Curtis Park is waking up a little earlier these days, thanks to Café Tres. The Cuban bakery that first built a following at Denver farmers' markets has quietly planted a tiny brick-and-mortar in the neighborhood this month, and the word is clearly out. Owner Michael Solis is turning out pastelitos and Cuban-style espresso from a slim grab-and-go counter that is already pulling in pre-work crowds. With a small footprint and short hours, the pastry case is often wiped out by mid-morning.
According to Westword, Café Tres took over the former Rivers and Roads corner space at Champa and 30th Streets and quietly began serving customers this month. The outlet’s interview with Solis lays out his mission: recreate Miami’s cafecito culture in Denver, right down to the strong espresso and flaky, lard-laminated pastries.
Tiny Shop, Huge Cafecito Appetite
Business reporting shows the Curtis Park address previously operated as Rivers and Roads and came in at roughly 500 square feet. BusinessDen noted that the former coffee shop struggled to make that compact footprint pencil out, a challenge that helps explain Café Tres’s lean, grab-and-go setup and intentionally limited schedule.
Miami Roots, Family Recipes
As detailed on Café Tres's website, Solis comes from a multigenerational baking family in Miami that operated Three Little Bakers, later renamed Three Little Cakes. After moving to Denver, he adapted those family recipes for a new audience. The site highlights pastelitos and Cuban espresso as the core of the operation, directly tying the current counter to the pop-ups and market appearances that first built the brand’s following.
Pastelitos, Coladas And A Tight Menu
Solis has deliberately kept the menu narrow and focused. Guava, guava-and-cheese, and carne pastelitos anchor the pastry lineup, while cortaditos and café con leche headline the coffee program, with coladas on the way. Westword reports that the pastries are laminated the traditional way with pork lard, and that the case frequently sells out by mid-morning. The posted hours underscore the scarcity: Thursday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
From Markets To A Micro-Bakery, With Bigger Plans
Before landing this brick-and-mortar, Solis built his audience the slow way, selling at farmers' markets and wholesaling to local spots, including Nowhere Coffee, according to New Denizen. The shop is listed on MapQuest at 2960 Champa Street, and Solis has said this compact counter is only the first step. He is eyeing a larger space down the line, with seating and an expanded menu, a plan also noted by BusinessDen.
