Starbucks has a wide range of beverages that won’t only quench your thirst, but also provide you the coffee fix you need – tasty hot cappuccino or Americano, chilly frappuccino, or tea concoctions for those who want the experience mild. However, not every Pinoy will have the budget to satisfy their Starbucks cravings.
Unless you earn a six-figure income monthly or you are really wealthy, you won’t always have the capacity to indulge in Starbucks, especially if you are not earning too much or a minimum wage earner. Actually, even the rich Filipinos won’t find it possible to grab a Starbucks often since rising expenses are real.
But what if you need the coffee fix is what will keep you productive at work? Here are the best cafés that serve the best coffee other than Starbucks. They’re all just within Manila, so let’s find out!
Top 10
Muji Café
You are reading that right. It’s the very own coffee shop of Japanese variety retailer Muji. Not even Uniqlo has its own café! If you haven’t shopped at Muji, you are getting behind the social media hype. The choices here are impressive, but be prepared to wait in the queue.
Top 9
ITO KISH
Just like how the Muji Café is set up, ITO KISH is a furniture store with a coffee shop. This hole-in-the-wall café in Makati is owned by a visual storyteller who advocates Philippine history through their art and specialty beverages.
Top 8
1919 Grand Café
Curious what was the vibe like in the 1900s Philippines? Correct, the time of the Titanic. You better get a seat at 1919 Grand Café. Located in Chinatown Binondo, this place offers a neoclassical ambiance serving mouth-watering latte, cappuccino, carbonara, and cheese pizza, among others.
Top 7
Tablo Kitchen x Cafe
Whether you’re in the north of the metro or in the south area, there’s a Tablo Kitchen x Cafe. It’s not basically a coffee shop per se, but a restaurant that serves authentic recipes, both local and foreign. But, if you wish to just enjoy coffee here, the experience will be great. There’s a reason why this restaurant and café is viral online.
Top 6
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons is also a beloved coffee shop as it offers a breath of fresh air in a city filled with cafés from the United States. This is your friendly Canadian café. Aside from the vast array of coffee, you’ll surely love the doughnuts here.
Top 5
The Curator Coffee & Cocktails
This coffee shop is something that Makati peeps will strongly recommend to you. Say you just went shopping from luxury stores at Greenbelt, you can head over here. As its name implies, it’s a coffee shop when the sun’s up and a cocktail bar at night. Quite interesting. You better try their Purple Haze Blend and their seasonal fruit slushes.
Top 4
La Cathedral Cafe
Now this is a coffee shop that history geeks will love. It’s so magical because getting your coffee fix here will transport you to the historic past of the Philippines as if you are taking a sip from your cup with Spanish colonizers. It is located right beside the Manila Cathedral Church in the historic Intramuros. Their top offer is the Hazelnut Cafe Latte made with espresso, milk, and hazelnut syrup. Western and Pinoy rice meals, of course, are available.
Top 3
Seattle’s Best Coffee
Starbucks is also proudly American. Seattle’s Best Coffee, too! For sure, when you visit Seattle, you’ll see these two cafés competing with their presence. But, interestingly enough, Seattle’s Best Coffee was founded a year before Starbucks started. If you’re heading here, be sure to try their signature Javakula collection, available in flavors like Java Chip, Mocha, Brownies, and more.
Top 2
TheGiving Café (TGC)
Step aside CBTL and make way for TGC. Located in Sheridan, Mandaluyong, The Giving Café is not only serving excellent coffee, but they champion compassion. Unique because this coffee shop is also a social enterprise program that promotes sustainable coffee farming, giving back to the community.
Top 1
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
More popularly known as CBTL, this coffee shop, yes, is still mainstream, but it’s enough to give you a break from the monotony of Starbucks. With several branches in Metro Manila, this café also offers coffee, ice blended beverages, and tea similar to Starbucks, but what sets it apart is its fantastic array of food choices, gourmet, to say the least, which include pastas, pizzas, burgers, and breakfast meals. Starbucks can only offer light snacks.
Now you have the idea. In the spur of the moment, if you are looking for classy coffee, you’ll think of Starbucks. But there’s a whole lot more coffee experiences with unique ambiances in Metro Manila that are just waiting for you to show up.
