Small Biz to Watch: El Café Cubano brews rich simplicity inspired by ancestors’ appetite for the American dream

Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners.

Selection criteria is based on factors like business leadership, product or service fit, market strategy, expansion and scaling efforts, and likelihood of making news.

Click here to check out more companies featured in the Small Biz to Watch series.

Racquel Rodriguez, El Café Cubano; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Business Name: El Café Cubano

Owner: Racquel Rodriguez

Founding year: 2020

Current employee count: 4

Location: Mobile

Business type: Mobile Cuban Coffee Truck 

Company description: El Café Cubano brings you the taste of Havana utilizing our cultural heritage by bringing people together in a shared experience. We invite you to join us on a cultural journey, where each cup is a taste of tradition and a promise of excellence. Let us redefine your coffee experience and introduce you to the richness of Cuban flavor.

Racquel Rodriguez launched El Café Cubano to share a piece of her identity, culture, and history — elements she noticed were missing from the Kansas City coffee scene.

The mobile Cuban coffee truck, which opened in 2020, is deeply inspired by Rodriguez’s roots. She is Afro-Latina, with Cuban heritage on her father’s side and African-American on her mother’s.

“My family is my ‘why,’” she said. “The people who really don’t have a voice, the people who can’t tell their stories, the people who don’t get a chance to experience that American dream, they are my motivation.”

Operating from both a truck and cart setup, Rodriguez serves up authentic Cuban-style espresso drinks that she says many Kansas Citians had never before encountered.

“We found an absence of good, rich Cuban coffee,” said Rodriguez. “There was just no real rich, authentic Cuban coffee in the city at all. So we just wanted to introduce our community to our richness and where it is.”

The menu features such staples as café coladas (Cuban espresso), cortados, lattes, mochas, as well as baked goods like pastelitos and empanadas. A few modern touches have been added to accommodate customer requests, but the core recipe remains rooted in simplicity.

“Cuban coffee consists of two products: sugar and espresso,” Rodriguez explained. “We do offer a few drizzles and syrups, something that still keeps the pairing, so you can still taste the notes within our coffee.”

Getting customers to embrace something unfamiliar hasn’t always been straightforward. Rodriguez said one of the early challenges was educating people on Cuban coffee culture and Spanish menu terms.

“You’ll have a lot of people that will just look, like, ‘I don’t know what I’m getting.’ That can be intimidating,” she said. “So we try to make it as unique and clear as possible, adding what kind of coffee it is next to the Spanish names.”

 

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A post shared by Racquel Rodriguez (@rodriguezracquel)

She uses those interactions as a way to connect and as moments to teach, explain, and welcome someone into the culture behind the cup.

“If they don’t know it, that’s your chance to kind of win them over and say, OK, we do have regular. We can do drinks like an espresso, americano, or a mocha,’” she said.

Rodriguez’s drive to keep the business going comes from the people who shaped her, and the legacy she’s determined to honor.

“My ancestors, the people that really don’t have a voice, the people that can’t tell their stories, they are my motivators,” she said.

Startland News went deeper into El Café Cubano’s journey and key moments that inspired its evolution. Check out the Q&A with Racquel Rodriguez below.

QUESTION: How does your business stand out amid a crowded marketplace?

ANSWER: El Café Cubano is Kansas City’s first and only authentic Cuban coffee experience, setting us apart in a crowded marketplace. We emphasize the educational component of our offerings by hosting coffee tastings that allow customers to explore the rich flavors and intricacies of our genuine Cuban coffee. Our events celebrate and share vibrant aspects of Cuban culture, creating a lively atmosphere that fosters community connections. Through these unique experiences, we not only differentiate ourselves from competitors but also cultivate lasting relationships with our customers.

Q: To what do you credit your business’ success so far?

A: The success of Café Cubano can be attributed to our commitment to authenticity and community engagement. By offering a unique Cuban coffee experience and educating our customers about the brewing process and cultural significance, we create a strong connection with our patrons. Additionally our focus on hosting vibrant events that celebrate Cuban culture has helped us build a loyal customer base. The positive response from the community has reinforced our mission, allowing us to establish a unique place in KC.

Q: What role has Kansas City played in shaping your business?

A:  Kansas City has played a crucial role in shaping Café Cubano by providing a diverse and culturally rich environment that embraces new experiences. The city’s appreciation for diversity has fostered a solid audience for our unique Cuban coffee offerings. Additionally local support resources, such as business development organizations and community groups, have provided valuable guidance and resources as we establish ourselves in Kansas City. Partnerships with local artists and musicians have further enriched our atmosphere and helped us integrate into the vibrant fabric of Kansas City’s coffee scene.

Racquel Rodriguez, El Café Cubano, serves a customer from her mobile coffee cafe; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Q: Describe a significant recent turning point for your business or for you as an entrepreneur.

A: A significant recent turning point for us occurred during our grand opening June 2, 2024, at Art Garden where we served more than 400 people in just one day.This overwhelming response not only validated our concept as Kansas City’s first Cuban coffee truck but also highlighted the community’s enthusiasm for our offerings.

The success of this event energized our team and showed us that there is a demand for authentic Cuban coffee and cultural experiences. It propelled us to focus on expanding our community engagement efforts and implementing feedback from our customers. This moment marked a pivotal shift, inspiring us to further enhance our menu and event offerings while solidifying our place in the local coffee scene.

As an entrepreneur, this experience reinforced my commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive atmosphere that celebrates Cuban culture and builds lasting connections within the community.

Q: What should Kansas City be watching for next?

A:  Kansas City should be watching for exciting developments at El Café Cubano as we plan to expand our distribution and hope to establish a physical location. We’re actively exploring partnerships with local businesses and markets to make our authentic Cuban coffee more accessible to the community.

We aim to create an environment that enriches the local Cuban cultural scene and provide a welcoming space for gatherings and events. As we continue to grow, our focus will remain on enhancing customer experience and deepening our ties to the community, ensuring that every cup of coffee tells a story of Cuba’s vibrant heritage.

Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this journey together.

The Small Biz to Watch series is presented by Bank of America. Additional support has been provided by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund (NTDF) program and Spark Coworking Kansas City.