Last year Coffee Shop Diaries was able to visit a number of cafés and restaurants and tasted some really great food. To wrap up my 2016 here are my best and favorites:
Favorite café or restaurant for breakfast
Batu Cafe offers delicious breakfast for those who want to start their day right. I recommend their Crispy Adobo Flakes, which is my favorite! For a meal that will definitely make you full, order the Batu Silog combo meal.
Update: Batu Café has recently opened a new branch in Marfori
Favorite café or restaurant for lunch
For those who are looking for an alternative to the regular rice meals during lunch, I suggest you drop by to the Griddle for some of their mouthwatering sandwiches and burgers. They have also started serving rice meals recently should you really want to have rice for lunch. I love their Homemade Bacon with Mozzarella Sandwich.
Favorite café or restaurant for dinner
Cafe 99 opens at around 6:00pm so it will definitely cater to those who are looking for dinner late at night. Cafe 99 offers pasta, rice meals, burgers, and salads at a very affordable price. To top it off, the quality and quantity of their food is not sacrificed despite it being affordable.
Best Desserts Place 2016
Dairy opened last year offering rich, indulgent, and delicious desserts and sweets. I love their Chocolate Chip Cookie, which is one of the best I had, and the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake.
Best Coffee Shop 2016
Dayaw Coffee & Tea is on the top of my list as best Coffee Shop for 2016. They offer a wide range of food and beverages that are reasonably priced. The quality of their offerings are also great. They are also a 24-hour coffee shop so they will definitely cater to
Update: Dayaw Coffee and Tea has recently closed its store at SM Lanang Premier and is looking for a new location in Davao City. I will keep you guys posted as to where this location will be.
Best Value for Money
As I have stated earlier, Cafe 99 offers affordably priced dishes that are of great quality and quantity. I usually order their Half-half meal combo (P149) wherein you are served with a portion of meat and pasta of your choice. I really got my money’s worth in Cafe 99.
Favorite set meals
Cafe 99’s Mix N’ Match
This set meal includes a portion of meat and a pasta of your choice. It is served with a side of salad and a glass of iced tea. For only P179, this meal is definitely kind to your wallet and will leave your tummy full.
Batu Café’s Batu Silog combo meal
At P198, this set meal includes skinless homemade longganisa, homemade tocino, egg, and strips of homemade bacon served with sinangag rice. This set meal makes a perfect brunch or heavy breakfast. I like everything about this dish, each component tasted really great.
Favorite meals
The Griddle’s Homemade Bacon with Mozzarella Sandwich
This dish is just mouthwatering! The sandwich consists of homemade bacon, mozzarella, barbecue sauce, and house dressing. All ingredients worked well together and tasted delicious.
Batu Café’s Crispy Adobo Flakes
This dish consists of shredded pork and chicken adobo served with sinangag rice and egg. This dish really sticked to me last year. I find it to be really delicious!
Café 99’s Penne Pomodoro
This pasta dish of Café 99 was the first dish I tasted from them and I really enjoyed it. What I like best about their pasta dish is its sauce, which I find to be really flavorful and meaty.
Favorite desserts
Dairy’s Chocolate Chip Cookie
This has got to be one of the best chocolate chip cookie I have tasted in Davao City! I couldn’t get enough of it!
Dairy’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake
I love chocolate and peanut butter. When I found out that Dairy is offering a Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake, I was beyond happy. The cake was really good.
Sea Green Café’s Tablea Cheesecake
With a wonderful balance of sweetness and bitterness, this cheesecake was rich and delicious. The strawberry that came with it also elevated this dessert.
Honorable Mentions
The cafes below also made an impression on me last year:
Sea Green Café and Lifestyle Shop
I find this to be one of the most beautiful coffee shops in Davao City. I like how cool and relaxing its interior is. Aside from it being a beautiful coffee shop, Sea Green Cafe and Lifestyle Shop also offers delcious healthy food to its diners.
Update: Sea Green Café and Lifestyle Shop has transferred to a new location along Jacinto Ext. just up ahead of Assumption Parish. It has also rebranded to Sea Green Café + Botique Rooms.
Seekhana STUDY HUB Café
Not all cafes or coffee shops are conducive for working or studying. However, Seekhana Study Hub Cafe is a really great place to study or work. It is quiet and their menu is affordable. They have walk-in rates for three hours and 24hrs. They also offer memberships that you can avail of. They also have a good deal of power outlets for those who need to charge.
Habi At Kape
Located at the third floor of the Abreeza Corporate Center, this cafe offers Filipino favorites at really affordable prices. I love their brewed coffee here and also their ensaymada.