ÓOL, New York's first cacao café

At ÓOL, pronounced 'awl', cacao takes the place of coffee. The two-level café on Spring Street in SoHo is New York's first dedicated to cacao as a drink, and it's the work of founder Ilana Gutierrez, who grew up in Mexico City. She developed the idea while studying wine and beverage management at the Culinary Institute of America, digging into cacao's long history as a Mesoamerican drink.

Mexico City's Jorge Campos Estudio designed the space around a large stone Cacao Bar that runs through the room. Woven metal lamps hang above it, and lighting by Mexican artisans adds a warm glow. Leather seats, wooden shelves and custom joinery sit against white brick walls. Upstairs is bright with daylight and plants, opening towards a terrace, while the lower floor will become a studio for tastings and workshops.

The menu offers three single-origin cacaos, from Ecuador, Colombia and Belize, at 70 to 90 per cent, blended to order with water, milk or oat milk. You can add syrups spiced with chile, cardamom or ginger, or go cold with a cacao coconut cold brew. Breads Bakery makes the pastries, including a cacao croissant.

To take home, there are ceramics by Naidich, cacao kits with a mug and frother, and a candle.

Our summary of a story from We Heart, published 28 September 2026. Read the original