There’s nothing better than starting the morning by enjoying the aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans, freshly baked sweet bread, and a cup of café de olla. Casa Libre, a new specialty coffee shop dedicated to Mexican coffee, brings that experience to the Mercado González in Costa Mesa, California. The coffee shop opened its doors on September 24.
It adds an on-site roastery to a marketplace already built around Mexican food, culture, and community, according to a Northgate González Market announcement.
Mexican Coffee, Roasted in Plain Sight
Casa Libre puts the roasting process on display. At its Roastery and Bean Market, guests can watch beans turn golden, sample different profiles and browse by region and producer. Then staff packs each bag to order.
Opening selections come from Chiapas and Veracruz. The two regions offer a first taste of how much flavor varies across the country.
Natalie Taormina, who helped create the concept, wants guests to leave with that lesson. Mexican coffee, she said, is not “one single flavor or experience.” Landscapes, climates, families, and traditions shape every cup.
A Menu That Tastes Like Home
The drink list leans on flavors many Mexican families know well. Café de olla, the spiced coffee that often simmers at family gatherings, anchors the menu.
Then comes the El Jaguar Latte. Baristas sweeten it with a house-made syrup of corn, cacao, and chile. The blend nods to ingredients with deep roots in Mexican kitchens.
Fresh pan dulce from Pastelería La González rounds out the offerings. As a result, a stop for coffee can also become a stop for the sweet bread many customers grew up sharing.
Related Article: Northgate Brings Mercado González Experience to La Habra
Two Families, One Shared Story
The González and Taormina/Creighton families created Casa Libre together. They say their backgrounds in grocery, hospitality, and brand building shaped a modern coffee experience that centers on Mexican origin and craft.
Joshua Gonzalez, vice president of Business Development at Northgate González Market, described the café as another way to capture the spirit of a Mexican mercado. He said guests can discover exceptional food and products while gathering as a community.
Why the Morning Matters for Grocers
Casa Libre also changes the marketplace’s rhythm. The café opens daily at 6 a.m. and stays open into the evening, so Mercado González now welcomes visitors from sunrise onward.
That shift carries lessons for the wider industry. Coffee can draw shoppers early, while a roastery gives a grocer a way to sell a premium product with a story attached. Meanwhile, familiar flavors can turn a routine errand into something more personal.
A Family Chain with Deep Roots
Northgate González Market has built its name on familiar flavors. The family-owned chain dates to 1980 and now runs more than 46 stores with 8,000 associates across Southern California. Its shelves and counters feature prepared foods, bakery items, tortillería products, carnicería cuts, and produce.
In 2023, the González family introduced Mercado González, a food and cultural destination inspired by Mexico’s traditional mercados. Casa Libre now adds a coffee-focused stop to that format.
Both Casa Libre and Mercado González are located at 2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, California 92626.