I’m sure that many coffee lovers like me would agree: Even if we do have a few no-fail cafes already in our rotation, we’re always, always down to find and try new coffee shops. And knowing how much the local coffee industry continues to improve, grow, and even expand internationally is even more motivation to show our support.
And because sharing is caring, here are some cafes we’ve discovered in Metro Manila and beyond:
Magdamag Market Cafe
14 Sgt. Esguerra, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City
8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
Contrary to their name Magdamag, this new cafe in QC wittily claims on their peg board decor, “Hindi kami 24/7.” What the cafe does have is a selection of crafts by local artists and artisans alongside their coffee. Also functioning as a retail space, you can find Zambales-based potter Mia Casal’s famous barnacle mugs, digital artist Ross Du’s “Ang Manileña” prints, as well as books, candles, and other items in the cafe.
Morse Coffee
4th Floor, Public Eatery, Robinsons Magnolia, Quezon City
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
The Tasteless Group’s food hall at Robinsons Magnolia houses this new coffee stall that offers more than just the usuals. They have the cafecito, which is espresso pulled with coconut sugar. Morse Coffee’s eye-catching take on the dirty chai latte, meanwhile, features blue chai tea.
Crew Cafe
54 Matimtiman St. Teachers Village, Quezon City
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays to Sundays
Local lifestyle and streetwear brand Episodes just opened their own coffee shop in Quezon City. The minimalist container van-inspired cafe offers espresso-based drinks like their special Ube Latte, as well as vibrant non-coffee drinks like their Baguio Latte (which features the province’s iconic strawberry).
Drip
GF Greenfield Complex, Diversion Rd., Iloilo City
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays to Saturdays
If you’re visiting Iloilo soon, add this to your itinerary. After enjoying Iloilo’s culinary delights, wind down with some specialty coffee courtesy of Drip.
Abli Cebu
A. Climaco St, Cebu City
12 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily
For coffee that may just be uniquely Cebu, we’re looking at Abli Coffee. Their selection of cold brews come with interesting mixes, like buko juice for their Buko Brew, and oat milk and tablea for their Champorado cold brew. We’re also eyeing their mortas, Abli’s take on the classic torta de Cebu. ”Our morta is made with a sponge cake topped with margarine, granulated sugar, torched queso de bola mornay, and finished with grated queso de bola,” Abli writes on Instagram.
Localhost Coffee
18 A. Guisama St., Marikina
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays to Mondays
Starting out as an online coffee shop, Localhost eventually opened a physical space in Marikina. They specialize in cold brew, but also offer a good number of other coffee and non-coffee drinks. They also take pride in being an eco-conscious shop, offering their cold brews in glass bottles (incentives are also available if you return your empties or bring your own tumbler).