·3 min read
How to order a tinto, properly
Three words, one gesture, and the small etiquette that separates you from someone who definitely just got off the plane.
Three words, one gesture. "Un tinto, por favor."
That's it. Don't ask for a "small black coffee." Don't say "an espresso." A tinto is a small Colombian filter coffee, served at temperature in a tiny cup, almost always for under 2,000 COP. Every panadería, every corner kiosk, every street cart pours them all day.
The gesture: hold up one finger. Smile. The coffee will arrive within thirty seconds.
The etiquette: drink it standing if you're in a kiosk, sitting if you're in a panadería. Pay when you're done, not when it arrives. If someone offers you a refill, say "no más, gracias" with a little half-smile. Done.