BY ZMAN
Meet Gabby—mother to a precocious 9-year-old son and a very opinionated 14-year-old daughter, owner of Doce Cuarenta Café in Cabo San Lucas, fitness enthusiast, trail runner, and single mom. Breaking into the competitive world of local coffee roasting and baking is no easy feat, she says. But in just four years, she has done exactly that.
“Our repeat local customers are our best friends. Our international visitors return each high season, expecting the same consistent menu and friendly, professional service.”
At Doce Cuarenta, every product is proudly sourced from Mexico. Nothing originates from the USA or any other country. Coffee beans are carefully selected from plantations in Chiapas, Veracruz, and Oaxaca that meet the café’s high standards. All roasting is done daily at their flagship location in Todos Santos before being shipped to Cabo San Lucas overnight and served fresh the next morning.
Doce Cuarenta Café is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, featuring fresh, on-site baked bread, muffins, and pastries. If breakfast is what you’re after, try the ever-popular huge cinnamon roll, best paired with a handmade Café de Olla. For lunch or dinner, the best-seller is the cheddar cheese-smothered hamburger with potato wedges. As for dessert, the guava cheesecake is a must.
“If you’re vegetarian, as I have been for 38 years, the avocado toast topped with cherry tomatoes is a must. And for dessert? A peanut butter brownie. I can’t believe I’m saying this publicly—I try not to consume sugar, but it’s the peanut butter, my favorite protein source, that I covet. Jaja!”
Doce Cuarenta Coffee and Bakery has multiple locations: one in Todos Santos and two in La Paz. The first café was founded 11 years ago in La Paz at Francisco Madero 1240, Zona Centro, which inspired the name of all four locations.
Gabby, her brother Enrique, and her husband JC were the visionaries behind the Cabo San Lucas branch. JC dreamed of offering the freshest coffee, daily baked goods, and premium service in Baja. Tragically, he passed away unexpectedly on February 20, 2024. Today, Gabby carries on his legacy with unwavering dedication.
With 22 employees under her leadership, she hires and trains staff, oversees product orders, conducts ongoing quality control inspections, and verifies all deliveries. High-energy and hands-on, she is everywhere.
Visit Doce Cuarenta in Cabo San Lucas. Open 7 AM – 10 PM, closed on Tuesdays, with free WiFi.
“We don’t do fancy flavored coffees,” Gabby says. “We simply have the freshest coffee and the freshest on-site baked pastries—just as my husband promised.”
Location: Avenida del Pescador, close to City Club and across from Plaza Pioneros in Cabo San Lucas.
I say—don’t miss this gastronomic jewel. You’ll return again and again. I have. Website: www.docecuarenta.com