12 Days of Holidays: Cardero Cafe

The first Monday of the New Year calls for all of the coffee! WEBIA’s focus today is on one of the amazing businesses that helps get us up and moving each day, Cardero Cafe.

Cardero Café’s original location at 1016 Cardero St. was taken over by Sonia Zebadua and her partner Nilka Garcia in 2018, bringing their Latin-American heritage to both the menu and the new grocery options, quickly turning the space into a local favourite. With the grand opening of their second location on Davie Street in Summer 2020, Sonia and Nilka cemented their hold within our West End community, providing spaces for neighbours to interact and get to know each other, even through a pandemic.

Sonia is originally from Chiapas, Mexico and came to Canada with dreams of becoming a renowned chef. After completing cooking school and landing a position as a chef in a fine dining restaurant, Sonia realized her true purpose was to bring together communities through food and conversation. A few years later, together with Nilka, they opened Cardero Café to the delight of everyone.

During their first year of business on Davie Street, the Cardero team brought delicious Latin inspired coffee and tasty pastries to the neighbourhood, all available through a walk up window to abide by COVID regulations. They also pivoted their communications strategy, reaching out to their regulars and visitors alike through increased social media posts, ensuring that everyone was up to date with safety procedures, unique specials and all their latest offerings.