by Janine Taylor
“Coffee is more than just a drink; it’s something happening. Not as hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but somewhere within yourself. It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup.” — Gertrude Stein, American novelist and poet
Coffee, that magic potion in a cup, is our morning savior and the fuel that helps us get through the day. Whether you’re a stickler for the classics and prefer an espresso or need to start your day with some café au lait or a cappuccino—and yes, we live in the tropics, so iced coffee is good too, we all need our caffeine fix!
Growing up in Cebu decades ago (and please don’t deduce my age), our earliest memories of coffee was the aroma wafting from the percolator at Eddie’s Log Cabin as soon as you opened the doors. You then stepped in for a cup of Joe and a slice of pie. For our parents’ generation, the ultimate sophistication was a cup of “brewed coffee” because, at home, it was freeze-dried instant coffee with powdered creamer and sugar. Folgers was the coffee of choice. Hyperacidity in a cup when you think about it!
Starbucks descended on our shores in December 1997, and our vocabulary suddenly expanded with venti, grande, and Frappuccino. People were willing to pay exorbitant amounts for a cup of coffee. But more than that, it was an experience. It was, all of a sudden, the place to be seen. It was trendy to have coffee at all hours of the day and not just for breakfast.
Cafes have now become the place to meet up with friends, a venue for meetings, and even a space to work from, and you don’t have to be a digital nomad. You can get caffeinated in air-conditioned comfort with WIFI and a snack; what else would you need? It is hip to be square (sorry, Huey Lewis and the News).
Armed with the adage that you can never have too much caffeine, we spent an afternoon visiting three great joints in the city.
The first stop was The Spring—a cozy spot next to The Pig and Palm with Scandinavian-inspired interiors and a super chill vibe. A hands-on young owner, Ange Delas Penas, knows her beans well. She was behind the counter, expertly brewing using filters I had never seen before, which she said she purchased in Taiwan. Her team of trained baristas can also whip up some tasty brews, from a cortado to a matcha latte, my latest addiction. Please do not leave The Spring without ordering their mouthwatering Cassava Cake, worth every calorie! As we reminisced about the Cebu of yore in between sips, we decided to risk the midafternoon downpour and make it to our next stop.
Taking a different route to avoid a flash flood, we dashed out of the car into the warmth of Commonly Uncommon at Crossroads. Don’t let this non-descript, industrial vibe fool you; this java joint knows its craft. Commonly Uncommon uses single- origin beans and, like most cafes these days, also offers coffee alternatives. They are unpretentious and bent on giving the customers the specialty coffee they want, sans judgment. If you prefer oak milk or sugar or enjoy iced drinks, you get what you want. Hence, you will see diverse patronage, from those armed with laptops and headphones to office peeps grabbing a quick caffeine fix, to ladies who have lunch and everyone in between.
Plus, they are the only café that thinks of customers battling hyperacidity by offering antacid sachets, which we availed before contemplating our orders.
We decided to veer away from politics and religion and catch up on things that keep us busy, people we know. We analyzed our orders, as adulting is hard, and you need coffee.
Our caffeine-fueled afternoon’s final stop was Tightrope in the former Henry Hotel. Tightrope is the largest of the three we visited, with the same industrial vibe that is very common these days, and tattooed baristas. Large windows ensure that it is always bright, and this is where you will certainly run into someone you know.
As this was our third stop—and yes, we were ready to run a marathon after, as we were so pumped—we decided to stick to the classics and have an espresso because you can always taste the quality of a coffee in an espresso. Tightrope has a delicious burnt Basque cheesecake that can be shared, so you can also share the calories. Winding up a well-spent rainy afternoon with great coffee and gossip, we liked all three coffee shops, but Uncommonly Common really stood out. And to quote MacArthur, we shall return.