Balam Coffee & Wine: Day-to-Night Mexican Experience Opens in Ferndale

Balam Coffee & Wine opens Monday at 207 E. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale. Sandra Haro and Jose Granados run the cafe and wine bar. They also own Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen.

The space holds 30 to 35 guests. It sits steps away from the sibling team's first Mezcal restaurant. Doors open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with Sunday hours ending at 9 p.m.

"Balam" means jaguar in the Mayan language. "The jaguar is a protector and a strong animal in the culture," Haro said in a press release according to The Detroit News. "That meaning resonated with us as we thought about creating a space that feels welcoming, intentional and rooted in our heritage."

Haro and Granados launched their first Mezcal restaurant in Ferndale during late 2021. Since then, they've expanded with spots in Midtown Detroit and Dearborn.

The menu offers specialty coffee drinks inspired by Mexican sweets. Mazapan draws from De la Rosa peanut candy. Chocolate Abuelita blends Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon. Mexican Wedding Cake mirrors pecan cookies.

Beans arrive from Mexico and South America. Patrons can order Mexican pastries, wraps, and fresh juices with their drinks.

Wine comes in red and white varieties from South America. Guests can try Trivento's White Malbec or Santa Julia's El Zorrito Natural Orange Chardonnay. Natural orange wines rotate through the selection.

"Our goal with Balam is to create something that feels different but familiar," Granados said in a statement per Click On Detroit. "It's a place to slow down, enjoy great coffee or wine, and experience flavors tied to Latin American culture."

The project ran about $250,000, according to Crain's Detroit.

The brother-and-sister team drew ideas from childhood trips across Mexico. Coffee, furniture and decor all came from Mexican sources.