Old Brooklyn or Old San Juan? At 787 Café, it's hard to say

Sam Allard

Two photos: left pastel-colored cafe with outdoor seating and a sign reading "Little Puerto Rico, Cleveland, OH"; right black takeout bowl with shredded pork, beans, and yellow fruit on a wooden table. — Photos: Sam Allard/Axios

The best thing I ate this week was a lunch special at 787 Café, a Puerto Rican bodega and eatery at 6105 Memphis Ave. in Old Brooklyn.

The big picture: Cleveland native Harry Quiñones opened the business in late 2020, combining a specialty grocery store with a café serving Puerto Rican street food, sandwiches, pastries and coffee.

The market evolved — and expanded, after a 2023 renovation — as customers increasingly sought hard-to-find Puerto Rican groceries and specialty products.

787 refers to the Puerto Rican area code, which covers the entire island.

Zoom in: The building on Memphis greets passersby with a colorful mural inspired by Old San Juan, painted by local artist Aldonte Flonnoy in 2023 as part of the "Little Puerto Rico" project.

🍽️ What I ate: A lunch special ($13.99), which came with heaping portions of chorizo-infused Puerto Rican rice, beans, pulled pork and fried plantains.

There were enough leftovers for dinner and then some.

🇵🇷 What's next: I'm hooked. If any source wants to grab coffee or lunch near Old Brooklyn, let's meet at 787!

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Old Brooklyn or Old San Juan? At 787 Café, it's hard to say

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