Felix Felicis & Co.

Overview

Felix Felicis & Co. opened in Palermo Soho in early 2015, founded by Lattente alumna Natalia Montoya together with three partners — Marcelo Ferrán (originally a Lattente customer who became friends with Montoya), Pat Hryb, and Juan Pablo Valencia — making it one of the early waves of barista-to-owner transitions that signaled Buenos Aires' specialty coffee scene maturing. The cafe is named for the Harry Potter lucky potion (Montoya has an owl tattoo and an owl decorates the entrance) and originally served Lattente's 'Satisfacción' blend roasted by LAB Tostadores; its in-house almond milk is good enough that competing cafes including Lattente reportedly buy it.

Known for

• Palermo Soho specialty cafe with Harry Potter naming
• Founded by Lattente alumna Natalia Montoya
• Excellent flat whites in a city dominated by traditional jarrito/lágrima service
• House-made almond milk used by other Buenos Aires specialty cafes
• Tagline: 'love in a cup' — but explicitly 'not a themed space'

Why it matters

Felix Felicis is the canonical example of Buenos Aires' second wave of specialty cafes — a former barista at the city's leading specialty roaster (Lattente) striking out with friends to open her own shop. The transition signaled that the city's specialty scene was no longer founder-led pioneers only and was beginning to grow its own talent pipeline.

Production

destoning

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head roaster

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color sorting

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roaster machine

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filter equipment

French press, Chemex, V60, AeroPress, Chinese filtration

cupping frequency

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roastery location

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espresso equipment

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annual volume tonnes

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Café

Serrano 1415, Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires C1414BGR

Recognitions

• Featured in Sprudge '7 Great Cafes In Buenos Aires' (2017)
• Featured in Perfect Daily Grind Buenos Aires specialty scene guide

Sources

• https://sprudge.com/7-great-cafes-buenos-aires-little-coffee-revolution-105410.html
• https://perfectdailygrind.com/2018/01/coffee-in-argentina-uncovering-buenos-aires-specialty-scene/
• https://ziphousing.com/en/blog/the-coffee-shops-ultimate-guide-7-specialty-coffee-stores-in-buenos-aires/
• https://app.foursquare.com/v/felix-felicis--co/5516bb56498ec1fbae8d14ab
• https://pointmetotheplane.boardingarea.com/best-coffee-buenos-aires/
• https://www.facebook.com/FelixFelicisCoffee/