Cafe Chismosa

I'm a sucker for any place that does any sort of latte art, and just happened to see this place tagged on Instagram one day with a picture featuring animal latte art.

So, on my first day in Philly, I stopped by this place only to grab coffee then immediately changed my mind and decided to eat as well after I saw the menu with authentic Latin American dishes. Coffee-wise, I'd recommend the Coconut latte and the cold brew, both were really wonderful. Food-wise, the tamales were delicious.

The atmosphere was perfect - relaxing, laid back, and cozy, and the prices were significantly less than I expected they would be. Service was wonderful all around - which made the experience that much better.

Pros: authentic food choices, coffee, atmosphere, service
Cons: location (a little far out for a typical touristy/weekend trip in downtown Philly, but worth it if you have a little extra time)

Café Chismosa is on 4th Street in Northern Liberties and this little restaurant had a lot of positive gossip (chismosa) on Yelp. It is very much worth the short 2-block walk up from Café la Maude or Honeys Sit n Eat. We went on a recent Sunday afternoon around 1:30. We were seated directly.

The space is very bright and super clean and nicely decorated. The staff was very pleasant and attentive. The three of us ordered the Camarones Tropical, the BBQ Braised Short Rib Quesadilla and the Breakfast Tacos. All of our dishes looked great and tasted even better. The portion sizes were prefect and all three of our dishes had great layers of flavors. We are looking forward to coming back and trying out some other menu items. As others have written the BBQ Braised Short Rib Quesadilla was awesome.

I also had the Mint Limonada. This was surprisingly refreshing and not overly sweet. Café Chismosa also provides the table with some really unique homemade salsas. The Guava Mango was very tasty. We finished the meal off with a homemade popsicles.

Café Chismosa is now my new favorite Brunch spot in Philly.

I always enjoy this charming cafe :) The last time I came here I had the coconut latte and the barista made it into a foamy bear...so adorable!!

I've only had brunch here once, which was in march. I ordered the pozole rojo, which was my first time trying it. It was so delicious!! I loved the avocado floating on top :)
my friend had the huevos rancheros which was also good, with a zesty kind of sauce on the side (see picture).

The food and coffee is phenomenal. I had the huevos rancheros and a cold brew and couldn't be happier. Great balance of flavors (opted for the white bean and chorizo with the huevos, other option is black bean). Pickled onion and avocado on top are great. Selection of 6 different hot sauces, I had the Diablo which was a perfect addition for my love of spicy.
Chill ambience, good music and sunshine pouring in through the windows. The staff was super nice and helpful.
I'll be back!

Definitely my new go-to spot for coffee and brunch!
Cafe Chismosa is a neat little corner bistro which has amazing food, super friendly people, and an authentic decor. Every little detail is thought of - from the bamboo wall when you enter to the lightbulbs in jars above the register - they have their own unique vibe.

I just moved into the neighborhood and I stop in almost daily for coffee and I've been here for brunch already too!

Coffee - their menu is normal, nothing crazy (which is good) and the coffee tastes delicious. I highly recommend their cold brew.

For brunch last week, my friend and I split two items:

Veggie Tamal = AMAZING! I didn't know what to expect, but this thing was full of flavor and the green sauce that it was drenched in was unreal. The corn bread is warm and melts in your mouth, with a lightly sweet aftertaste. The sauce is a perfect tangy, slightly spicy complement. I could eat multiple of these!

Spinach egg cheese frittata - this was also really tasty. I liked that it wasn't super filling and the bread had some air in it to allow the flavors to soak in. I put their hot sauces on every bite and it was great.

Speaking of their hot sauces, there are at least six that are available and they all have their own unique style/twist. My favorite ones were the Chipotle, Acapulco Gold, and Pepitas. Definitely try the sauces!

You must stop by this place if you're in the neighborhood as it seems to be a staple. They're also a BYOB, so you can bring some alcohol and have your own brunch party!

Cafe Chismosa has all of the characteristics of a FIVE STAR establishment. The aesthetic is quaint and very cozy, and the food comes out incredibly fast. I came here for lunch with friends who frequent there often and I was extremely happy.

FOOD: I ordered the "Drunken Burrito" which was stuffed with pork carnitas and was absolutely phenomenal. Truly, each bite was better than the last and regrettably, I forgot to snap a photo before digging in! So you'll have to settle for my attacked burrito. There are also six amazing and very different hot sauces which are great additions to the meal.

I 100% plan on returning back and will definitely update my review when I can be absolutely on my overall thoughts, but truly this small, local Latin cafe was one of the best finds I've been too this year! Definitely recommend!

P.S. Pet friendly!

Loved this place! Would come back and would recommend! Was here with my brother in law and his fiance for lunch. I had the smoked scallop quinoa salad and it was so yummy I ate the whole thing. It was a pretty generous portion!
The place is really cute and cozy, perfect for lunch. The service was nice, although the waitress did forget our chips and salsa that you get for free with Yelp check in. Oh well.

This is the first time I try cafe chismosa and I'm not impress. I've purchased iced green tea latte and iced coconut latte. The iced green tea latte taste more like chai tea plain. On the other hand, the coconut latte taste like plain iced coffee. Where is the green tea flavor and the coconut flavor in both of the lattes? I will try the other food items on the menu that I've heard so much about next time and maybe I will give the hot coconut latte a try too.

Love this place! Stopped by today during my first visit to Northern Liberties, and I'm so glad that I did. Let's start with the ambiance. Cafe Chismosa is a small cafe with limited seating, but this just adds an air of coziness to the location. The sunlight hits the cafe perfectly in the mornings, making it a perfect location for that early morning coffee, meet up with friends, or study session. The barista behind the counter was very patient and pleasant to talk to, which really just added to the wonderfulness of this cafe!

My sister and I just ordered drinks - I ordered the Coconut Latte, and my sister (much younger) got the Pinada drink. Seeing that my sister was on the younger side, the barista made beautiful latte art for my drink in the shape of a bunny! It was adorable and made my little sister so happy! There's a very widespread set of add-ins for drinks ranging from the traditional simple syrup and sweetener packets to more unique ones like vanilla maple syrup. I loved the variety, which added to my great experience in Cafe Chismosa. The flavor of my Coconut Latte with some added vanilla maple syrup was just divine - there wasn't as much foam as the usual latte, which honestly was a pleasant surprise for me. My picky little sister liked her Pinada smoothie so much that she finished every last drop (she's typically one to always have leftovers, so this was great)!

I love the different styles of drinks present on the menu (especially the specials menu!) because they provide such a nice change from the typical cafe in Philadelphia. Everything on the drinks and food menus looked amazing, and I will have to stop by again to try more of their dishes and drinks! I highly recommend you come here. Such great service and drinks - you will definitely have an amazing experience!

Oh man do I love this place! Service is friendly and attentive and more importantly the food is awesome!

This tiny quaint café dishes up in my opinion the best tamales in Philadelphia. I have tried the vegetarian, chipotle chicken and breakfast tamales and they are all "lick your plate" kind of good :) My favorite is still the vegetarian. My date got the breakfast tacos and was raving about them...I will definitely be back to try some of the specials they sound delicious!