Fishtown will soon be getting a bright infusion of Colombian warmth. Popular bakery and cafe, Cafe Tinto, is planning to open a location on North Front Street in 2024.
Cafe Tinto owner, Giselle Poveda, spoke with What Now Philadelphia about the circumstances that led her to consider the Fishtown storefront, located at 1700 North Front Street, as well as her hopes and aspirations for the bakery at large. “ Fishtown has always been a neighborhood we love and have appreciation for.” she states, adding “We used to live there and I’ve always loved the atmosphere. I think Fishtown is a neighborhood open to authenticity and local grit. I also see Fishtown as a neighborhood with high culinary expectations. It currently has a lot of the best restaurants in town. I think we’re up for the challenge of bringing our Colombian cuisine which will add diversity to the neighborhood.”
Poveda is hoping to open Cafe Tinto’s newest location in about four months, while readily acknowledging that permitting and construction can take up more time than one initially anticipates.
Poveda is continuing a rich tradition of Colombian baking and hospitality. The young entrepreneur explains Cafe Tinto’s driving impetus, stating “We use authentic recipes from my Colombian grandfather who started the baking. We are a bakery/coffee shop. My grandfather was a baker in Colombia and he taught his children. I was born and raised in Colombia and we came to the US, and my father said ‘what are we to do, let’s continue to do what we do, and let’s bake for our community.’”
Poveda has run Cafe Tinto for several years. The scrappy, family-run establishment has overcome a variety of obstacles, ranging from armed gunmen to corrupt landlords. Throughout every trial, Poveda and her family have remained hopeful. Cafe Tinto prioritizes human connection over profit. Poveda articulates this, stating “We want to be that place where hey, if you’re going out at 6 am, we’re going to be there for you. 5:30 am to 2 in the afternoon. We close on Sundays. Sundays are our family day… When I took charge, I said ‘I’m going to close Sundays, even though it’s the best selling day.’ I don’t want to be in a position where I’m choosing money over people.”
Poveda currently shares a reasonable amount of the day-to-day responsibilities with her partner, Daniela, how both runs the Wyoming Avenue shop’s daily operations, and is training as a chef to help add some contemporary flair to the cafe’s menu. Poveda praises Daniela, saying “She’s my girlfriend, but also the person who’s taken on the challenge of handling things at Wyoming so I can handle things at the Fishtown location. In order for us to elevate our culture, we’re going to have to elevate our menu. Cafe Tinto is paying for Daniela to go to culinary school. Especially in the vegan space, we understand that Fishtown is an ever-evolving neighbordhood and we know people are looking for more vegetarian and vegan options, so she’d handling the store and also school at the same time.”
Above and beyond all else, Cafe Tinto will allow Fishtown to enjoy a taste of Colombia. Poveda has cultivated connections with Colombian coffee growers, allowing the cafe to not only provide the best and most authentic java experience, but also to deliver the profits directly back to the farmers and producers that provide the shop with its beans.
Poveda encourages novices to try Cafe Tinto’s empanadas, stating “The empanada will be the next taco. We’re known for our Colombian empanadas which are gluten-free naturally…we shine at finger foods-empanadas are it.”
Cafe Tinto has a bright future ahead of it, beyond Fishtown. Poveda explains that she is a practical dreamer, explaining “I am the planner, Daneila is the doer. I do think about expanding. I think about having a Colombian coffee shop/bakery in the airport-that is a dream of mine. My market, my people are everyone…. When I think of an airport I think of all of the people walking by, and I can already see the faces of the people who would be happy to have a Colombian coffee shop/bakery. Maybe a CafeTinto in stadiums. I would love to have one in Northeast Philly, where my community resides.”
