Café Corazón is bringing its Latin American and indigenous drinks and eats to Brookside.
It plans an early 2025 opening in the Morningside Shops (5911 Main St.). This will be the owners third cafe in the metro.
Miel and Curtis Herrera, and their daughter Dulcinea, opened the first location (1721 Westport Road) in September 2019. Then they added a Crossroads spot (110 Southwest Blvd.) in 2022.
Now they will open in the neighborhood strip center that houses French Custard ice cream.
The Herreras say their cafes are designed to shine a light on their culture.
Miel’s father grew up in the heart of Buenos Aires and emigrated to the U.S. when he was just 16. He was a lifelong, multi-talented artist, and avid yerba mate drinker.
Curtis’ grandparents came to the U.S. from Guadalajara, Mexico, in the 1930s to work on the railroads and the farms of Western Kansas. Curtis has Mescalero Apache heritage.
“The first location was Latin-inspired with a Mexican twist. That was my side, my family,” Curtis says. “The second location, in the Crossroads, has an indigenous twist, also from my side of the family.”
The Brookside will be more of a homage to Miel’s Argentinian and Latin American side with murals by local artists reflecting that theme.
Café Corazón’s drink menu includes Latin specialties such as Mocha Azteca (artisanal Oaxacan chocolate, cinnamon, single-origin organic cacao nibs, peanuts, house-made whipped cream), and the Cafe Con Leche (espresso, milk and panela). It also serves Latin soda, matcha, house-made chai and a variety of hot chocolates.
They use “beyond fair trade” coffee beans – for example some small farms are organic or fair trade but can’t pay for the designations. They roast their beans at the Crossroads shop, and import their yerba mate brands from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
The food menu includes empanadas: beef with onion, hard-boiled egg and peppers; mozzarella with caramelized onions; a breakfast version with egg, bacon, and cheese; apple and cinnamon; ratatouille with zucchini, mushrooms, peppers and onions; and chicken with carrots, onions and peas.
They also serve tamales, and burritos, along with beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails such as the Drunken Samba Limeade with aguardiente, lime-oleo, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. It also sells Brazilian truffles and other desserts from Kansas City’s Swiss Kiss Brigadeiro and Pan Caliente, as well as house-made treats.
The cafes also have seasonal specials such as the current s’mores mocha, and pumpkin spice horchata.
The Brookside location will offer Merienda – a light meal or snack eaten between lunch and dinner – something caffeinated such as coffee, tea, or yerba mate; tea sandwiches; baked goods; and sweets.
“It is served in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina,” Miel says. “They call it the South American fourth meal. They don’t eat dinner until 10 pm.”
