The World Walks In:
A Day at Café del Mundo
NOVEMBER 2025
Another week, another blog, and this time, a bit more personal one. Both here on the blog and in the podcast, I’m opening the doors to Café del Mundo: the café, the travelers, and the small adventures that shape it every day. This place is more than a stop for coffee. It’s a mix of food, stories, and travel inspiration that somehow end up in the walls. It’s also where I record each week’s episode, surrounded by the sounds and people that make this café what it is.
So if you haven’t been here yet, I want to give you a feeling of it, the life inside, the mornings, the chaos, the calm. And of course, don’t miss the podcast for more of the behind the scenes stories, the voices, and the everyday moments that keep Café del Mundo alive.
La Paz After Dark - Stories, music, and the city when the lights come on.
Just first a little update about La Paz and what’s going on around here right now. We’re in a full mood of testing new Christmas food, drinks, and baked treats from around the world. What would you say about this idea, just from right now, of a cinnamon donut ball, maybe on a stick or wrapped up in cute Christmas paper. Let's see if it makes it to the final round.
But before we get too deep into holiday flavors, I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite nights of the week, our Night Tour. It actually started after one of those spontaneous nights out, when everything just flows. The drinks, the food, the places, the company, and, suddenly you’re seeing the city in a whole new way.That’s when I realized how much of La Paz’s spirit comes alive after dark.
So we created our own version, made for travelers who want to explore the city at night in a cool, mystic, and safe way. The stories are at the center, but there’s also a mix of hidden bars, delicious pizza, a bit of street food, and music that moves from traditional music into real nightclub beats.
If you’re around on a Thursday night and curious to see it yourself, reach out here, we’ll save you a spot.
Early Hours, Warm Coffee, and Stories About to Begin
Back to the Cafe! Since the earliest days of Café del Mundo, back in 2011, we’ve always opened early. In the beginning, the café was a small street spot serving breakfast and brunch, and slowly the menu grew along with the hours. Travel mornings have their own feeling, here in La Paz but also around the world, that mix of sleep and excitement in the air. The early people on the streets are often heading for buses, flights, or mountains, having big adventures ahead of them. For travelers, finding a warm place to sit with a strong coffee before the day begins is something special, that calm energy before movement.
We also have another kind of early visitor, those coming straight from the night bus from Uyuni, hungry for their first real meal of the day. They eat, relax, and soon fall down in the pillow corner, catching up on sleep before check-in. By 7:30, the café already feels like a small airport lounge. Every morning, we fill the air with fresh coffee, ready for those who want to sit in, check tickets, enjoy a filling early breakfast, or grab a quick cup on the run.
For years, we’ve worked with Gravity, our favorite biking company that does the Death Road. They’re always among the first to arrive, often waiting outside even before we open the doors. There’s a special mix of excitement and nerves in the air when they come in, that quiet moment before the big adventure starts. For them, it’s the rush of what’s ahead. I always hope they take that moment in before heading off on one of South America’s greatest adventures.
Food as a Journey
At Café del Mundo, food has always been more than what’s on the plate, it’s a small trip in itself. It’s for the curious ones who want to taste food from around the world, but also for travelers far from home who need something familiar to recharge.
Some dishes come from memories of places I’ve visited, others from recipes travelers have shared, meals they’ve missed and would give anything to taste again after long days on the road. The menu changes, but the idea stays the same: to mix the comfort of home with the taste of the world. Bolivian ingredients meet global favorites, and that mix keeps the café alive with stories and travel spirit.
People often talk about where they first tried a dish, who they were with, and what it reminded them of. In a way, every table becomes a map marked with flavors, not borders. Cooking here means listening as much as preparing, because every traveler brings something new, a detail, a spice, an idea. For me, it’s a way to keep traveling without leaving La Paz. And when someone takes a bite and says, “this tastes like home,” I know the journey worked both ways.
We talk a lot about food here, favorite dishes, flavors from home, street food from faraway cities, but the most common question I get, especially in the mornings, isn’t about food at all. It’s what to do with your time in La Paz. I can’t talk to everyone, even if I wish I could, so we created two things to help:
First, our Travel Talks, three times a week, where we hang out, share what’s happening in the city, and answer any travel questions over some food (and maybe a mimosa). And second, our TravelZine, a free online magazine filled with tips, ideas, and what’s going on in La Paz right now. So wherever you are, maybe planning your next stop, or just sitting at a table in Café del Mundo waiting for your food, you should have it right in front of you. Download it here and start exploring.
What Travel and Café Life Keep Teaching Me
From the start, there have always been days when everything seems to fall apart, an order disappears, the kitchen runs out of something, or someone on the team suddenly has to rush off. Sometimes it’s things no traveler would ever guess: a blockade stopping the chicken truck, the baker showing up too drunk to work, or those days when La Paz runs out of water and the toilets only work for a few hours. People get frustrated, and I understand them. But over time, I’ve learned that what matters most is how fast we react, how calmly we fix things, and how we keep communication open.
Most of the time, those small disasters turn into moments of laughter or long conversations that end up somewhere unexpected, a new plan, a shared story, or even a friendship. Travelers are used to chaos; they live with it daily. When we handle it together, the café becomes more than a place to eat, it becomes a small reminder that we’re all figuring things out as we go.
Running a travel café means hearing new stories every day. Some are short, a laugh about a missed bus or a cold shower in Uyuni, and others go deeper, about why someone left home or what they’re searching for. Listening to travelers has changed how I see everyone who walks through the door. I often find myself guessing where they’re from, where they’re heading, what their route looks like, but the best part always starts when the conversation does. Then the phrase “everyone carries their own story” makes complete sense. It’s another kind of travel, the kind that happens without moving. I’ve learned that every traveler arrives with a reason, even if they don’t know it yet. And that leaving home isn’t always the hardest part, sometimes staying is. The café keeps reminding me that connection happens in small, ordinary moments. Every day here adds another story to my own.
And if you’re in La Paz with a story to tell, maybe your travel route, a plan gone wrong, or how you learned to laugh through the chaos, reach out. We’d love to share it in our podcast, Travel Talk Bolivia.
Keeping the Loop Alive Between Café, Travel, and Life
As the afternoon slows down, the café also changes. The rush fades, and travelers stay longer, opening maps, checking buses, or asking about places they hadn’t planned to visit. Many of our tours start that way, just a simple chat over coffee that turns into a plan. Café del Mundo has always worked like that, connecting people to their next stop.
By evening, the pace changes again. The first ones return from their adventures, dusty, smiling, ready for something good to eat. Groups gather, beers open (maybe one from the world’s highest brewery), and stories start to flow. The café fills with that warm mix of tiredness and excitement, the kind that only comes after a long day on the road.
And while the night continues, small details keep the travel spirit alive for the ones coming in the next day, the next week, or even the next month.
In our bathroom, there’s a big wall covered with traveler notes, a place to write down your dreams, tips, or small pieces of advice for whoever comes after you. Slip your note into an envelope, and while waiting in line, someone else might read it and find a bit of inspiration for their own journey. It’s our real travel wall.
We also have a virtual one on Facebook, where you can find travel news and connect with other travelers before, during, or after your Bolivian adventure, you’ll find it here.
And just as I was writing this part, I actually took a break and went to our travel wall to read a few notes, looking for some inspiration from travelers who’ve passed through from all over the world.
Until Next Time
Every day at Café del Mundo brings new faces, stories, and small adventures. Whether you stop in to plan, rest, or just watch the world go by, you’re already part of it. And if you want to keep that travel spark alive, before, during, or after your trip, check out our Inspiration Station. It’s filled with ideas, stories, and tips to keep you exploring, wherever you are.
Download our free sheet: How to Stay Inspired, Before, During, and After Your Trip to La Paz and Bolivia.A small guide to help you see the world with fresh eyes, no matter which travel phase you’re in — dreaming, exploring, or back home again.
The doors open early, the coffee’s fresh, and the world keeps walking in.
