Whenever I travel, I'm always on the lookout for a unique coffee shop. Whether it's in Metro Manila or in a sleepy town in a remote province, I always make sure that a cafe visit wonderfully slows me down. There's nothing like a hot beverage and a cake slice (or any local dish) to perk up my trepidation-filled itinerary of an area that's strange to me.
In my four years of travel blogging, I managed to list down 16 such cafes that will definitely be part of my schedule again should I make a revisit in the locations where they can be found. I enjoyed my cuppa once and I will surely enjoy it the second time around.
| ACC Coffee & Crepe |
| ACC Coffee & Crepe |
Location: Roxas City, Capiz
| ACC Coffee & Crepe |
"It's considered as a delicious institution especially now that it has a couple of stores in this side of Capiz."
Thanks to Dr. Acepcion's predilection for French cuisine, the cafe naturally began as a sideshow in his clinic where guests could feel relaxed while waiting for their consultation. Next thing he knew, he already opened a full-fledged store next to his clinic and another one at Robinson's Mall in Pueblo De Panay.
Read more about ACC Coffee & Crepe.
| The Coffee Library |
| The Coffee Library |
Location: Baguio City, Benguet
| The Coffee Library |
My high school classmate and his friend once mused about their own visit of the cafe as an authentic taste of Vietnamese cuisine -- coffee and Pho Bo! They also had Turkish coffee, apple pie, and the cafe's stellar Cheese Burger.
"A Baguio City vacation is not complete for me without a visit of The Coffee Library."
My recommendations include the appetizing Buffalo Wings and an order of the local Kapangan Coffee.
Read more about The Coffee Library.
| Cafe Ecija |
| Cafe Ecija |
Location: Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
| Cafe Ecija |
"It's where I tried one of its featured cakes -- the Mocha Caramel -- which went down well with brewed coffee."
At Cafe Ecija, I also enjoyed hotel-quality meals that surprised me to be available in Nueva Ecija. The hamonado-filled Longganisa Spring Roll and filling Burgerniza were both memorable. My order of the cafe's drink of the month -- the refreshing Buko Lychee -- was also equally remarkable.
Read more about Cafe Ecija.
| Art Circle Cafe |
| Art Circle Cafe |
Location: Makati City
| Art Circle Cafe |
"The cafe interiors exuded an art museum ambiance, but the presence of chairs and tables spelled out cafe."
The cafe interiors exuded an art museum ambiance, but the presence of chairs and tables spelled out cafe. The resulting encounter of such sensibilities was an artsy sanctuary that's also a fantastic coffee and dessert hangout. Being surrounded by beautiful art made a complementing sight for someone like me who simply wanted to chill out.
Read more about Art Circle Cafe.
| Mellizza Cakes & Pastries |
| Mellizza Cakes & Pastries |
Location: Makati City
| Melliza Cakes & Pastries |
Later on, I learned that the business was started by a group of friends who love desserts. After eating an expensive slice of cheesecake at a food chain, Melvyn Isidro, one of the friends, suggested to open a bakeshop using his mother's recipes and eventually naming the whole venture after her.
Check out the official Facebook fan page of Melliza Cakes & Pastries.
| Museum Cafe |
| Museum Cafe |
Location: Makati City
| Museum Cafe |
"Museum Cafe does not fall far from its Raintree Group of Restaurant family."
Also known as M Cafe, the place is a combined cafe and restaurant. It's where sensible business is exchanged over home-cooked meals, mostly of modern Asian cuisine. Patrons never get tired of its Canadian tenderloin, homemade sushi and dim sum, Spanish deli meats, fresh country bread, Norwegian smoked salmon, waffles and toasts, plus signature cakes, among others.
Read more about Museum Cafe.
| Bona's Cafe |
| Bona's Cafe |
Location: Tabaco City, Albay
| Bona's Cafe |
Its owners take pride in the cafe as being one of the first coffee shops in the city to bring the authentic art of brewing espresso. Customers can expect freshly brewed coffee and authentically made espresso using only the industry-standard, state-of-the-art equipment. Most patrons love its custom-made latte. What's more, the menu options are known to be quite affordable compared to mall-based stores in nearby Legazpi City.
Must-orders are its Pinangat Pizza and Pork Sisig Pasta. Pair both with a drink of either Matcha Green Tea Latte or Cookies 'N' Cream Frappe.
Read more about Bona's Cafe.
| Small Talk Cafe |
| Small Talk Cafe |
Location: Legazpi City, Albay
| Small Talk Cafe |
Credited for creating my favorite dish in its menu -- the Pasta Pinangat -- is Didette Peralta Factora of Small Talk Cafe.
"Small Talk Cafe has become one of Albay's must-try stopovers by tourists."
Make sure to make reservations for lunch and dinner because these are the times when local diners flock to the cafe for meals.
| Qups Quarters Cafe |
| Qups Quarters Cafe |
Location: Quezon City
| Qups Quarters Cafe |
"It's the perfect venue to study whether alone or with other study mates."
Must-try are its Peanut Butter and Chocolate drink, Matcha Green Tea, plus various cake and pasta flavors.
The cafe also serves all-day breakfast and sandwich varieties (chicken, tuna, corned beef, etc.) for those who want something hefty with their coffee orders.
| Lia's Cakes In Season |
| Lia's Cakes In Season |
Location: Pasig City
| Lia's Cakes In Season |
"The store is just small but compensates with a friendly neighborhood charm..."
The store is just small but compensates with a friendly neighborhood charm that I've experienced countless of times growing up in Barangay Kapitolyo. I would always sit next to the big store window and takes sips of hot coffee as I watched other residents and visitors go about their own lives in the food trip district.
Read more about Lia's Cakes In Season.
| Sunnies Cafe |
| Sunnies Cafe |
Location: Mandaluyong City
| Sunnies Cafe |
"Others opine that the menu options here are a bit pricey, but the taste and hefty serving seem to compensate for that."
Must-order are its Matcha Milkshake, Pan-seared Salmon, Spicy Pomodoro, Honey Garlic Crispy Chicken, Umami Mushroom (spaghetti, mushrooms, 65-degree egg and garlic) and its All-Day Brunch options.
| Tipsy Beans |
| Tipsy Beans |
Location: Mandaluyong City
| Tipsy Beans |
"Its blend of drinks is based on the culture of Irish pubs that serve hot cocktails which is a conventional mix of whiskey and black coffee."
Such one TB flavor is the Irish Cream which co-owner Alvin Gueco initially advised me to drink in moderation. According to him, it's wise to wait for the ice cubes to necessarily melt so as to produce the creamier and smoother texture of the cream and brewed coffee combo. The concoction looked nowhere near great-tasting and the serving seemed to fall short of what's enough for a meal. However, it's not supposed to be confused with something that you drown a hefty meal with because it's designed to be a drink to last the night away. Or for some daytime guests, to linger in an afternoon delight until it's time to hit the road again. The drink was potent and great-tasting.
Read more about Tipsy Beans.
| The Beanery |
| The Beanery |
| The Beanery |
Location: Balanga City, Bataan
Bataan is fortunate to have The Beanery, a neighborhood cafe that has recently grown to three branches in the peninsula with two in Balanga City and one in Orani that opened in 2012. Famous among locals, the coffee hub is now considered a watering hole for techies, flavored drink lovers, and fresh brew aficionados.
"Bataan is fortunate to have The Beanery, a neighborhood cafe that has recently grown to three branches in the peninsula..."
During my tour of the province, I had the chance to dine at the hip restaurant over bestsellers of Ham & Cheese Sandwich, Cheese Bacon Sandwich, Baby Back Ribs, Cordon Bleu, Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagna and Baked Macaroni. For desserts, I took to reckless abandon over slices of Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Almond, and The Beanery's Signature Chocolate Cake. I drowned down everything with a large cup of soothing Jello Freeze!
| Cafe Frances |
| Cafe Frances |
Location: Davao City
| Cafe Frances |
"The hotel hospitality proved to be seamless all the way to the cafe..."
The hotel hospitality proved to be seamless all the way to the cafe because the latter is just right next to the opulent three-storey hotel lobby.
To have an idea of how great the venue is, read more about The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites.
| Barako Boy Coffee |
| Barako Boy Coffee |
Location: Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
| Barako Boy Coffee |
Check out my Cagayan sojourn here.
| Angel N Kiss Bakery |
| Angel N Kiss Bakery |
Location: Pasay City
| Angel N Kiss Bakery |
"Its latte varieties are interesting in that there's more to the typical vanilla and caramel flavors. Cafe aficionados can choose between Sweet Potato and Sweet Pumpkin."
Its list of Korean drinks include Sweet Rice, Hot Citron Tea, and Mixed Grains Frappe. Its latte varieties are interesting in that there's more to the typical vanilla and caramel flavors. Cafe aficionados can choose between Sweet Potato and Sweet Pumpkin. The cafe also serves non-alcohol cocktail from piña colada to mojito selections.
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