Machu Picchu Cafe Opens Beside Balboa Park BART Station

An elegant Peruvian coffee shop is now open beside the Balboa Park BART station.

Machu Picchu Cafe seamlessly popped up at the Kapuso at the Upper Yard housing complex on Monday.

The interior of the store transports customers to another land. Front and center is an eye-catching faux tree with pink and white flowers that bring a fun outdoor feel inside. The walls are dark gold, bronze, pinks and blacks with pops of red and black armchairs, light brown woven circular and oval seating and red, pastel orange and pastel green balloon animal-shaped dog side tables.

Inspired by his home country of Peru and its historic Incan citadel Machu Picchu, William Uracahua aims to bring his culture’s culinary traditions to Geneva Avenue — which has been doing for 16 years at his other restaurants Mariposas and Bocado Peruvian Cuisine.

Uracahua told The Ingleside Light he was thrilled to bring coffee to a part of the neighborhood that has been deprived for so long. (A plan to bring a Peet’s Coffee to the station was lost in a fraud scheme.)

“I’m trying to bring the experience of something cute and nice — like Machu Picchu,” Uracahua said.

The menu offers low-priced coffees and other soft beverages like the classic cortado, Peruvian chicha morada, iced orange coffee, passion fruit lemonade and other specialties that range from $3.50 to $6.50. Uracahua has also partnered with Peru’s Cup of Excellence award-winner Yoinser Mego Silva to bring the South American country’s quality coffee to San Francisco.

To pair with Machu Picchu’s signature drinks are a variety of pastries like croissants, muffins, galletas, alfajores and empanadas in alternating flavors. They are currently sourced from a local bakery and range from $2.50 to $5.50. In the future, the baked goods may come from Uracahua’s next project, a bakery in North Beach.

While the world of coffee is new to Uracahua, he looks forward to sharing his culture and bringing a Latin connection to everyone who comes by.

The remainder of this month will be the shop’s soft opening. A grand opening will be held early next year.

“We are here to start new things: a new dream with a new precedent and all these things,” Uracahua said. “I invite you to come into my place and try to take that energy and good vibes.”

Machu Picchu

Address: 402 Geneva Ave.
Hours: Everyday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 415-568-1887
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