Cute and cozy Starbucks in the Intramuros area and built into an old City wall. Friendly baristas…read moreand delicious treats. Heavily policed as many tourists are here; keep your items close. The WiFi only works if your have a Philippines SIM card to get the access code. If you need to catch a cab I was advised by the barista to not grab one directly outside but head back across the street towards the 'red building' and grab one there.

People around Metro Manila are drawn to coffee shops like flies to manure. That said, most of them…read moreare s#!t. Sad to admit but true. That's because most of them try to be something that they're not, which is of course Starbucks. Few cafes out there establish their own identity. Few cafes in Metro Manila can stand out from the competition without emulating Starbucks. Cafe UK is a part of the few. A local favorite among the people in P. Noval, Cafe UK never fails to draw a crowd each day. A crowd mostly made up of students. The students love it here. Great ambiance, good food and coffee, nice staff and free Wi-Fi are just a few of the reasons why this place has become a regular on many people's place to chill. I'm pretty sure the guy who owns this place knows his target market. I mean, the way this place feels and how it's setup is just so right for students. It's tailor made to appeal to that kind of demographic. The branch here in P. Noval looks a bit tight and cramped. What it lacks in floor area it makes up for with the number of floors. In a way though, I actually liked the cramped space of this cafe. It forces people to be close and conversations are more likely to be intimate and engaging that way. Cafe UK is sweet. It draws students are drawn to it like flies are to honey. A warning though, be sure to bring a jacket. The place can get really cold especially at night.

I had heard only good things about this place so I wanted to check it out for myself. I was not…read moredisappointed. The service was bright and a table was set immediately after we walked in. After glancing over the menu, we placed our order and the food arrived just a few minutes later. Among the many dishes that we ordered, the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) were among my favorite. The food was fresh and perfectly seasoned, and the portions were generous. Each dish was only about ₽200-₽300 each - a bargain! If you ever find yourself in Manila's bustling Chinatown, be sure to stop by the Mezzanine Cafe to refill your tank!

Cafe Mezzanine was a pretty good spot for Chinese Filipino cuisine. I went with a friend and it was…read morenice try out many dishes. We had the following items: -Lechon Kawali -Kiampong -Beef Wanton Soup -Miki Bihon Overall, I thought most of the items were fine, but not necessarily fantastic. The Kiampong and Beef Wanton Soup were probably my favorite dishes since they were unique and something you probably wouldn't find in typical Chinese menus. The Lechon Kawali was probably the most disappointing dish since I'd heard it was excellent and it tasted very basic to me. The ambiance is very casual and the service was not particularly attentive. I wasn't terribly impressed by Cafe Mezzanine, but it was fine. You should really go with a group of people so you can try many dishes to explore the various flavors...also, I'd suggest going for the Chinese-Filipino dishes since those are much more unique.

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.

The Manila Hotel is one of the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines…read more Beautiful, gorgeous, and well maintained. My travel buddies and I ate at the Lobby Lounge at the Manila Hotel. I ordered the following: - Fresh Calamansi Juice (and a separate Vodka drink to mix together) - Pancit Free Wifi. ENJOY!

So relaxing to sit in the plush chairs, listening to the live piano music while sipping a glass of…read morewine and some delicious snacks, waiting to check in - priceless

One of the nicer bakeries around the area. They have a wide variety of pastries and baked goods…read morethat can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is conveniently located in Espana, with easy access to FEU and UST. They also have different drinks as well and the service is quick and prompt. If there was a negative, it would be their requirement limit of minimum purchase if you plan to dine in or study with friends on the second floor. I believe 150PHP for 3 hours. Not sure if it is strictly enforced though. They do have reservations for tables which are consumable.

If you want to open a business beside a school, the best kind are the ones that students feel they…read morecan study in. This place opened a couple months ago, and I remember visiting during its first week open. It was a very picturesque bakery that smelled so good and can be smelled a few feet away. It had the "Bread Talk" vibe with the trays where you can pick out the bread and pastries you want. The prices were pretty good for their food but their coffee is more on the expensive side. The place is lit by naturally light throughout the day and by night they have dim lit ambiance. Each table though is given an extra lamp if you're there to read or study. It was comfortably cold and the chairs were easy to sit on the whole day I was there. I loved studying here because the music wasn't too loud and the place was nicely made that noise doesn't just bounce of the walls.

It's actually been a long time since my friends ate here, it was only brand new and underrated. But…read moreit the place really blew up in popularity since the ambience was 10/10. It was clean and modern, what I loved about the place is the food itself since it honestly tasted good that sometimes you don't want to finish it because it's mouth-watering. Some menu items were really expensive but it was worth it since the food was rather large in serving size. Some cons are it takes a long time to have the food done so maybe we did get bored along the way but like I said, it's worth the wait! Can't wait to go back here soon, hopefully... Overall rating: 8/10

I give this three stars because, well, at least its a student friendly joint…read more They have a branch located along España Blvd, just a stone's throw away from UST. They're most known for their "Instagrammable" milkshakes, which infaiiir are pretty cheap (none over Php200) but fined them a tad too basic, tastewise. Same goes for their other food. We tried the pizza fries and carbonara, also basic. On the plus side, diners have the choice to plop themselves in cute little "houses", tiny cubicles complete with cute mini flower boxes in the front. Word of caution tho, people over 5'7" might not be able to enjoy it much. As I said. IT TINY AF. Amo Yamie Crib is pretty much a good reco if your Instagram feed needs a pop of color and whimsy in it.

I was scammed by UCC Lucky Chinatown Mall. They charged me twice and have not refunded me. They…read morehave been dodging my calls and it's been 48 hours. Also, pasta was bland. Food not even good here.

Yummy yummy in my tummy The chicken casserole is really…read moregood, maybe a bit salty for some people. French onion soup is served warm ofc, tasted great & alkamint is nice & refreshing.

One of the newer coffer shops around UST, it is located right besides Starbucks around the Pacific…read moreGrand Tower complex/Sun Suites dorms on the ground floor. It serves a wide variety of coffee shop drinks along with other rice meals and study food. They have alot of seating, being a 2 floor coffee shop. The advantage of this place is the extended hours here being open til 2AM. Place is ideal for indovidual study as well as group projects/hangout. Place is well ventilated with AC always on. The drinks are a little bit cheaper than Starbucks. They also have internet, which is fast, but is maximum of 3 hours per purchase. Service is quick and fast. There is limited parking available during the day, but you can park on Dapitan for free after school hours.