If you haven’t heard already, the University of Miami is now home to Ricky’s Cafe, a food truck serving carefully crafted drinks and baked goods.
The cafe’s story begins on a first date. When Nathalie Moreno asked her future husband Ricky about his dream, he didn’t hesitate. He told her he wanted to share his food with the world. That conversation planted the seed for what would eventually become a labor of love and a campus favorite.
Anniel “Ricky” Chapel immigrated to the United States from Cuba at the age of two. He began working in kitchens at 14, learning from cooks and experimenting out of sheer curiosity. Without any formal culinary training, he developed his style through trial, error and a passion for feeding others.
“We’ve had to adapt constantly,” Moreno said. “It started as just the two of us and now we’ve been able to bring on a barista and a line cook. But it’s still very much a small operation.”
Moreno, a Miami native and daughter of Ecuadorian and Cuban immigrants, became the other half of the dream. With a background in graphic design from Parsons School of Design, she created the truck’s logo, branding and social media presence. Beyond design, she also manages bookkeeping, licensing and paperwork, ensuring the business runs as smoothly on paper as it does behind the counter.
The road to Ricky’s wasn’t always easy. In 2023, the couple poured their savings into a food truck that first served pizza in Hialeah. After settling in Allapattah, they faced an unexpected break-in that led to the realization that the couple had to change their products to something that didn’t require cooking late into the night.
By spring of 2024, Ricky’s had reinvented itself on UM’s campus, shifting from pizza and bagels to specialty coffee, matcha drinks, baked goods and focaccia sandwiches. Listening closely to student feedback, Chapel and Moreno fine-tuned their menu until it reflected what students craved most.
“It feels like we have a little community here on campus,” Moreno said. “My favorite part is getting to know people’s names and orders.”
Part of what makes Ricky’s unique is its dedication to sourcing quality ingredients. For the coffee, Moreno insisted on using beans from Panther Coffee, a locally based roastery she loved during college. It was a choice that honored Miami’s vibrant coffee culture while also keeping the business rooted in the community.
Despite its growth, Ricky’s has never relied on flashy marketing. The owners never paid an influencer for promotion. Instead, they launched a student-friendly “coffee happy hour” to make their drinks more affordable and encourage newcomers to give them a try. Word of mouth has done the rest.
For Chapel and Moreno, Ricky’s is both a dream realized and a stepping stone. Their ambitions are simple yet heartfelt: pay off their loans and one day open a brick-and-mortar cafe. Until then, they’re pouring everything into the truck, building relationships one cup of coffee at a time.
Next time you find yourself rushing between classes, follow the line of students to the truck outside the School of Communication. Whether it’s for a cappuccino, a matcha or a sandwich that tastes like it was made just for you, you’ll discover that Ricky’s isn’t only about coffee, it’s about connection.