On my seemingly endless conquest of Metro Manila coffeeshops, I blindly followed my friend to this…read morecoffeeshop in San Juan the day before our exam week starts. I wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised. Located above the Rustan's Supermarket on P. Guevarra, the café is quiet compared to the busy street below and gets tons of natural light from the building's all-glass facade. Great plus for me as it made the place have a very airy feel which went great with the painted concrete floors and industrial seating. The coffee was great too! I got their cold-brew coffee and it was a solid cup of cold-brew. Nothing out of the ordinary but it wasn't offensive. The price was great though! At least 30 pesos less than a comparable brew from one of the third wave stalwarts. They also have a lot of differently sourced beans to choose from, with even a Filipino Benguet option! So even though it might not have same pretentious or hipster vibes that we have come to expect from many of the other third wave purveyors here in Manila, I love how laidback this place is. You can definitely get a lot done here. Cash only!! There are ATMs downstairs though if you're in a pickle.

Backyard Coffee is a treat for coffee lovers like me. They offer single origin coffee beans and I…read morelove them! After eating out with my friends, we tried different drinks that they offer. My friends ordered Iced Mocha, Iced Black, Cold Brew, Strawberry Frappe and Ube cake. As for me and my posh friend, I ordered Sumatra while he ordered Civet coffee. Love the beans that they are using even for their regular coffee drinks. But let me describe my order. I love Sumatra because it is not that bold and not that bitter. It's a little sweet, a bit acidic and fruity in flavor. So if you are in San Juan area and looking for a different cafe or different drink of coffee, checkout Backyard Coffee and try their single origin coffee beans.

Food is average. Blt - bacon is not crispy and too fatty. Hungarian pasta is ok. Matcha tea not too…read moregood. The ambience is great though. Cozy and nice interior and comfy chairs. Great place for meetups

Excellent food. Impeccable service. Ambience suited to the most important and romantic occasions…read more Amazing place worthy of visiting for all foreigners and locals alike, at least once for every Manila visit.

Would not go back here…read more Poorly trained staff. We ordered Tournedo Rossini in Madeira Sauce: Seems they didn't know how to thaw meat properly - the steak is very dry and with no flavor this can only happen if the meat is thawed submerged in water (yuck!!) The steak is unseasoned (take note, it's UNSEASONED NOT UNDERSEASONED!!) and has a bitter taste to it - you can taste the bitterness of the unclean pan where they were cooked (yuck!) The madeira sauce, looks and tastes like gravy! so sweet and has no madeira flavor into it. They should have called it Tournedo Rossini with Chicken Gravy!! The tenderloin is improperly butchered! it looks like a little kid sliced into it before it was cooked! They shouldn't have asked for steak doneness if they can't do it properly! We ordered 5 rossinis, 4 medium and 1 well done - Lo and behold, all our steaks are Well done, very dry, with a yucky flavor!! Where does Cafe Ysabel find their cooks? I can't call them chefs since it would be a disgrace to professional chefs when they can't cook a simple steak properly!! We also ordered pasta, they were served COLD!! WTF! We were there for more than 30 minutes before we were given the bread with the balsamic vinaigrette - and take note they wouldn't have given it if I did not demanded for it 5 times!! The appetizer was served after 1 hour!!! Considering we just ordered a serving of gambas (though tasty, i think it was tasty because we were STARVING by the time it was serverd) - and as always - THE FOOD WAS SERVED COLD!!! WTF!!! After an hour and a half, the pasta that we ordered was finally served COLD!! it was underseasoned ( I think they ran out of salt in their kitchen). We ordered the Prawns thermidor - OMG! It was so pricey at 600+ for 3pcs of medium sized prawns!! Yes, it's still underseasoned. We paid all in all 12,000 pesos for a very unappetizing, disappointing, waste of money meal here. The steaks were so bad, we did not finish any of them - SUCH A WASTE OF MONEY!! I WILL NOT RETURN HERE - AND I ADVISE EVERYONE TO REFRAIN FROM EATING HERE : Untrained and unfriendly waiters, Untrained Cooks, and Unappetizing waste of money food!!

Went here for the coffee and found it enjoyable. Got the double mocha and sunrise brew. Of the two,…read moredefinitely enjoyed the sunrise brew more, with it's combo of orange juice and espresso - such an interesting taste. They also serve meals and have a lot of cakes. Prices are fair. Service is friendly. Place is bright and casual. A pretty good spot if you want a spike in your day.

I spend a lot of time in coffee shops. Probably a common hobby that many med students in Manila…read moreshare is finding the right place to hit the books, so my friends and I ventured out to Banawe to check this place out. I'm pretty big on third wave coffee and this place has all the bells and whistles you expect walking into a third wave coffeeshop: a cold-brew coffee on the menu, flat whites, brewed coffee done in every way under the sun (French press, chemex, etc.) and a large assortment of espressos. I also liked how they had a pretty large smoothie and hot tea selection. I didn't try any but I did see a lot of people ordering smoothies so maybe they're worth a try. I ended up getting their cold-brew coffee and a meal later. The cold-brew came in this really interesting container that looked like something for holding syrup or some sauce but overall I enjoyed the cold brew. It was extremely smooth with some smoky overtones without much bitterness. I also got their meaty spaghetti later on and it was pretty satisfying! It definitely lived up to the name and it came with these garlic bread pan de sals that were definitely addicting and really satisfying. My only qualm was that I wish the noodles that were in the pasta were a bit more al dente, but that's more of a personal preference. Also big plus for the free wi-fi, clean bathroom and super comfy chairs! Great vibes.

Definitely one of the most unique coffeeshops I've seen in Metro Manila. Located in a nondescript…read morebuilding off of ERod on Broadway, this place is a little harder to find than say, a Starbucks, but finding this gem is definitely worth it. It has a very cozy, bohemian vibe with lots of dark wood, spot lighting, and throw pillows thrown around the comfortable mismatched seating. There's more seating upstairs but the main focal point is the impressive coffee bar, looking more like an organic chemistry lab than your average coffeeshop's prep station. Here you can sample coffee made in so many different ways. I only had the cold brew, which is hands-down my favorite cold brew in all of Metro Manila. Desserts are good too, I recommend the frozen Brazo de Mercedes. Definitely give them a try.

Craft actually pioneered the third wave revolution that hit the metro by surprise a few years back…read more It has a reputation to uphold, and it certainly lives up to it. They have the simplest menu amongst the waves of coffee shops, well except for the Katipunan branch which also features some pastas and sandwiches. What I tried: Their latte is impeccable. Trust me I am a latte lover. It's also a plus that they do latte art so skillfully! The iced mocha is one of my favorites as well. The chocolate just mixes with their coffee so well! The shop is also capable of serving your coffee is myriad of ways, from aeropress to cold brew. Just ask on of their baristas so that you can fully enjoy your coffee experience. If you're a dessert lover as well then I highly recommend getting the Frozen Brazo. People actually go here just to order this babe of a dessert to go. Perfect with a cup of Americano.

It's very difficult to find good food in the mendiola area…read more Especially for someone like me who needs more than a cup full of servings. And this place has that and for a good price to. The past few years I've noticed not many freshly cooked food without flys nearby in the mendiola area. But this place has it. It's a great for students in the area it's also good on the stomach. My stomachs experience in the mendiola area is a love hate when it comes to food. When i first moved here there would be many places that would send me to the bathroom the whole day. But Barcello cafe is the place to go to prevent from getting sick I recommend the fish and chips as well as the chicken piri piri but with the sauce on the side. Portions are generous for the price. Desserts are tasty as well as their cappuccino. I say give it a try and this will most likely be your go to place if you're studying in the area.

The Barcelo Café is probably the fanciest place you can grab a bite to eat along Mendiola street…read more It's a great place to eat if you have a couple of extra bucks to spare. Their menu is full of dishes that might seem out of place for something that caters to students since it might remind you of a hotel. The reason for this is that the restaurant's kitchen is usually staffed with HRM and culinary students undergoing their OJT. The cafe also has a bakery where they make their own cakes and other pastries for dessert. The Barcelo Café also has the distinction of being the only place, so far as I know, that offers a breakfast buffet. Each day brings with it different breakfast food but each day will always include rice and soup. For the price, quality of service, and the the food Barcelo Café is a good bargain and gives excellent value for the money you'll spend.

Cafe × library = heaven on earth…read more Whether you want to chill with your friends on a sunny afternoon or you want to impress a date who happens to be a bookworm, Tweedle Book Cafe is the place to go. I love the intimate feel of the place and because I am a book lover myself, I enjoy browsing their wide selection of titles including literary classics and YA novels. I swear, I can spend all day just reading and sipping a drink here. Tweedle's Pinoy Breakfast Pasta will always be my favorite. Just imagine the classic combination of longganisa, tomatoes and salted egg on your noodles... isn't that so delish? Another favorite on the menu is Genmaicha Green Tea, but I hope they would consider serving it cold, like a frappe, and in a bigger container.

Once upon a time there was a lonely street called Sct. Gandia. It was a remote and humble street…read moreunlike its bigger brother, the loud and brash Tomas Morato Avenue. Sct. Gandia wanted to be just like its older sibling, but wanted to do it his way. He always was the more bookish type, and wanted to showcase this to the world. So the street gave birth to a café, and Sct. Gandia called it Tweedlebook. And what a café it was! A café filled with knowledge, brimming with wisdom, chock full of the willingness to learn and the sophistication of great beverages and healthy literature. Ceilings adorned with the names of famous writers, from Tolkien to Orwell. A wall of books, novels, magazines and jars of tea. And to top it all off, a wall affectionately called Platform 9 ¾ hiding a staircase that leads to a wine cellar underneath. This was to be a place for people to imbibe, both in drinks (coffee and beer and scotch and wine) and in knowledge. And so Sct. Gandia became so much more. And customers far and wide lived happily ever after.

I love the interiors of this cafe. There are a lot of beautiful mementos of travel destinations…read morelocal and overseas. My friend and I had the asado and tuna pandesal, and shared a spam carbonara. But what I liked most was their Metropolitan cocktail. I think I've found my new favorite pitstop where I can kick back a few drinks before heading home.

The first time I tried Kopi Roti's signature roti mums, I was blown away. I was amazed at how…read moreperfectly they replicated their Singapore counterparts. I especially love when I get to munch on their crispy edges and get to taste the coffee in the dough. A little tip: it's best to eat them with your hands instead of a fork. Make sure to have them heat the bun for you as well. Another dish I am also fond of is their soft-boiled eggs and kaya toast. This is actually the perfect breakfast meal if you ask me. Just pour in some special soya sauce and white pepper and you're good to go. Recently, I saw on Facebook that Kopi Roti came up with sandwiches that use their famous roti mums as their bun. It's about time really as I was waiting when they were to add more to their menu selection. I would definitely need to try those out!

the food was ok, but the staff was terrible. As i was giving my order the staff was paying…read moreattention to something else, so I had to repeat my order twice. They also didnt call me, or say the order out loud, they just left the dishes on the counter so I was expected to pay attention to the counter. Definitely will not come back. There is a krispy kreme neary, and a starbucks. I just went to this place to try something that might be interesting. It was. Just not in a good way.