Cafés in Asunción: where to go by neighborhood and plan

Asunción's cafés fall into three areas with different plans: the historic center for specialty coffee and old-school classics, Villa Morra and barrio Jara for a long brunch, and Las Mercedes for sourdough on a leafy patio. With only one morning, start at Kaffe'i or Casa Clari downtown and finish with lunch at El Bolsi or the Lido.

Where to get specialty coffee downtown

Kaffe'i (calle Palma, microcentro). Opened in November 2024, it roasts on site, so you can watch the process. It works with beans from Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay, and in 2025 it became the first Paraguayan café named among South America's top 100 by The World's 100 Best Coffee Shops (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠, La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Founder Luis Wong is the country's first Q Grader. Go if bean origin matters to you, and ask what's on filter that day.

Casa Clari (Manzana de la Rivera, Ayolas 129). A café-bar in a historic house with a terrace behind the Palacio de los López. Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ reported it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00, serves breakfast, afternoon snacks and lunch, and has room to work over a coffee; La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ calls it a gem of the historic center. In 2024, The New York Times⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ put drinks and snacks for two at 30,000–80,000 guaraníes. Tip: grab a terrace table mid-afternoon.

Downtown classics worth a stop

El Bolsi (Estrella and Alberdi). A café-restaurant since 1960 in a building listed as city heritage. La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ gives hours of 07:00 to 01:00 and advises booking Thursday to Sunday because of demand. For breakfast, the NYT put it at about 50,000 guaraníes for two, with empanadas and other fried snacks. Infonegocios⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ notes it also hosts events on its terrace.

Lido Bar. Open since 1953 in the historic center, it's the place for a Paraguayan merienda. The most-ordered items, per Infonegocios⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠, are fish soup, vori vori, chipa guasu, sopa paraguaya and homemade bread. It now also has branches in Villa Morra (since 2015) and San Lorenzo (since 2024). A travel guide places it at the corner of Chile and Palma on the Plaza de los Héroes and calls it a local institution, good for people-watching at lunch (Eurolinguiste⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

Where to brunch in Villa Morra or barrio Jara

El Café de Acá. The first café is on Teniente Héctor Vera near Francisco Mora in Villa Morra, the second inside the Textilia complex in barrio Jara (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). A favorite with locals and visitors: shakshuka and eggs Benedict for brunch, Paraguayan staples such as payagua and cassava empanadas, and one of the few places still serving aloha, a drink of cane honey, lime and lots of ice. Gluten-free sweets have been on offer since late 2022. Reviews on Wanderlog⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ warn service can slow down at peak times, so go early.

Sourdough and a patio

Karu (Las Mercedes). An artisan bakery making sourdough since 2011 with local, seasonal ingredients, renovated in 2021 for more seating (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). The NYT⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ recommended its patio under mango trees, passion-fruit macarons and guava tarts. Saturday morning is the best time, and the busiest.

A Saturday café crawl in Asunción

• 09:00: breakfast at El Bolsi or El Café de Acá, depending on which side of town you're on.
• 11:00: specialty coffee at Kaffe'i and a walk around the microcentro.
• 13:00: Paraguayan lunch at Lido Bar.
• 17:00: Casa Clari's terrace by the Palacio de los López as the sun goes down.

Before you go

• Hours: the hours here come from press articles; confirm on each café's social accounts, especially on Sundays and holidays.
• Working remotely: ask about Wi-Fi and outlets before settling in, and skip the lunch rush when tables fill up.
• Heat: on hot days, aim for early morning or late afternoon on terraces.