BAGUIO CITY—I don’t want to be that girl. That one who, after a trip to Europe, starts comparing, and very loudly, things Philippine to European, taking every opportunity to brag about the places she saw and the stuff she tried there.
But I did spend time there pursuing a master’s degree under the Erasmus+ program. So I can’t help making comparisons even if I try not to.
All that being said, as soon as I was served my cappuccino at Guest Haven Coffee, I felt transported back to Europe—specifically, to Italy. Well, actually, as soon as I stepped into the spacious café in Baguio’s Porta Vaga Mall, I felt like I was in a European café. It wasn’t just because of the imposing presence of an Italian (an educated guess) espresso machine, but also the ambiance created by the cozy tables and chairs lining one wall, even the marble-top counter. It’s such a stark contrast from the adjacent shops.
It’s not the original café, which is in the nearby (and historic) Patria de Baguio Building and is much smaller—five small tables and a few high chairs around the coffee bar—but, because of the balcony, seems more airy. The hardwood floors and walls and cozy tables and chairs make you want to linger in conversation or read a book, or simply listen to the calming piped-in music. The balcony affords a bird’s eye view of Session Road, which, on Sundays, is closed to vehicular traffic. It’s fun to watch children of different ages make their chalk artworks on the street.
This new branch of Guest Haven Coffee is bigger, with an al fresco area akin to a European café’s street-side dining area, except that it’s still inside the mall. But more than enough light filters in and the air is nippy, thanks to Baguio’s constant cool.
From the Cordillera mountains
The coffee is mostly from the Cordillera mountains—at elevations most favorable to growing arabica coffee—like Atok, La Trinidad, Itogon, Kibungan, Tuba and Tublay in Benguet; Sagada in Mountain Province; and Balbalan in Kalinga. But it also offers coffee coming all the way from Davao.
All the coffee beans are from The Red Soil, an award-winning small-scale (mostly from family backyard farms) coffee roaster known for paying fair prices to its farmer-partners.
Members of the staff are knowledgeable about the different kinds of coffee they serve, which makes for engaging conversations. If you’re a newbie to the breadth of the menu, they can help you choose from an espresso, piccolo, cortado, flat white, latte, or macchiato.
They also serve breakfast brioche and breakfast croissant in the morning and cinnamon brioche and chocolate brioche throughout the day—all baked by a French chef, no less. I ordered a cappuccino in the morning, as is the Italian practice. (If you haven’t heard of it, look it up for an interesting insight into Italian food.) It was perfectly warm (not steaming hot) just as it should be, and served with a glass of water as a palate cleanser.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to finish my coffee at the bar because, unlike in Italy, they don’t charge you extra for sitting at a table and staying longer.
Seating options
The interiors of this bigger café in Porta Vaga present several seating options: from al fresco, to the bar, to one of the small tables against the wall. I chose the last and enjoyed the foam and kick of caffeine while chatting with Venn, one of the co-owners, who traces her roots to Sagada. We talked about the importance of supporting local coffee farmers, as well as elevating Filipinos’ café-appreciation experience beyond the signature-logo-printed-on-to-go cups that add to litter in our environment.
At Guest Haven, I enjoyed being transported to Europe through the design aesthetic, cups, cutlery, even food presentation. But what made my heart sing was knowing that I was enjoying locally grown coffee from smallholder farms (I mostly drink arabica coffee, and almost only when I’m in the Cordillera).
The bigger café frequently hosts activities like coffee cupping and art-related workshops. And in both cafés, there is an abundance of framed visual artworks by Cordilleran artists.
While there, I observed them prepare some pour-over coffee. It made the entire café smell even better as the gentle but unmistakable aroma wafted through the air.
I didn’t espy a moka pot, though. Maybe I’ll ask next time. CS
