Mexican-inspired cafe with scratch-made menu, custom-made mugs opens in Riverbank
In the age of drive-thru this and grab-and-go that, sitting down for a quiet cup of coffee or sweet treat may seem like a luxury.
But it’s exactly that kind of personal, homemade touch — like drinking your latte out of a real mug instead of a paper cup — that makes Riverbank’s new Palo Santo Cafe special. Opened Super Bowl weekend, the contemporary Mexican coffee shop offers more than just a blast of caffeine.
The cafe, in the O’Brien’s Market shopping center at Oakdale and Patterson roads, serves an ever-changing array of house-made pastries and specialty coffee drinks. Everything, down to the whipped cream, is made from scratch. The cafe’s kitchen bakes fresh delights daily, often throughout the day. And since debuting earlier this month, they’ve sold out consistently.
“We always want to offer the community something homemade, something made by hand. That’s the kind of goodness you can’t get out of a box or a bag,” said owner Nayeli Vazquez, who opened the shop with her husband, Christian.
The Vazquezes have brought that attention to detail to the look and feel of the cafe. The space, formerly a Mail Depot, was renovated from top to bottom over the past year. Everything from the wooden trays with the Palo Santo logo to the handcrafted custom mugs (commissioned from artisans in Puebla in the Talavera pottery style) was done to make people feel welcome. Each is the exact size for its specific drinks, from a cortado to espresso to cubano.
The Vazquezes have plenty of experience feeding people. Nayeli’s family has owned Taqueria Los Compadres in Riverbank since 1996, and Christian grew up in his family’s bakery in Mexico City. Nayeli’s family also co-owns Modesto’s Taqueria Mis Compadres on Sylvan Avenue.
The new cafe sits right next to Los Compadres, her parents’ Riverbank restaurant, in the same shopping center. Nayeli fondly remembers roaming its dining room as a kid, as well as the frozen yogurt shop that used to be next door. She would help her parents in the restaurant, and then get a frosty treat.
It’s those fond memories that also informed her menu. But instead of frozen yogurt, the cafe makes its own gelato — and offers about a dozen varieties and sorbet each day. They also serve a wide assortment of pastries and baked goods daily. In addition to some more traditional items like cookies and cupcakes, the cafe has Mexican treats including flan (caramel custard ), pay de elote (corn pie), mantecadas (pound-cake-style muffins) and budin (bread pudding).
The menu also includes a variety of gluten-free and keto items, and Nayeli said those items for people with special dietary needs will be menu staples available daily.
The cafe currently offers only specialty drinks and baked goods, but in March expects to start rolling out the full menu. The Vazquezes will make their own in-house breakfast, lunch and dinner items, including sweet and savory crepes, salads, sandwiches, soups, ceviche, sopes and more.
The couple recently hired another 10 employees to help kick-start their full menu. About half a dozen family members, including Christian’s mother and sister, who run the bakery, help fill out the staff of about 25 employees.
And then there’s the cafe’s name, which translates from Spanish into “holy wood.” Santo palo is a type of tree native to Latin America revered for its cleansing properties and is burned much like sage. Nayeli said they burn some santo palo every day in the cafe.
“This is a place where you can come in and maybe you’re not having the greatest day, but the minute you walk out, you feel refreshed and ready to go,” Nayeli said. “Maybe you are having a wonderful day and you feel even better when you walk out. So that’s why we chose Palo Santo Cafe.”
Palo Santo Cafe, at 6333 Oakdale Road, Suite 1, in Riverbank, is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information call 209-502-7213 or visit www.facebook.com/palosantocafe209.
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
