The Top 10 Cafés of Manila

Last time we reviewed the rather diverse coffee houses of Vienna, but now let’s head over to the east and discover some of the more exotic places. Coffee culture in the Philippines has strong roots. The country is divided into 71 provinces, of which 63 produce coffee every year.

Their most famous coffee product is the „Barako”, which is a very potent Liberica type of coffee principally grown in the lowland region of Batangas. Their other illustrious coffee specialty is called Kopi Luwak or civet coffee.

In the 19th century, the Philippines was one of the biggest producers of Arabica coffee, but nowadays the 70 % of the 88,000 metric tons of their coffee production is Robusta and most of it is kept for local consumption. This shift is due to the disease known as „la roya” or coffee dust which started to gain ground at the end of th 19th century.

Robusta was more resistant, so the complete destruction of the whole coffee industry could be avoided. The Philippines are among the few producers that grow all the four coffee species that exist in the world: Robusta, Liberica, Excelsa and Arabica.

Do you already feel like packing up and traveling to Manila to discover the exciting coffee scene of the Philippines? If so, read our compilation of the top 10 coffee houses of Manila, this exotic place can really offer you a lot. Coffee in Philippines can be a special experience.

10. Gloria Jean’s Coffees

• Address:  Ground Floor, Adriatico Square | Corner M. Adraitico
• Telephone: +02 5284411
• Opening hours:  8 AM to 1 AM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.panpacific.com

This Manila coffee shop is located next to Pan Pacific. It is more like a kiosk, they share space with other kiosks and restaurants. The environment may seem a little bit noisy, but the staff is well trained and friendly, the service is excellent.

The aroma of the place reminds you of burnt coffee beans, the design is dark brown and you can feel a really earthy aura due to the coffee beans in the display. If you ask for the password you can get free wifi access. When tasting the hot chocolate here, you will see that they make the cool little design in the foam at the top, which will be a nice surprise, I have never seen anything like that.

The temperature is hot but drinkable. There is a wide variety of coffees, so if you desire something new and exciting, this may be the right place for you. It is hard to choose badly here, just enjoy the cavalcade of possibilities.

The food selection is not that big, they have a few sandwiches and smacks. The food court is cool and nice, since it is well air-conditioned. We recommend this place, try it during your trip in Manila.

9. Cafe-UK Co

• Address:  1233 Barlin Street | Corner P. Noval, Manila, Luzon 1008, Philippines
• Telephone: +63 9865451
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sun 7:00 AM–3:30 PM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.cafe-uk.co/

Cafe-UK CO is one of the best Manila cafés. The ambience will remind you of a comfy underground cafe, the music is great. It is full of students stuck to their laptops, studying or writing their thesis to finish their academic requirements.

A reliable and free WiFi is available for all the customers. This cozy place is open 24 hours every day and an iPad is available on every table. Their uniquely made cakes are just amazing!

The same is true for drinks. Perhaps they should change their name to Cake Heaven. You should definitely try the new banana cheesecake, it will excite your taste buds a lot. Not the cheapest place ever, but it is worth it.

You must try their coffee, the cakes, the pasta, the paninis and the nachos, especially the Pasta Bolognese and the Spanish Sardines Pasta, these are unbeatable, simple but really flavorful! Or just order a soft drink or iced tea.

The baristas will always be helpful and comforting. Don’t miss this place if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth and you want to give yourself up to the sweet, guilty seductions… If you try, you will want to go back. Put it into your schedule for the Philippines.

8. Cafe France at Sm Mall of Asia

• Address:  SM Mall of Asia, Manila, Luzon, Philippines
• Telephone: +02 5560562
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sun 10 AM to 10 PM
• More information about the coffee house: www.tripadvisor.ca

Café France is a cozy and relaxing place and when you enter, you will feel like you are in a lounge space. It’s like you’re at home. The service is nice, but when there is a lot of people it could happen that you have to wait long for your order. The prices are a little bit high (a sandwich costs you around 100-300 PHP) but the quality will definitely compensate you.

The food is perfect and has great taste. Everything is yummy and delicate, there are different types of breads, pastas, sandwiches, and others. You should try their pesto pasta and the pasta marinara, they are really awesome!

The lasagna and the crabstick sandwich is also tasty and satiating. The Norwegian omelet, the meringue with a nice sauce and the ice cream are also worth mentioning! Are you looking for quick and decent French baked food? Then Café France is absolutely the place for you.

Their pastries are always fresh, and they offer you a “buy 1 get 1 free” discount in the afternoon (they certainly want to sell out everything they baked on that day). Café France is definitely worth a try, don’t miss it during your Manila trip. It will be a great experience.

7. Cioccolata – Churros Cafe

• Address:  Ground floor, The Bayleaf Intramuros | Corner Muralla and Victoria Streets, Intramuros, Luzon 1002, Philippines
• Telephone: +63 2 318 5000
• Opening hours:  Mon-Fri 6.00 AM to 10 PM Sat 8.00 AM to 9.00 PM Sun 10.00 AM to 8.00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.thebayleaf.com.ph

Cioccolata-Churros Café is part of the Bayleaf Hotel next door, it is accessible only directly from the street. The staff is friendly, this is a really cozy place with a smell of warm sugar. The ambiance is peaceful, this is an ideal spot to settle down for a snack after a calm afternoon walk with your partner. It is really peaceful, you can relax here.

Most of the guests are students doing their assignments, others are just reading the newspaper or solitarily sitting before their laptops. Prices are not too high, but for some, it may not seem affordable. You will feel energized among the youth.

This Manila café specialized on the Spanish creation line. The banana muffin is very enjoyable, just as the ensaymada. You should also try churros with chocolate dip and white chocolate chip frappe.

Mouth-watering French croissants, caramel pretzels, bonbons, smoothies, cappuccino and surprise tea in many variations are also available. Here you can definitely satisfy your cravings for the sweets.

You can wash all it down with a delicious ice chocolate, or an Italian coffee. We really recommend this place, you won’t get disappointed if you stop by for a good cappuccino. Probably the best Manila coffee house.

6. Noriter

• Address:  Reyes _ve, Manila, Luzon, Philippines
• Telephone: +63 927 724 3133
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sat 10.00 AM to 11.00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: https://m.facebook.com/noriterph

Noriter is a colorful, playful Korean coffee and smoothie shop located near DLSU along Taft Avenue. Fellow JCI member Chimin Yun, 2014 Executive Vice President of JCI Korea-Daegu Daedeok brought the shop to the Philippines.

This is the ideal Manila coffee shop for studying with a strong wifi (free for a min of 300 pesos spent), fair air conditioning and a cute interior design. It isn’t crowded at all, so if you want to chill in the quiet, Noriter is for you, the ambiance is enchanting.

The unique furniture, the clean toilets, the special lighting and KPOP songs will cajole you. If you want, you can try DIY (Design It Yourself): that is to say, you can ask for a cup that you can design the way you want.

You will love the oreo cheesecake and the vanilla milkshake. Try also the sandwiches and mocha drinks, these are really delicious, just as lechon kawali and laing bring. The kiwi drink and the patbingsu should not be missed on a hot summer day.

Both hot and cold drinks are available. Their melange is definitely recommended. You really should visit this Manila coffee house, because they will offer a special experience for you. You might want to go back.

5. Green Bar

• Address: 252 Gil Puyat Ave | Mezzanine, West Of Ayala Building, Makati, Luzon, Philippines
  
• Telephone: + 8857537
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sun 09:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/GreenBarCafe/

Green Bar is an impressive, clean, modern Manila coffee house with a cozy, homey atmosphere. It’s plugged in the second floor mezzanine of an office building, but luckily the good signage outside will help you find the place! The staff is so warm and polite! They don’t have a lot of space, but wi-fi is available.

You will love the decor which is typically like in a coffee shop. If you are health-conscious and you plan to start a plant-based diet, this is the ideal place for you. The ingredients are high quality, the foods are freshly made.

The menu is full of great, healthy vegan food and desserts. In fact, it is 100 % vegan, which is absolutely loveable. Gluten free options are also guaranteed. BBQ tofu, tempeh sandwiches, vegan ‘cheese’ subs, pesto salads and donuts (such as red beet donut) are really delicious.

The best part is that the foods served here are basically ’meat-like’, so you do not have to give up on the flavor of the meat! Once here, you must try Banh Mi Sandwich, Popcorn Chickun and Chips, Asian Bowl, Hollywood bowl, Texas BBQ Bowl & Breakfast Burrito, Hail Seitan sandwich with roast beef in it.

The coffee is delicious too. You should definitely visit this cozy bar during your stay in Manila. We recommend it.

4. KSEM Coffee Shop

• Address: 1906 Taft Avenue, near corner Remedios St. Manila, Philippines
• Telephone: + 708-3484
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sat 08:00 AM – 08:00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/ksemkafe

KSEM is a little, cozy coffee shop on Taft Avenue. When you enter, the staff will kindly greet you and show you a nice spot. They are really attentive and proactively offer you their menu with reasonable prices. You can just sit by the window and watch the traffic going by while enjoying the chilled space.

KSEM Coffee shop is definitely a peaceful oasis in this busy city. The sofas are absolutely comfortable and there is free wi-fi too. The place is run by a charity called Kanlungan Sa Er-Ma that gives young people skills training, education, and hope.

Their cappuccino is great. Their coffee Manila is made in Kanlugan’s farm in Cavite by boys who were street kids and were trained in roasting and coffee farming. The food selection is also exciting: you can try sandwiches (bacon sandwich for example), cakes, brownies, muffins (banana and pineapple), pasta, beef burger sandwich with egg.

Flush it down with a flavored ice tea. Vegetable lasagna and pesto spaghetti are phenomenal too. If you want to have a fantastic breakfast, you can order scrambled egg, bacon, toast and french toast with syrup. We highly recommend this restaurant, it is a nice place to eat and have a coffee Manila, not to mention that they try to help those who are in a difficult situation. One of the best Manila cafés.

3. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Malate

• Address:  1767 Adriatico St, Malate, Manila, 1004 Metro Manila, Philippines
• Telephone: +63 2 353 6388
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sun 7.00 AM to 4.00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://www.coffeebean.com

You can easily run into this place if you walk around Malate, which is the perfect coffee house with a nice decor for a little stop and recharging. The staff is excellent and friendly, the service is attentive. Anna, the barista is the highlight of the place, who is always smiling and will make your day bright.

This happens if someone loves his job. And they won’t kick you out rudely if you accidentally stay a little bit longer. The prices are a little bit high though. They also have wi-fi and A/C turned up, which can be really comfy on a hot day. The place is perfectly suited for studying or reading because it is rarely crowded.

If you go up to the second floor, the ambiance will be even more relaxed and you can watch the passers-by. It is so fun. Their coffee is really nice and strong! A good selection of coffee and tea awaits you here with accompaniments such as muffins and cheesecakes.

Latte, cappuccino, hot chocolate, hot vanilla and pure vanilla ice blended are available, they are great! Are you looking for breakfast options? Sandwiches and pasta are there to cushion your appetite. I would not miss this place if I went for a trip to Manila. Highly recommended.

2. Mary Grace

• Address:  Serendra at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Luzon, Philippines
• Telephone: +63 2 353 6388
• Opening hours:  Mon-Sun 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM
• More information about the coffee house: http://marygracecafe.com/

Mary Grace is a Manila coffee shop filled with warmness and a lovely ambiance, just like a mid-19th-century cottage. When you enter, you will feel like you are at home due to the additions on the wall and the surrounding trinkets. Pasig City is a few minutes away.

The service is excellent, the waiters are patient, nice and helpful. If you are committed to healthy eating, this is definitely the place for you. Invite your friends to Mary Grace for a pleasant getaway, you won’t be disappointed. The menu contains salads, pasta, sandwiches, pastries, coffee and iced tea!

You can taste one of the best mango cakes in town here, which is made of layered meringu with a special cream and slice of mangoes in between, it is just awesome! The lemon slice cake and the tiramisu are also marvelous. Try them with an Americano. Herb chicken salad tomato and herb pasta are definitely worth tasting!

If you only want a breakfast, then you can order an alongganisa breakfast, a cheese roll or an Ensaymada “Daing na Bangus” (or fried milkfish) with a cup of traditional Filipino hot chocolate. It’s really worth getting it here, we recommend the place with full heart. The name itself is inviting.

1. Cafe Adriatico

• Address:   1790 M. Adriatico Street | Malate, Manila, Luzon, Philippines
• Telephone: +6325093007
• Opening hours:  Sun-Mon 7.00 AM to 3.00 AM Tue-Wen 7.00 AM to 5.00 AM Thu-Sat 7.00 AM to 6.00 AM
• More information about the coffee house: http://ljcrestaurants.com.ph/cafe-adriatico/

Cafe Adriatico will conquer you with it’s nice rustic, pub-like interior, which makes it so unique in Manila. The place is located near Remedios Circle and Malate, mainly surrounded by Korean restaurants and girlie bars. The cooks prepare your meal right in front of you.

If you are a smoker, there is a smoking section upstairs for you. The staff is accommodating and friendly, a wide variety of Filippino dishes are available that are always freshly prepared from high quality ingredients. Many locals are frequenting this coffee house, which is usually the criteria of the best places. Nor is the last consideration that prices are quite reasonable.

The ideal restaurant for having a nice breakfast. You can opt for old Pinoy Silogs, American Breakfast Meals, callos, Chocolate-E and Chocolate-A. If you are keen on fish, Binukadkad na pla-pla will satisfy your cravings. But if you desire a more serious meal, you can also order a steak with peppercorns sauce, crushed friend pork rinds or meatloaf dish.

Palabok, Bibingka, linguine and Adobo flakes are also very tasty, not to mention Pancit Luglog (steamed noodles in a delicious yellow sauce with sliced boiled egg over it). They offer a very good coffee Manila. It is definitely worth a try, do not miss Cafe Adriatico during your trip to Manila. It stands out from the rest of Manila cafés.

Summary:

Many specialty coffee shops opened up recently in the Philippines. You will find here coffees from Brazil, Ethiopia or even Panama. However, third wave espresso culture has not spread so much yet. Many think that a coffee revolution is on its way in the country.

You can find places where quality and consistent roasting is an important aspect, you may also evaluate roasts and flavor profiles at public cuppings. We wish you good luck for your exploration of the tambayans, that is to say, the Philippine coffee shops. It will surely be an uplifting experience for all coffee enthusiasts and aficionados. Coffee in Philippines really should not be missed.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, make sure to check out our next one about The Best Cafés of Mumbai as well!