La Selva Crepes & Coffee
Written by Heidi Baumstark | Photos by Gracie Savage
First come crepes. Then comes coffee. Now comes La Selva Crepes & Coffee — offering both.
Juliana Duncan, owner and founder of the mobile coffee shop, operates her business out of a spiffy, retro-looking trailer designed in mocha shades of beige and caramel, complete with a curvy-body style. “People say it has a vintage feel,” she says, “but it’s actually new.”
Duncan first started in May by going on the road to wineries, breweries, farmers markets, craft shows, “basically anywhere,” she says, including private gatherings like weddings, parties, and corporate events, selling her sweet and savory crepes perfectly paired with rich, authentic Colombian coffee.
“One day I was driving through the little village of Aldie on Route 50 and thought it would be a great spot for my trailer. So, I stopped at Mercer Tavern Antiques and asked the owner, Mary Ann, if it was allowed to park a trailer there.” When she said yes, Duncan knew she and her team had stumbled on the perfect destination. They’ve been parked there since early September, and Duncan has since added picnic tables so people can enjoy their treats surrounded by the village’s historic setting.
“One day I was driving through the little village of Aldie on Route 50 and thought it would be a great spot for my trailer.” –Duncan
The Inspiration
“I’m Colombian born and raised and moved here in 2018,” Duncan shares. After graduating from high school in Colombia, she took a gap year and lived in Léon, France. “When I lived in France, I’d eat crepes every single day and I loved them,” she says. “So, when I was thinking what I could do to combine my love of crepes and coffee, I came up with this business.”
La Selva is a Spanish word for “the jungle.” Drinks are made from 100% arabica coffee beans from Colombia’s Cocora Valley, known for Quindío wax palms, which is why Duncan chose these palm leaf images for designs on her website. While crepe recipes aren’t traditional Colombian cuisine, the entire brand is rooted in the vibrant spirit of Colombia and the bold personality of its jungles.
“When I would buy what’s called Colombian coffee here, it never tasted like back home,” Duncan says. “My biggest pride is my coffee; we want people to experience how real, authentic Colombian coffee tastes.” Choices range from cold brews, lattes, cafe au laits, espressos, cappuccinos, and cortados. For added flavor, she offers a variety of syrups and milk options, including oat milk. To keep things interesting and new, she offers weekly specials and unique varieties.
Duncan and her team prepare crepes cooked on-site in the trailer. Her two sons — Max, age 10, and Matias, age 8 — serve as her taste testers. “They love to try my crepes,” she shares. Duncan even has a kids happy hour on Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m., which includes crepes with unlimited toppings. “We had to do something just for the kids. With cooler weather coming, we’ll start offering hot chocolate,” she adds.
Sweet crepes are the most popular. “I incorporate Colombian flavors like ‘arequipe,’ a caramel flavor similar to dulce de leche, and crepes with Nutella and strawberry are also popular in my ‘Toucan’ crepe,” she says. Other sweet toppings include caramel, fresh fruits, mascarpone cream, whipped cream, kataifi (thin, noodle-like pastry strands), milo powder (chocolate-flavored malted powder), marshmallows, and fruit drizzles. The business is also on Uber Eats, so people can order online for delivery. In a hurry? No problem: customers can order and request curbside pickup.
Book It
The trailer can be booked to hit the road for special occasions. Whether it’s for a festival, private party, wedding, corporate gathering, or community event, customers can complete an online form on the cafe’s website. On Saturdays, La Selva can be found parked at Stone Springs Hospital Farmers Market in Aldie.
Duncan said about her business, “It’s basically a crepe shop that sells coffee, but the biggest pride is our coffee. I’m also doing all these specialty lattes and that brings people in. So many customers post photos of our crepes and coffee on Instagram.”
What People Are Saying
“I feel it’s definitely filling a void in the village,” says Mary Ann Withers, the owner of Mercer Tavern Antiques. “Two other eateries are now gone, but now we have La Selva. I’m very happy for them; they’re having consistent customers. Their coffee is delicious, nice, and strong. The crepes are great, too.”
Steven Uzaldin, a local, is a regular. “One day, I was on my way to a winery and saw the trailer on Route 50,” he said. “The way Juliana has incorporated her Colombian roots into her wonderful creations is top-notch. Her yummy ‘Manatee’ crepes with Dubai chocolate and pistachio cream and her blueberry cheesecake latte are to die for.”
“I feel it’s definitely filling a void in the village.” –Withers
For those in need of a pick-me-up, Uzaldin recommends the “Anaconda” (sliced turkey breast, provolone, avocado, arugula, avocado lime salsa, and chipotle ranch) and the “Capybara” (mozzarella, tomato, arugula, basil, and balsamic drizzle). “They’re both delicious for a quick protein gym snack,” he says.
Withers adds, “The trailer is adorable — it’s really eye-catching. Just with any business, you need to build up the clientele, and they’re doing that. They serve fresh ingredients and they’re reaching out in all the right places, networking, and getting the word out.”
Uzaldin says, “I have recommended this little spot to family, close friends, and colleagues, and I’ve heard nothing but raving comments. From the beginning, La Selva has been an outstanding experience.” ML
La Selva Crepes & Coffee
39359 Little River Turnpike
Aldie, VA 20105
laselvacoffeeco.com
Published in the November 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.