Welcome to Café Nena’i

The Face of {South American Bakery & Cafe}

Elena Sanguinetti & Gladys Benitez

Raised on a farm in Paraguay, filled with fresh food and hand-formed pastries, Elena rolled her memories into every meal she made for her daughter. Born into this culinary passion, Gladys knew that she would one day share her love of her mother’s Paraguayan cooking with others. Over the years, her deep-rooted passion for flavor only intensified as she grew up amid the melting pot of South American culture in Miami. When she left for Austin, she came with the desire to share this spice of life in her back pocket.

After discovering a penchant for business and marketing during her time at the University of Texas, Gladys knew she wanted to build something unique. As she was approaching graduation, she sat in the car with her mother, Elena, and asked her what her dream was. The talented chef responded that she dreamed of introducing a South American café-restaurant into Austin to bring the flavors of her childhood to Texas. Thus was born Café Nena’í. With their hallmark flair for good flavor and engaging conversation, Gladys and Elena fill both their food and their café with the flavor and creativity of South America as well as the love that flows between mother and daughter.

Café Nena’í is open Tuesday-Friday, 7am-5pm and Saturday-Sunday, 8am-4pm. Follow Café Nena’í and Gladys on instagram: @CafeNenai @GladysBenitez.

Contact:
(512) 840.9066
www.cafenenai.com
1700 Montopolis Drive Ste. A