El Rey de las Tripletas Café Comes to The Mercantile On Main
New at The Mercantile On Main
Opening September 14
Hannah
September 1, 2026
The Mercantile On Main is adding a new kitchen to the family this month: El Rey de las Tripletas Café, a Puerto Rican café from Ricardo and Shakira, slated to open September 14.
If you know tripletas, you already know the move. Three meats, pressed bread, and a sandwich that eats like a celebration. If you don’t, this is the place to learn. El Rey started in a home kitchen in 2019 and grew the way the best spots do: family, neighbors, and a lot of love in every plate. They’re bringing that same table into the atrium at 240 East Main Street.
Come for the namesake tripleta. Stay for the loaded fries, stuffed baked potatoes, and house tres leches. It’s Puerto Rican comfort food, built for downtown Rochester: grab it to go, or sit in the Merc and make an afternoon of it.
“At The King of the Tripletas Café, every customer is treated as part of our family, because that is exactly what we are.”
— Ricardo & Shakira
In their words
The King of the Tripletas Café was born in 2019, in the most special place that can exist: the kitchen of our home. What started as an idea between my wife Shakira and me, Ricardo, quickly became a passion we shared with our family and our community.
Our family is the heart of everything we do. It is composed of our two girls, Kamila and Victoria, our son Andrés, and even our faithful buddy Bruno, our dog, who has been part of this path from the beginning.
From those first days cooking at home, we put all our effort, dedication, and love into every tripletas we prepare. Each dish represents not only our flavor, but also our roots, our family, and the desire to give every customer an authentic experience.
Today we keep growing thanks to our community, without forgetting where we come from. At The King of the Tripletas Café, every customer is treated as part of our family, because that is exactly what we are.
Visit El Rey de las Tripletas Café
The Mercantile On Main
240 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14604
Targeted opening: September 14
Hours and the full menu will be posted as they settle in. Watch merconmain.com and @merconmain for the official open, then come hungry.