What if they told you that the way to cure all evils is with coffee? It is a reality in The Coffee Pharmacythe cafeteria more cool from the Old City area in Montevideo. “It is a pharmacy that was previously in operation and was practically the only one in the city. It was where everyone was going to look for medicines to heal, ”they tell us from Café La Pharmacy. An emblem that today has become one of the most emblematic coffee shops in the entire city, and to preserve its history, the original structure has been maintained as well as part of its furniture.
“The building is protected, therefore, we could not touch almost anything. Our intention was to maintain their history and so this today, people are still thinking that it is the pharmacy, and not a cafeteria, ”the owners tell us. Specialty coffee, homemade sweets and a great atmosphere, They are part of the essence of the Coffee Pharmacy.
The Farmacia Café, a historic place in Montevideo was a pharmacy before being rescued.Courtesy the Farmacia Café.
The original facade is maintained.Courtesy the Farmacia Café.
The passion for coffee: the beginning of the Farmacia Café
When three brothers, Agustín, Martín and Camila Chamyan They discovered the pharmacy, it was love at first sight. At that time they already had two more coffee shops in the city, projects that were born for their love for the drink. «They did not need to look for another place, they wanted to focus on training their team well and being able to transmit their passion for coffee to all citizens, they barely saw it, they decided that they had to work there,» the dependents comment.
The Farmacia Café project It started with several limitations, since they had to maintain the original structure to be a historic building, but they did not involve great problems. «We were looking to maintain the essence of the building, its tradition and connect both stories: pharmacy and coffee,» they say. They import grains of different origins, they have them and the baristas prepare it in different methods, according to the request of each client.
The Farmacia Café has maintained its original two room division.Courtesy the Farmacia Café.
The Coffee Pharmacy and its original accessories maintain its history.Courtesy the Farmacia Café.
Two separate rooms with their respective functions
The original structure has been maintained, as well as part of the furniture, which allows recovery to be total. The tiles of the walls, the counter and a small part of the decoration, are the only details that were changed. «We have maintained the two rooms that there were: one where the medications were prepared, that is, the laboratory; and the front, where the formulas were sold”, They explain to us.
Both rooms were equipped to be a complete cafeteria, with their respective tables and chairs, as well as the bar where coffee is prepared; Also, the counter with its homemade sweets. But it has sought to integrate the philosophy of ancient pharmacy in each corner, leaving old furniture and accessories. In the same way, the idea is that the story is maintained in the new additions, ranging from the packaging of coffee with a green pharmacy cross, to the boats that were «used» with the chemical elements, used to save spices.
The Café Farmacia, a specialty coffee prepared in all possible forms.Courtesy the Farmacia Café.
The Coffee Pharmacy and its salty proposals for breakfast, food and snack are great.Courtesy the Farmacia Café.
The «drug» that cures everything, coffee
The Farmacia Café works hand in hand with MVD toastersa project that started the specialty coffee scene in Montevideo, and that has become the official supplier of many companies in the city. Drinks espresso and handmade cafes on the table are part of the variety to meet the needs of each client. This is accompanied by a large letter of exquisite homemade sweets, as well as some salty food proposals that includes breakfast, food and snack options such as toast, salads and soups, among other things.
The Farmacia Café is, without a doubt, a very beautiful project and authentic that seeks to transmit the passion of coffee from their owners to all customers and create that coffee culture in the city.