Café Milagro now open on West Side

Café Milagro owner Alejandra Diaz stands in her business in St. Paul's West Side neighborhood — Owner Alejandra Diaz

By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | August 2026

The former bubble-gum pink storefront next to El Burrito Mercado on Cesar Chavez Street has been painted the color of a coffee bean and is now buzzing with activity as Café Milagro. Inside, low-hanging ceiling tiles have been stripped away to reveal the building’s original 12-foot ceiling, and the gentle sound of grinding coffee beans and the rich aromas of traditional Mexican coffees fill the air. At the helm of the operation is Alejandra Diaz, a West Side native who grew up working for her mom at the neighboring mercado, doing everything from cashiering to bartending and serving. She originally had plans to take over the El Burrito Food Truck, but when the time came, she instead felt compelled to take a leap of faith and open the new venture.

The café specializes in traditional Mexican coffee and espresso, and concocts it any way you please: hot, cold, doctored up, or straight-and-simple. The Mexican Mocha combines cinnamon, Ibarra’s hot chocolate and cocoa powder, while the Café de la Olla has brown sugar, cloves and orange peel. The Strawberry Matcha, served iced, is another popular drink, especially on hot summer days. Beans are sourced from Ruda Coffee in St. Paul and Silver Bird Coffee in Minneapolis. The menu features items such as muffins and French pastries as well as a few offerings from El Burrito Mercado, including empanadas. Diaz plans to expand the menu later this year and apply for a license to serve beer and wine.

Diaz’s father and extended family members have professional painting and construction skills and were integral in readying the intimate 30-seat space. A few volunteers also helped lay tile, hoping to see the storefront succeed since the past few businesses there have been short-lived. The goal was to open in the spring, but Operation Metro Surge caused delays, and the soft opening was in June. However, the extra time allowed Diaz to further engross herself in the art of coffee-making after attending Dogwood Coffee’s Sweet Renaissance training program.

“I felt like the community here really needed a coffee shop and it was really important to me to try to create a space where people could come together,” Diaz said. “Especially with COVID and the ICE surge I felt like there was a huge disconnect and my idea was to create a space for everyone to feel welcome and my hope is to host community events to bring people together again.”

Café Milagro is primed to host craft nights, knitting and book clubs, Mexican bingo, which is similar to bingo but uses cards rather than balls, and other small events. Diaz is a vinyl enthusiast, so records may spin from time to time, and you may see her take part in a knitting club when not behind the counter. She was quick to credit her parents and the community for their support and guidance.
Milagro means “miracle” in English. However, the inspiration behind the name is deeper.

“Milagros are silver charms representing different things,” said Diaz. “You nail them to a piece of wood to manifest something. If you have pain in your feet, you might nail a foot charm to manifest foot health. I always loved them as a kid and I was particularly attracted to the Sacred Heart charm, which is in our logo. And I always imagine that if I had a daughter, I would name her Milagro, so this coffee shop is kind of like my first baby.”

The business is located at 197 Cesar Chavez St. Hours are 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Longer weekend hours are expected in the near future. For more information, visit cafemilagromn.com.

AT A GLANCE
Business: Café Milagro
Location: 197 Cesar Chavez St.
Owner: Alejandra Diaz
Opened: June 2026
What it offers: Authentic Mexican coffee, muffins, French pastries as well as a few offerings from El Burrito Mercado
Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Website: cafemilagromn.com