Whether you are craving for a Long Black or aFlat White to kickstart the day, these speciality cafés around the metro are sure to give you the much-needed boost,
The coffee culture in the Philippines has grown exponentially through time. From what started as a breakfast staple consumed straight from mass-produced packets to designer brews from global café chains, the coffee-drinking population has started to have a deeper appreciation of what they drink and the process involved in every cup. In recent years, a movement called the “third wave” (the first wave being when coffee was packed for convenience; the second, the proliferation of international chains) takes the limelight. This new movement focuses on serving speciality coffee, which, as defined by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE), means a crafted quality coffee-based beverage with a unique quality, a distinct taste and personality different from, and superior to, the common coffee beverages offered. The beverage is based on beans that have been grown in defined areas, and which meet the highest standards for green coffee and for its roasting, storage, and brewing. Here, we give a round-up of the most popular cafés in the city that belong to this league.
Toby's Estate
Founded by Toby Smith in 1997, the eponymous café’s story started at the coffee plantations of Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia, where the founder learnt how to grow, roast, and cup coffee at the source. Having experienced firsthand living within these plantations, he saw how the communities painstakingly cultivate coffee. He then realised that the world of speciality coffee could be lost to mass-produced alternatives in time if no one brings this to the hands of the coffee drinkers. This inspiration moved him to return home in Australia where he converted his mother’s garage into a roaster. In 2001, Smith made a small team of coffee lovers and opened his first Toby’s Estate Café, Espresso School and Roastery. Fast forward to 2014, it reached the Philippine shores with branches dotting the bustling metro.