Felix Felicis isn't just a good luck potion in the Harry Potter Universe. It's also the name of a café in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
And even though you won't find butter beer or chocolate frogs, Félix Felicis & Co. is a place every fan of the series (and of good coffee) should visit.
The place has a warm, minimalist aesthetic: wooden chairs, a bar, and tables perfect for enjoying the coffee prepared by Natalia Montoya, the café's barista and fan of the Harry Potter saga.
She is the owner of Félix Felicis & Co., along with Marcelo Ferrán, Pat Hryb, and Juan Pablo Valencia. The café is located at José Antonio Cabrera 5002 (at the corner of Serrano), and will attract the attention of anyone addicted to the Potter Universe.
The owl logo and the name of the café are the first things that captivate fans of the saga.
"The name came from my son, Félix, and from my love for Harry Potter. The choice of that potion isn't a coincidence; it has meaning: if you make it correctly, it works perfectly. If you make it wrong, the results are catastrophic and that's also true when it comes to making good coffee", Ferrán told Buzzfeed Español.
The owl with a filter holder next to the brand name is inspired by a tattoo of Montoya's that fits perfectly with the Harry Potter aesthetic.
The relationship between the owners came about because of the coffee. Ferrán met Montoya as a client. He always appreciated the old-school work of the barista, and there, among espressos and capuccinos, they formed a friendship that led them to create their own business.
In fact, they insist that the details from the world of Potter weren't planned. First, they added the font from the Harry Potter logo to the bathroom signs, and to a sticker on the toilet that indicated that was the recommended way to get to the Ministry of Magic.
"A lot of people come and take pictures with our logo. One time they made me pose with a coffee and a magic wand we have here. A lot of them also ask me about another tattoo I have that says 9 and 3/4 (the platform to board the train to Hogwarts, the school of magic from the story). But I did it more because of the place than because I was a fan, because I was nuts about my son (in reference to the café)", Montoya explained, laughing.
Beyond the details from the world of Harry Potter, the owners assure us that the café's strength is its coffee. Félix Felicis & Co. has a blend that can only be found in five coffee shops in Buenos Aires.
Additionally, the owners are proud of the family atmosphere in the café. "A lot of our clients come all the time, we form friendships with them. They come and they don't even have to order. We already know what they drink. We wanted it to feel a little bit like a club," said Ferrán.
In the coming months, the partners hope to add a mural with references to the story created by J.K. Rowling and a library so their clients can enjoy comics and books while drinking a coffee that one day, who knows, might be accompanied by a chocolate frog or every-flavored beans.
