Business Spotlight: Café Dulzura

Step inside Café Dulzura in Burien, and you’ll feel like you’ve been invited into Maria Cid’s home. With colorful art on the walls, mugs that transport you straight to Mexico, and the smell of tamales and fresh coffee in the air, it’s more than just a café, it’s a celebration of culture, community, and corazón.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

How long has Café Dulzura been open?

We have been in business since January 6th of 2024, so it’s been a little over a year and a half.

Tell me a little bit about your vision, what you’re serving here, and what makes you special.

Well, Café Dulzura was born back in 1991, a long time ago. It was always in my heart, but it never happened. And then, a couple of years ago, the opportunity came up. The space became available, and I decided to jump into it. The vision I always had for Café Dulzura, even before I had the name, was to serve Mexican-inspired coffee, original Mexican pastries, and also Mexican food like tamales, molletes, and other dishes we make. It is very original and, of course, from Mexico City.

What are some of the most popular menu items?

That is a hard question. It depends on the day. Some days the molletes are most popular, other days it is the tamales, or the tocho morocho. But overall, I would definitely say the tamales are number one. They are very good.

What can a first-time customer expect when they come in?

The first thing we want people to feel when they walk into Café Dulzura is welcome, like you are home, like you just came back from vacation to family. We ask if you have been here before because we want to make sure you know everything we offer. Some menu items are hard to pronounce, like the tocho morocho, but that is what we are here for, to help you and to make sure you feel confident ordering the most delicious coffee and food.

You said this idea has been with you since the early 90s. What did you do in between then and now?

Being a woman of all trades, and being a single mom in the 90s, I took on whatever I had available to make money. I learned different trades as I went along, always looking for better opportunities. I have done car insurance, I have been a nanny, and before this I was focused on my cleaning business, which I still do part-time. But through all those jobs, I realized that the passion that stayed with me was always this dream, hiding in my heart. Now I’m finally here.

You mentioned some dishes people might not know. Can you explain them?

Yes. The tocho morocho, for example, is a slang word we use in Mexico City. Our dialect has a lot of words like that. Tocho comes from todo, which means everything, and morocho means on it. So the tocho morocho is a bagel with everything on it, chorizo, egg, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and whatever else we have. It is loaded.

There is a lot of colorful artwork here. Tell us about it.

When I started thinking about what Café Dulzura would be, I wanted it to be more than a place for customers to feel welcome, I also wanted it to be a place for local artists. All the walls are used to display their art. Right now I have three different artists represented. Día de los Muertos is my favorite holiday, so you can see that influence too. Every time I meet an artist, I ask if they would like to display their work here. I want local artists to feel welcome and have their work seen by the community. To me, Café Dulzura is a hub for everyone to come together and connect.

What has the reception been like from the neighborhood? Who are your customers?

It makes me emotional. From day one, people were waiting for me to open, even though they did not know much about what the café would be. The locals have been such a big part of my business, always telling people about us and always supporting. Not just Burien, but Seattle too. Friends and community members have been so supportive, and that makes me happy. I know many small businesses do not make it, or they close down quickly. I feel very blessed, and I want to say thank you.

These mugs are beautiful. Are they from Mexico City?

It was hard to find someone who could imprint my logo on mugs, but a friend helped me and finally found someone. He went above and beyond and sent me samples. They turned out beautiful. I wanted to add something traditional, something that makes you feel like you are in Mexico. When you grab a mug here, I want you to feel like you are in Café Dulzura and also in Mexico at the same time.

Intentionalist’s tagline is “Spend Like It Matters.” What does that mean to you?

It means so much. Every time I go to a place, I spend like it matters because I know the struggle of small business. You do not know how much you will make that day, or if you will make enough to cover rent. When I spend at a small business, I know it might make the difference for them that month. And when customers come here, I feel so grateful because they are choosing us that day and maybe that helps me pay the rent. It really matters where you spend your money and how you spend it.

What else do you want people to know?

Café Dulzura has always been about working with other local small businesses to help the community grow. We want to support each other, promote each other, and connect people to the products they love. We are also working on cultural events where people can learn about Mexican traditions. I want people to know what Día de los Muertos really means, not just bringing flowers and food, but the deeper meaning. I want people to know the real story of Cinco de Mayo too. Sharing culture, art, and tradition is just as important as sharing food.

What small businesses do you support when you are not here?

I stay local as much as I can. Burien is a very small community, almost off the map, but it is home. A few weeks ago, we had a block party in Boulevard Park, and we intentionally did not bring in outside food vendors. Instead, we wanted people to go into the neighborhood businesses and support them. I especially support women-owned, minority-owned, and LGBTQ-owned businesses. I like to go where people might feel different or overlooked, because those are the places that need support. When I introduce myself as Café Dulzura and we find ways to help each other, it feels good. That is what “spend like it matters” means to me.

Tell us more about your story. How did you end up in Burien?

I was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States when I was 14. I lived in L.A. for a year and a half, then came to Seattle in December of 1990. It was very hard because I did not speak English, and there were not many Spanish speakers here compared to L.A. But it forced me to learn the language and to open my mind. I was also a young mom, I had my baby at 15. Raising my kids in Seattle as a single mom was tough. I worked all kinds of jobs to make ends meet. But as my kids grew up, I had more opportunities. I did not need babysitters anymore, and that opened doors for me. Finally, I was able to do something for myself and my family.

Anything you want to share about the name or the logo?

The logo is simple but meaningful. It is a sugar skull, because Día de los Muertos is my favorite day. And the name Café Dulzura came from putting together coffee and pan dulce, our Mexican pastries. Pan dulce is something everyone knows, and I wanted the name to reflect both coffee and sweetness. I was inspired by another woman in Mexico City who opened a coffee shop with a similar theme. She was more badass than I was at the time, but she inspired me to finally do this.