Café Compass: Uruguay

Uruguay might be one of our most visited countries; we've been going there since we were little babies - and that may be why to us it has that magical feeling whenever we go back, bringing back so many childhood memories and joy. 

Uruguay has a nice mix of city, beach, countryside and historical towns (we are big fans of Colonia); we also love road trips and thoroughly enjoy watching the farms as we drive.

Here's our Uruguay Café Compass:

La Linda - Manantiales - @lalindabakery

La Linda is one of our favorite and most visited spots whenever we are in Punta del Este. It's a bakery and café where you can go for breakfast, lunch and coffee, as well as to buy bread, sweet treats, savory foods and some other food items. For us it's a one-stop shop: we go for coffee or lunch and then also buy some goods for the week, including sourdough bread, sandwiches, croissants and alfajores and cookies to have for dessert. 

The beach is close by so it's a great place to come to before or after spending the day at the beach, or even to buy food to take with you to the beach.

For lunch we usually order empanadas, quiches, sandwiches or ham & cheese croissants. If we are stopping for mid-morning or afternoon coffee, we always order lattes, alfajor sablée, a piece of cake and facturas/bizcochos (traditional pastries, some of them have fillings such as dulce de leche or pastry cream). 

Location: 18 de julio y Montevideo, Manantiales, Departamento de Maldonado, Uruguay. You can also find them in Athens, Greece!

Albertine - Colonia del Sacramento - @albertinepanycafe

We've been going to Colonia since forever and we've never found a coffee shop that amazes us the way Albertine does. The attention to detail and warmth can be seen the second you walk inside: the ambience, the decor and tableware, the food, the coffee and the service (they are very attentive and welcoming). Everything is excellent. 

They are a coffee shop and a small bakery, so if you're staying in Colonia for a couple of days you can purchase their goods to have through your stay or if you are only there for the day or just passing by, you can get some bread and pastries and take them with you, great for on the road or for the ferry - we've definitely done that before!

Our favorite food items are the cinnamon roll (it's to die for!), the lemon pound cake and pão de queijo. We've tried different coffees and every single one tasted great, so you can't go wrong.

Needless to say, it has become our all-time favorite and must-visit spot in Colonia, so you can be sure that whenever we visit, we will be here having our coffees and enjoying our time on their lovely patio. They are open Wednesdays through Saturdays, so keep that in mind when planning your trip to Colonia.

Location: 18 de Julio 233, Colonia del Sacramento, Departamento de Colonia, Uruguay.