café features a Spirit Duette—something I haven’t seen in any other shop before. La Marzocco setups are pretty common in U.S. cafés, but the Spirit Duette? That’s a rare sighting.
Their website is in Spanish, and while I wouldn’t call myself fluent (I can count and ask where the restroom is—that’s about it), it looks like they might be a reseller for the Spirit brand. If I’ve got that wrong, feel free to drop some knowledge in the comments.
 Roasting Location: La Marzocco |  Sit-Down Location: Spirit Duette |
If you’re traveling around down south and get the chance to stop by, I highly recommend it. The coffee and staff are outstanding. The sit-down location also offers a food menu—the sandwiches looked solid, and I had a toasted bagel on my first visit.
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