8 New Cafés in Metro Manila to Unwind in
Mar 14, 2018 • Therese Aseoche
With the high amount of stress we encounter from day to day, we rely on the brief moments of calm when we are able to recollect ourselves and unwind. We long for the hour or two we could spend holed up inside a café on a weekend afternoon, seated alone at a table, reading a magazine or browsing the web on our laptop, and drinking a warm cup of coffee.
We all have our immediate go-to coffee shop retreat we oftentimes take for granted, but these newbies on the block are providing us some great alternatives. Here are 8 new cafés around Metro Manila worth checking out for your next afternoon unwinding!
%Arabica
GF, W City Center, 7th Avenue Corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open Monday to Friday from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M., Saturday and Sunday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
(+632) 821 67 44 | Facebook, Instagram
People have been lining up to get inside this Instagenic minimalist café from Kyoto since its opening at BGC. It’s a good thing that the initial hype has died down now, so it is a great and quiet place to just relax while sipping a delicious cup of special Arabica coffee.
Ambivert Coffee
Downtown and Halsted, GF, Burgos Parklane, Forbestown Road, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open Monday to Saturday from 1 P.M. to 9 P.M.
(+63) 917 209 1117 | Facebook, Instagram
As its name suggests, Ambivert Coffee is a haven for ambiverts to chill when: 1) they want to hang out with their friends, or 2) when they’ve grown exhausted from doing so. Whichever one you are, you’re guaranteed a great time here. Look for its line of unique and Instagrammable cuppas, made with different beans every week!
D’Doux
2F, Robinsons Metro East, Pasig City
Open every day from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Facebook, Instagram
When you’re tired from aimlessly walking around and window shopping, you can rest your feet in this quaint little spot in Robinsons Metro East. D’Doux has a variety of desserts and coffee to satisfy your sweet tooth which you can comfortably indulge in while enjoying the homey ambiance.
Allons-y Specialty Coffee
GF, Fort Victoria, 4th Avenue corner 23rd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Open Monday to Friday from 7 A.M. to 10 P.M., Saturday from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M., Sunday from 7 A.M. to 9 P.M.
(+632) 664 38 09 | Facebook, Instagram
As David Tennant in Doctor Who used to say, “Allons-y!” (Let’s go!) This third wave coffee shop that just recently opened in Fort Victoria, BGC specializes in so-called dessert drinks but you can still have your fill of basic, no-frills coffee. It’s a pretty small café with only a couple of chairs, but it’s great for when you need a really quiet space away from the crowd to relax or work.
White Camp Coffee & Kitchen
62 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue corner Mother Ignacia Avenue, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City
Open Monday to Saturday from 8 A.M. to 11 P.M.
(+63) 917 898 7793 | Facebook, Instagram
With its marble tables, beautiful plating, and wide windows that bathe the café in sunlight, White Camp Coffee is a gorgeous coffee shop to spend time in (and take plenty of Instagram-worthy photos). It’s still on soft opening, but it’s already set to impress with its great coffees, delicious eats, and excellent service.
Poison Coffee and Doughnuts
GF, Building C, Karrivin Plaza, Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City
Open Monday to Saturday from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M.
(+632) 752 03 27 | Facebook, Instagram
Tucked away in the midst of galleries and quiet shops, Poison Coffee and Doughnuts offers a totally different experience from the usual well-lit and comfy cafés that people gravitate towards. In fact, it’s so darkly lit that you wouldn’t even want to stay and work. But in that sense, you will tend to pay more attention on what you’re eating and drinking — and Poison’s own selection of coffees and doughnuts are seriously worthy of your attention. You’ll be thankful you ditched your work laptop for a little rest and relaxation here.
The Lib
40 Esteban Abada Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City
Open every day from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.
(+63) 916 791 6422 | Facebook, Instagram
This new café-workspace in Katipunan has everything you’ll ever want and need in a coffee shop — sockets, cozy chairs, tables wide enough to fit your laptop and your drink, and that general feeling of not being judged for overstaying. It’s so pretty that you’ll want to spend your entire afternoon working or lounging around there, and maybe even get a few Instagram shots in between.
Dark Specialty Coffee
2F, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Quezon City
Open every day from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M.
Facebook, Instagram
SM North EDSA is a busy mall, and you would never expect to find an artisanal café in the middle of it all. And yet, there stands Dark Specialty Coffee, a proudly local brand serving single-origin coffee and non-coffee drinks sourced from all over the Philippines and other countries. Its cozy interior will draw you in, and its satisfying brewed creations will definitely make you stay.
Spotted a new café that isn’t on this list? Share them with us below!
