Cafe Guaraní’s Yerba Mate
111 Central Ave., Pacific Grove 747-1551
We all love caffeine but, for too long, coffee – whether from Starbucks to chic local cafes – has maintained a monopoly over our caffeine desires. Somewhere along the way, we decided uneasy stomachs and bad breath were fine barters for a little early-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up when all we needed was a place like Cafe Guaraní to offer indigenous wisdom. The Paraguayan cafe in Pacific Grove stands alone with its menu of traditional yerba mate beverages, a South American tea that jolts with the intensity of cold brew but leaves you clear-headed with no crash.