coffee dough joe san pancho The 8 Best Cafes in San Pancho (San Francisco, Nayarit)
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The 8 Best Cafes in San Pancho (San Francisco, Nayarit)

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Morning coffee is a ritual for many, no matter where you go. And it is a ritual we cannot (and frankly, will not) go without. Whether we are in a bustling city like Oaxaca, or a small beach town on the Riviera Nayarit, finding good coffee is important.

After spending a few weeks finding the best cafes in Sayulita, we set off to see if the best cafes in San Pancho could hold their own against the trendy beach town to the south. Which of the beans and brews here could kick start our mornings, which cafe here had the best flat white (for Ed), and which had the best cold brew (my favorite).

So, without further adieu here are the seven best cafes in San Pancho to start your mornings on your Mexico beach holiday.

Our top three cafes in San Pancho

1. The Dough Joe
2. Prieta
3. Bistro Organico

The Best Cafe in San Pancho: The Dough Joe

Best cafe in San Pancho Nayarit
How can this not be the best cafe in San Pancho?

Hands down the best cafe in San Pancho, and perhaps the best cafe in the area, is The Dough Joe. Opened in October 2020, The Dough Joe sets itself apart from other cafes in San Pancho with superb coffee, delicious breakfast, and donuts that rival the best.

The coffee here is outstanding. Notably, unlike many of the other cafes in town, The Dough Joe makes their coffee on a simple Breville home coffee maker as opposed to a professional coffee maker. But it goes to show that it’s more about the maker than the machine.

Outside of delicious coffee, The Dough Joe serves up the best breakfast menu if you are looking for non-traditional Mexican food. Buttermilk biscuits the size of your head as good as some of the best biscuit I’ve eaten at home in the south of the United States. The biscuits are the star of the show here (in my opinion) but there are plenty of other options. Hash browns, pancakes, omelets, and of course doughnuts. You will certainly not be leaving here hungry.

Tip: Portions at The Dough Joe are large. We easily could have split one plate of food with the addition of perhaps a donut or one of the other side options available.

The Best Coffee in San Pancho: Prieta

Prieta Cafe San Pancho The 8 Best Cafes in San Pancho (San Francisco, Nayarit)
Prieta is new on the scene but quickly making a name as one of the best cafes in San Pancho

A new addition to San Pancho’s cafe scene Prieta offers first-class coffee in a relaxing and tranquil space.

Plants, ceramics, and art adorn the minimalist-styled cafe, creating the perfect environment to enjoy the expertly made espresso, cold brew or pour-over coffee, perhaps with a pastry to accompany it.

The Best Cafes in San Pancho for Digital Nomads

With the rise of remote working, finding a cafe perfect for digital nomads has never been so relevant. The best cafes for digital nomads offer, great coffee, but also ample space, decent, if not great, wifi, and a tolerance for remote workers setting up shop for a few hours at a time.

In San Pancho where infrastructure has lagged and cell signals are patchy and rely on 3g. Finding a decent cafe to work from is especially important. Luckily some great cafes, perfect for catching up on a few emails have emerged recently.

Amar y Ya

Amar y Ya a great Cafe for Co-work or remote work in San Pacho
Amar y Ya a great Cafe for Co-work or remote work in San Pacho

Located in the Agua de Luna Boutique Hotel, Amar y Ya has one of the most extensive coffee lists in all of San Pancho. However you like your coffee, these guys are sure to be able to deliver.

If you love drip coffee, choose from a Chemex or Hario v60. If you are from Australia, you won’t have to settle for a latte but can instead opt for the national Aussie drink, a flat white. Cold brew lovers will also be thrilled with a cold brew instead of settling for iced coffee which really doesn’t cut it.

On the flip side, prices here are slightly more expensive than other places in town with a latte costing $55 pesos. A small price to pay for quality coffee and the exact coffee that you want to drink.

For digital nomads, Amar y Ya also offers reliable, fast, and free wifi. The only downside is the seating on the shaded patio is not the most comfortable and you will want to be fully charged if you plan to work here for a long period of time as there are no outlets available. Regardless, working from Amar y Yo is a great change of scenery for remote workers and digital nomads when visiting San Pancho, Nayarit.

Bistro Organico

Bistro Organico is one of the best cafes in San Pancho for wifi, food and tranquillo vibes
Bistro Organico is one of the best cafes in San Pancho for wifi, food and tranquillo vibes

Another great cafe in San Pancho for digital nomads is Bistro Organico in the Hotel Cielo Rojo. Their perfectly crafted coffees will have you coming back time and time again during your stay in San Pancho. The setting of the cafe in their cool, shaded courtyard is also an enticing feature of Bistro Organico at any time of the day.

Besides their coffee and reliable wifi, Bistro Organico offers some of the best breakfast/brunch in town and perhaps one of my favorite meals we had during our time in San Pancho. Healthy, organic options such as the mushroom and spinach omelet or organic huevos rancheros are just a few of the tempting items available on their breakfast and lunch menu.

Bistro Organico is an ideal place to start your morning with great coffee, a delicious breakfast, and fast wifi.

  • Address: Asia 6, 63734 San Francisco, Nay.
  • Hours of Operation: Monday & Tuesday – closed; Wednesday, Thursday, & Sunday from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm; Friday & Saturday from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
  • Price of a Latte: $50 pesos

The Best Grab and Go Coffee in San Pancho

If you don’t have the time to sit and enjoy your coffee or if you would rather take your brew to the beach, here are the best cafes in San Pancho for on-the-go brews.

Casa Gourmet

Cafe Casa Gourmet San Pancho The 8 Best Cafes in San Pancho (San Francisco, Nayarit)

It may come as a surprise to you, but almost every Mexico beach town has a french bakery. And, San Pancho is no different. Casa Gourmet is a tiny hole-in-the-wall french bakery worth stopping in for your on-the-go fix. Delicious croissants, pan de chocolate, and cinnamon rolls alongside some of the cheapest coffee in San Pancho. A latte here sets you back only $30 pesos compared to other cafes in town that can charge upwards of $50 pesos.

Casa Gourmet also has a sister location in Sayulita which is also worth visiting.

Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Bicycle

Cold Brew Coffee in San Pancho, perfect on a hot day!
Cold Brew Coffee in San Pancho, perfect on a hot day!

Cold-brew lovers will be excited to find the Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Bicycle in San Pancho. It makes sense. With warm weather year-round, cold brew is the perfect way to enjoy your caffeine fix on a sunny day by beach.

Usually found sometime after 10:00 am cycling slowly up and down Avenue Tercer Mundo or parked on one of the corners, this one-man shop is the best place in town for cold brew. Cold brew coffee with or without almond milk is your only option here for only $50 pesos.

  • Price of a Cold Brew: $50 pesos

Other Great Cafes in San Pancho

Coffee lovers come in all different shapes and sizes, as do cafes. Here are a few other cafes in San Pancho worth a visit if you are spending a bit of time here.

Cafe Paraiso

Cafe Paraiso is another option for quality coffee in San Pancho
Cafe Paraiso is another option for quality coffee in San Pancho

A popular cafe in San Pancho and one that has been around since 2012, the guys at Cafe Paraiso know their way around a coffee machine. Espresso coffee is derived however you like it with some of the best pastries in town. The banana bread was a particular highlight when we visited, the perfect accompaniment to a morning coffee.

Cafe Paraiso is not such a great place to sit down and catch up on emails, but rather a place to relax with a book enjoying your cup of joe or planning your adventures for the day. Cafe Paraiso stays open later than the other cafes in San Pancho if you need a caffeine fix past 3:00 pm.

Hikuri (Formerly Kokonati)

Delicious coffee from one of San Pancho's best cafes
Delicious coffee from one of San Pancho’s best cafes

A local favorite for many of the ex-pats and snowbirds that call San Pancho home for at least a portion of the year, Hikuri is another place that has been serving coffee in San Pancho for a while (since 2017). Delicious coffee and friendly staff are what keep people coming back here time and time again. Their empanadas are a crowd-pleaser if you are keen to grab breakfast or lunch with your coffee.

With live music on Saturday and Sunday mornings, Kokonati offers a unique experience and something different from other cafes in San Pancho to start your weekends.

Word on the street is that Hikuri has fast wifi as well, but we didn’t get the chance to put it to the test.

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Finding great coffee in San Pancho is not hard. There are plenty of cafes in this small, sleepy town to keep you awake for hours. Whether you like a cold brew, a flat white, or just a simple espresso, you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for at one of the best cafes in San Pancho.

Let us know about your favorite Cafe in San Pancho in the comments below!

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