Bygone places / Café Trevi, a victim of gentrification
Coffee spot by the Alameda Central, famous for the frequent visits of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
Perhaps it’s best to start by explaining the word gentrification. Honestly, I never had a clear grasp of its meaning. It’s simple: it means taking a rundown, poor, and neglected part of the city, pouring in lots of money, and renovating it. Basically—at the risk of oversimplifying—it’s about pushing out the poor and inviting wealthier people to move in. Everything looks very pretty, but the original residents can no longer afford to live there.
The Trevi Fountain in Rome
The Café Trevi we’re talking about today borrowed its name from the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy: a beautiful fountain with Neptune as its centerpiece, where you’re supposed to toss a coin over your shoulder to make your wishes come true (that is, if you can find a spot among the million tourists all praying for their dreams to be fulfilled). The founder of Café Trevi was an Italian, Marco Magano, who opened it in 1955.
Its location was truly phenomenal: right next to the Alameda Central. People used to say it was art déco (though from the photos, I didn’t really see it that way). It looked more like a classic 1950s spot that never changed. The building itself, however, is art déco.
Fidel Castro and Che Guevara
So many times, when I’ve written about cantinas, bars, and restaurants, there’s mention of them being frequented by “great personalities.” (I once joked that, based on all these reviews, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera must have visited every single establishment in Mexico City). In the case of Café Trevi, the story goes that Fidel Castro and Che Guevara would sip their café con leche there while conspiring about how to overthrow governments.
In 2018, a bank bought the building and evicted all the tenants. There were arguments, protests, and shouting matches, but economic (and perhaps political) power prevailed. Café Trevi finally closed on October 31, 2020.
According to Street View, the building looks pretty much the same.
Cristóbal Colón & Doctor Mora, Mexico City
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