The Gran Café de La Parroquia has been open since 1808 and is the most famous cafe in Veracruz. The main branch on the malecón is a long, high-ceilinged room that fills from early morning with a democratic mix of dock workers, businesspeople, tourists, and old men who appear to have been occupying the same table since the café opened. It is loud, cheerful, and almost always busy.
The specialty is the lechero: a glass of strong black coffee, over which a waiter pours hot steamed milk from a height when you tap your glass with a spoon. The tapping creates a constant percussion through the dining room as dozens of customers signal simultaneously. It is a ritual that has to be seen to be understood, and it makes for a genuinely enjoyable morning. The food — tamales, pastries, eggs — is good and cheap. Come here for breakfast before anything else in Veracruz.