Café Cino began as a pop-up at PLNTR in November 2022, and we quickly built a devoted following in D.C.’s café scene. The café is a reflection of our shared passion for community, sustainability, and quality—values that shape every detail of what we do.
After first meeting working as a barista and espresso tech at a popular DC café in 2018, a love for coffee has been a uniting force between us creative entrepreneurs. So much so, that in 2021, we welcomed our first child Cino Benjamin, whom we named after our favorite drink, our mutual love of coffee and the power it has to bring people together. We’ve since expanded to a family of four, starting our family business along the way.
We’re known for our curated pour-over program inside PLNTR, featuring single-origin beans from local partners like Others Coffee and Southeastern Roastery, along with direct relationships with family-run farms in Colombia and Brazil. With an expanded menu of loose-leaf teas and a growing calendar of community events—from book swaps to DJ sets— Café Cino has become a cultural and caffeinated hub for both regulars and newcomers, and we can’t wait to continue that legacy in our new home.
Café Cino was built on the idea that coffee brings people together, and that idea has shaped our business and our family. Three years in, we are thrilled to open our first brick-and-mortar at The Bridge District near historic Anacostia, a region with deep roots in our family’s history. This new 1,100-square-foot space will feature full-scale espresso drinks, pastries, and smoothies—with plans to expand our food and beverage offerings and host community-centered events at the Bridge District.
With this expansion, we are launching our “brother” operation Nico’s Kitchen: a modular food prep kitchen that will power our all-day-cafe with Modern American Gastronomy, with international influence from our family’s Black American, Brazilian, and German roots.
