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$2.2M Hornofino Pan-Café-Vino opens in Bayamón

Hornofino Pan-Café-Vino, a restaurant that combines three experiences — fine dining, a coffee shop, and a bakery — in one location, opened in Bayamón, following a $2.2 million investment.

Hornofino Fine Restaurant, with 7,784 square feet and seating for 164 patrons, features a menu that includes everything from its traditional 27-inch “quesito,” six types of coffee from several Puerto Rican farms, to filet mignon with the chef’s special sauce. 

This new eatery has generated approximately 200 jobs. During the construction phase, 60 people were employed indirectly. For the restaurant operations, they employ between 90 and 100 people, including management and restaurant roles.

Hornofino Fine Restaurant offers 50 whiskey labels, 150 labels of red wine and five special house drinks named after Roman gods. The main cocktail is called Minerva (goddess of wisdom) and is prepared using Ron Artesano — an artisanal rum from Jayuya — fresh lime juice, agave, and grapefruit bitters.

“The idea of doing this concept came up 20 years ago, and we didn’t do it back then because we couldn’t find the perfect place with enough space to unite three experiences: a coffee shop, a bakery, and fine dining. In addition, it had to be centrally located and accessible to the clientele,” said Joseph McQueeny, owner of Hornofino.

“Now that we’ve done it, we’re very happy with the acceptance we have had since the soft opening,” he said.

Hornofino is a place where the roots and origin of bread, coffee, and wine are very present. Inspired by Rome, where the first bakers’ guilds were formed, the establishment maintains the tradition of using the oven as the main tool for the preparation of their breads and quality dishes.

The development of the brand is accompanied by emblems alluding to the shields of Roman gladiators. Like them, the creators of Hornofino have been fighting to build and establish their place in gastronomy, the eatery’s owners said.

“In Rome, bread is the quintessential food, and it was a staple that the gladiators ordered for combat,” said Michael J. McQueeny, general manager of Hornofino bakeries, founded 28 years ago.

“We offer a museum experience inspired by Roman mythology and Gladiators. We have a mural made by Alexis Bousquet, from Santurce Es Ley and Instituto de la Subcultura, that uses elements of Roman history to tell the story of Hornofino. In the Coffee Shop area, we have an embossed recreation of the Roman Coliseum made by local mason Freddy Idoña-Fernández,” said Michael McQueeny.

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This story was written by our staff based on a press release.
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