The aspiration to showcase their Japanese-Mexican heritage, commitment to making delicious quality coffee for their community, and attention to care in every aspect of their business makes Yonsei Coffee one of Denton’s newest local gems.
Where it is located
Located inside Andersons Eatery and Distillery at 410 N Bell Ave here in Denton, Yonsei Coffee is less than a mile from TWU’s campus, making it the perfect place close by to grab a refreshing and fun cup of coffee on the weekends.
What makes them special
Owner of Yonsei Coffee, and UNT alum, Claire Cadena shares that what makes their business unique is “the lens [through] which we serve people.” She expresses that it’s rare to see Latino-owned coffee shops, particularly women-owned Latin coffee shops. “I think my perspective as a Mexican first-generation woman has affected the way that I viewed coffee and community, and I want to lead with that… I want to make sure I bring diversity to it by using not just sustainable methods and [seasonal] local ingredients, but also making sure that I highlight who I am as a Mexican person and what we stand for, which is just community in general.”
How it began
Cadena explains that her business recently reached its one year anniversary. Cadena looks back on her journey and reflects on how far this dream turned into reality has grown. She first got inspiration while being in college visiting coffee shops. She wanted to see flavors and ideas that showcased her heritage. So, she decided to create the kind of coffee company she always wished to see. Her first time offering coffee to her community was at her grandmother’s garage sale. Cadena shares, “it started off very neighborly, and I think that’s the day I realized I think I actually do just want to throw myself into this.” What followed was her selling coffee at various pop-up locations, including Denton’s Community Market. Now, Yonsei Coffee’s found its home, and is officially running as a micro cafe in Anderson’s regularly every weekend.
Crafting their brand
In Cadena’s own words, “The name Yonsei means “fourth generation” in Japanese, honoring my Japanese-Mexican heritage as a diaspora descendant and my family’s journey in search of opportunity.” Speaking with Cadena, she explains that the word and its valuable meaning felt like the perfect fit.
Yonsei Coffee’s logo, two vibrant and colorful bunnies sharing a cup of coffee with the symbol of the sacred heart above them, also has a deeply symbolic meaning. From choosing what artist to collaborate with, to deciding what she wanted the logo to symbolize, Cadena remains deliberate in her choices.
The artist of the design, Fumikoten, shares her intention behind the art, “The logo was created based on Claire’s idea. I wanted it to reflect an image of people enjoying delicious coffee while having a happy and pleasant time. I’m Japanese, and I create artwork influenced by Mexican colors and culture. Because of that, I think this design incorporates elements from both Japan and Mexico.” The logo serves as a reflection of Cadena’s culture, Catholic identity, and the value she sees in community and in sharing a cup of coffee. Additionally, the sacred heart emulates her religion, and how she intentionally leads with kindness in her life. “It just represents having a very pure heart when you’re interacting with people because you never really know where it leads,” says Cadena. This symbolism of kindness mirrors Cadena’s wish for customers when they leave her business, which is the hope they feel accepted. She wants to have a space where customers can learn about the world of coffee in a welcoming environment.
What goes into their coffee/ featured drinks
Wanting the best of both worlds, Cadena creates a place where “fun craft coffee” is taken seriously, is still fun and colorful, and intentionality is a part of every step of the process. She explains that what defines craft coffee is being conscious of the way it’s roasted by using sustainably sourced products. They currently source their coffee from Desnudo, a roastery located in Austin, Texas. This company views “coffee as a science,” and highlights and shares stories of the farmers they work with in Colombia. The thoughtfulness Desundo puts into their craft makes them stand out to Cadena: “It was important for us to work with someone that had those roots, and really cared about their product.”
On top of making quality coffee, Yonsei Coffee’s bright colors and vibrant flavors showcase the whimsical personality of Cadena’s business. She explains that they have evolved by honing in on their seasonality. “We’re making sure we’re offering something that’s only available for a period of time and taking care of how sacred it is for the earth to provide us these fruits so we can give you guys coffee.” Cadena is intentional when choosing seasonal and staple flavors, highlighting ones that celebrate her Mexican and Japanese culture.
Featured on their new exciting fall menu is Dulce de Calabaza. Cadena explains that the nostalgic flavor is “a very popular childhood classic,” that involves caramelizing Mexican pumpkin in a rich spiced syrup for hours. They pair this with a condensed milk pumpkin cold foam. She describes the taste, stating, “it is very similar to pumpkin spice for those people that love pumpkin spice. It’s just our twist on it. It’s a little more creamy, it’s a little more nutty. And I would say it’s a little more spice forward, which is really, really exciting.” In addition, their fall menu also features a Miel y Nuez Cappuccino, Pumpkin Chai and other additional new drinks.
Beyond seasonal flavors, Yonsei Coffee’s year-round menu features staple flavors, which are available in either a latte or matcha. This includes Tokyo Banana, and Cadena explains that these drinks emulate the taste of a Japanese banana twinkie by including a caramelized banana syrup and topping the drink off with banana cold foam. Their year-round menu also includes the flavors Mazapan, Cafe de Olla, Mexican Vanilla and more. Furthermore, Cadena highlights that each ingredient they put into their drinks is fresh: “We don’t serve you anything older than 24 hours.”
Looking into the future / upcoming events
With a variety of coffee carts beginning around the same time Cadena opened, she was unsure of how their business would be received by customers and was determined to set Yonsei Coffee apart from the rest. Now, as Yonsei Coffee and their community continues to grow, so do Cadena’s aspirations for her business and her hopes in the future of branching out and partnering with Mexican coffee shops for their sources, eventually roasting coffee themselves, and extending their business hours.
In addition to their new seasonal fall menu, Yonsei Coffee has exciting upcoming events, including a celebration of Dia de los Muertos that features an altar where community members can honor their loved ones. Also, during the Denton Day of the Dead Festival, Cadena shared that they will be having some fun giveaways.
For more information about Yonsei Coffee’s operating hours, menu and upcoming events, you can visit @yonseicoffee on Instagram and TikTok, or visit yonseicoffee.com.
Zoey Ortiz can be contacted via email at aortiz53@twu.edu
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