Bread & Butter
LittleVillageMag.com/Dining LV Recommends
Mammita’s Coffee 224 S Linn St, Iowa City, 319-569-1067, mammitascoffee.com
M
ammita’s Coffee and Flowers by Jacqueline in Iowa City may have mastered the art of multitasking. It is part flower shop, part coffee study spot and part lunch destination; all of them are good. The many-roomed shop is located on S Linn Street, right next to Mailboxes of Iowa City and near the downtown public library. Mammita’s officially opened its doors in February, replacing the Futon Shop, which occupied the spot for many years. Much of their early support came from friends and members of owner Jacqueline “Jackie” Milian’s church, LIFEchurch in Coralville, who helped to clean the space and donated equipment. Family also pitched in, and Milian’s mother, Theresa, gave her the initial investment she needed to open Mammita’s. The menu is impressive and breaks the mold of the classic coffee shop. Instead of scones and muffins, Mammita’s offers a wide array of Mexican pastries and desserts. The
Zoe Pharo / Little Village
selection includes tres leches cake, flan and conchas—a soft and sweet bread with a sugary topping that resembles the surface of a seashell. Milian aims to recreate many of her childhood recipes and the feeling of spending time at the home of her grandmother, the original Mammita. Their Latin-infused drinks—Horchata and
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Dulce de Leche Lattes—are some of their most popular, and sandwiches can be paired with plantain chips, like those Milian ate growing up. Breakfast and lunch are both fair game at Mammita’s. In my excitement at scanning all the options on the menu, I ended up with a spread that could have qualified as either: a Cuban Burrito, Pastelito de Guava and Cheese and Horchata Frappe. Behind the counter, Anthony (who said he was a customer before he was an employee) and Isabel were both very welcoming, and before I knew it my food had arrived at my table. The first item I tried was the burrito, and it did not disappoint. Generously laden with pork, rice and beans and cheese, the “special sauce” was the real showstopper, tasting both tangy and creamy. Coffee has never been my thing, and somehow I made it through college without developing a dependence. However, the Horchata Frappé could convert me. It was sweet without being overwhelmingly so, spiced perfectly and refreshingly iced on a hot day. And it paired well with the pastelito, with its flaky crust and guava filling. (My housemate, who is a true coffee drinker, and for whom I ordered a macchiato to-go, also gave her approval.)
