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At Recreo Coffee & Roasterie, learn where the beans were grown

At the new Recreo Coffee & Roasterie in West Roxbury, you get the family farm experience along with your latte. Proprietors Hector and Miriam Morales offer richly flavored Nicaraguan coffee beans roasted on site. The beans grew on a 364-acre Rainforest Alliance certified eco- and worker-friendly plantation in Jinotega, Nicaragua, where Miriam grew up. Hector says, “We wanted to bring a little piece of the farm to the store with a rustic, cozy ambiance, so people get their cup of coffee and can see a video of the farm, pictures, even Nicaraguan art, to taste the whole flavor of the coffee life.” The 18 seats are stylishly cushioned with burlap from the bags that beans are shipped in.

The shop carries whole and ground beans in bold, medium, and light roasts, along with solvent-free Swiss water processed decaf and chocolate-covered Recreo espresso beans. Specialty brews include a full list of espressos. You can also get pastries and other hot drinks. What doesn’t come from Nicaragua is sourced locally, Hector says. Five percent of the profit returns to the farm for workers’ family schooling and health care. The couple has been importing beans for other specialty roasters in this country since 2011, and will continue that part of their business.

Recreo Coffee & Roasterie, 1876 Centre St., West Roxbury, 781-381-0074, www.recreocoffee.com