Cafe, Community,
Comida, Cultura.
We are here for you, nuestra comunidad.
We value the relationship we have with our customers and our employees who we call familia.
We make food and drinks unique to our raices, and the influence of the cultura and sabores of southern Mexico.
We connect with our comunidad by giving back.
We foster a space where all feel welcome and at home.
Bienvenidos a Corazon Cafe!
About Us
Pedro Arias López was born in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas in southern Mexico, and moved to the area in 2007 with his wife, Sara. His parents made pan dulce- Mexican sweetbread- which he helped bake in their backyard oven and they later went on to sell tamales. He worked his way up in positions at iconic local restaurant Big Sky Cafe for 15 years while raising a family and learning a new language. He has his hand in many pots related to running the business.
Crescencio Hernández Villar, aka Chef Chencho, was born in rural Guerrero and moved to California at age 17. He is a dad of 5, including a Cal Poly grad, and has worked at several well-known area restaurants, most recently as chef and kitchen manager at the renowned Novo for 10 years. A self taught chef through years of experience, his love for cooking is well known.
Sara McGrath grew up on the Central Coast and studied art education in New York City before moving to Mexico, where she met Pedro. She is an artist, storyteller, inclusion advocate and teacher and currently works as a case manager for children with disabilities. She is passionate about building community, making connections and telling the story of this food and drink journey.
Before the café opened in the spring of 2023, the guys had been selling tacos through their catering business Corazon 805 Tacos at local breweries, wineries, and private events while maintaining their other full-time restaurant jobs. When the current space became available, the idea to blend a coffee shop and Mexican influenced restaurant was born.
“Corazon” means heart in Spanish and it must have been fate that landed us in the heart of Downtown San Luis Obispo!
It's amazing how much of our Latino community comes here, especially Latino students. They say, 'Oh my gosh, I love this place, it feels like my house!’
– Pedro Arias Lopez, Co-Owner –
FAQs - Preguntas frecuentes
Where is the food from and what are the cafe’s influences?
Pedro is from Chiapas, and Chencho from Guerrero, both states in Southern Mexico. This influence is seen in some of the spices and ingredients such as avocado leaf, hierba santa and the mole sauces. We are also influenced and inspired by the comida from Yucatan and Oaxaca. All of Mexico has variations on corn based drinks and we have created our own versions here with tascalate (Chiapas) and Pinole. Drinks such as the horchatte, combining espresso with horchata is inspired by coffee shops visited in other parts of California such as Los Angeles and San Diego.
Is catering available?
Yes, though it may depend on current staffing available. Please reach out via email, corazoncafeslo@gmail.com, with the date, time and approximate number of people.
What is Tascalate?
Tascalate is a pre-hispanic drink from the Mayan state of Chiapas in southern Mexico that combines roasted corn, roasted cacao, piloncillo (brown sugar), and annatto seeds. Mostly consumed cold in Mexico, and mixed with water, Corazon Cafe decided to add milk and espresso and turn it into a tasty, and slightly sweet latte.
Who do I contact about a community event or collaboration?
Sara coordinates community collaborations, art shows and more- reach out via email, corazoncafeslo@gmail.com.
We have collaborated on events with: Mujeres de Acción, Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center, Cal Poly Latinx Cultural Association, At Her Table, SLO Film Festival.
Our 2% Tuesday donation program so far has benefitted: Mixteco Indigenous Community Organizing Project, Mujeres de Accion, Leadership SLO, Rita’s Rainbow, Karla Robles Latina Legacy Fund, At Her Table, Pacheco Elementary, SLO Food Bank, Diversity Coalition, Parents Helping Parents, Lumina Alliance