The concept of a slow bar is not new, but for many coffee drinkers in Davao City, it can be a surprise that it takes 10 minutes or more for the coffee to be served at Kugi Slow Bar.
As founded by Silay and Koi, Kugi was born out of their love for coffee and desire to share it.
“We were among the many people who delved into third-wave and specialty coffee during the pandemic. We started as homebrewers in 2021, Mt. Apo coffee serving as our gateway,” Silay said.
Growing up in Luzon, the couple grew up drinking traditional kapeng barako from Batangas.
“Dark roasted, bold and strong, very bitter. For us back then, yun ang (that was the) standard ng good coffee,” Silay said.
It would be a mobile coffee shop in Davao City that would allow people to explore the complex yet vibrant world of coffee.
In 2021, they chanced upon Kapeweñoz’s mobile pop-up near SM Lanang. Kapeweñoz’s Biboy brewed them their first pour-over of Mt. Apo coffee.
“Nung una naibahan kami sa lasa, na-weirduhan kami na maasim yung kape. Iba kasi siya sa nakasanayan namin na mapait na kape. (We found it weird when he first tasted it because it had a sourness to it. It was different from the bitter coffee that we were used to),” Silay said.
Fourth Street, one of the pioneering third-wave coffee shops in Davao City, would further open the doors for them to understand and appreciate coffee.
“While having coffee at Fourth Street, we also chatted with JB, and he shared about Mt. Apo’s fruity coffee—na may tinatawag na magandang asim sa kape, na hindi lang mapait (that has a pleasant sourness to it and one that is not bitter),” Silay said.
As their interest in coffee grew, the couple joined the Coffee Homebrewers group on Facebook.
“That’s when we fell into the rabbit hole. We learned (and are still learning) so much about coffee. We also learned how generous and welcoming the coffee community is. We are glad to eventually have found friends among the coffee professionals, baristas, homebrewers, and enthusiasts,” Silay said.
Silay and Koi’s growing curiosity and love for coffee slowly led to planning for their coffee shop.
“Being curious about coffee and attending coffee workshops or events, we were asked occasionally if we were coffee shop owners. Kapag sinasagot namin na hindi, madalas kami kulitin na bakit hindi pa kami magbukas ng shop (Every time we tell them that we are not, there are some who would teasingly ask us when we will open our own shop). We gave it some thought until we decided we could open a shop dahil kahit papaano may gamit na rin naman kami (we have the equipment) with our homebrew set up,” she said.
The couple decided to convert the living room of their once-vacant townhouse in Guadalupe Village, Lanang, into a small coffee shop.
“Maganda rin kasi ang location niya dahil main road lang ng village and walking distance at accessible from the highway (The location was good because it was just along the main road of the village and it is accessible and a walking distance from the highway),” Silay said.
They started planning to convert the living room into a semi-commercial space. However, as with how most business projects began, they had to shelve the initial plans for their coffee shop.
“We realized it was too big of a project and would cost significant money. It would also mean na permanent na yung conversion ng space (the conversion of the space will be permanent). Naisip namin, what if ayaw na pala natin magcoffee shop? Eh di hindi na mababago tapos ang laki pa ng gastos (We thought that what if we really did not want a coffee shop? We cannot change along the way and we will be spending a lot),” Silay said.
The project of having their coffee shop remain “on the shelf” as months passed.
A brewing party and their son’s love for specialty coffee would lead them to reconsider opening a coffee shop.
“We once used the space and organized a brew party where we invited people to taste
different coffee origins because we wanted to share new coffee we acquired from Indonesia,” Silay said.
After the brewing party, they decided to push through with their planned coffee shop but use the place as is for the time being.
“Yung anak naming si (Our son) Andres, who’s also into specialty coffee, was going back to Manila soon at gusto niya sana masubukan na makapag-serve ng kape bago siya umalis (and he wanted to experience what it was like to serve coffee before he leaves) so that’s the nudge we needed to finally decide to open Kugi as a pop-up bar for a weekend,” Silay said.
With a limited budget, they used whatever they had and made the best out of them.
“We figured what’s important is to start with good coffee and spark conversations,” Silay said.
Kugi Slow Bar began brewing coffee in August 2023. Their setup was simple, with pour-over equipment and a manual espresso maker. Yet, the couple was keen to serve their customers coffee.
“Kugi is a Bisaya word that translates as sikap or pagsisikap, diligence, to endeavor or to put effort into something. We thought it was a nice name because we do manual brewing. Kumbaga, kailangan mo talaga magkugi sa paggawa ng kape (because we are brewing your coffee manually. You could say that we have to work hard to brew you a cup of coffee),” Silay said.
The slow bar was what the couple had already envisioned when they were planning for the coffee shop.
They took inspiration from the neighborhood slow bars in Indonesia and Thailand, “where baristas are passionate about the coffee being served, helping, sharing their thoughts and knowledge about the local coffee scene.”
“We didn’t want to be a grab-and-go coffee place. We wanted people to sit down, take things slow, and take time with their coffee, for them to be curious and to want to know more about their coffee,” Silay said.
When one visits Kugi, it is as if you are visiting a friend’s house for a cup of coffee. Silay and Koi warmly greet each customer who enters.
“Na-appreciate namin ang lowkey, homey and intimate vibe ng Kugi. Yung pakiramdam na para ka lang nagkape at tumambay sa bahay ng kaibigan mo (We have grown to appreciate the lowkey, homey, and intimate vibe of Kugi. You feel like you are just having coffee at your friend’s house). Dahil maliit at intimate lang ang lugar (Because of our intimate space, we’d like to think na everyone is friends with everyone pagkatapos nila magkape sa (after having coffee at) Kugi,” Silay said.
Kugi offers a limited menu of pour-over coffee and some espresso-based drinks. The pour-over alone will have you coming back. Not only do they brew a good cup of coffee, but the coffee beans used for the pour-over vary between visits, allowing for a different coffee experience each time you come here.
Meanwhile, they are becoming known for their Turon Latte drink.
“We wanted a drink that’s uniquely Filipino. Familiar yet novel, something that can spark a
conversation about local culture, food, and nation,” Silay said.
The Turon Latte is made with fresh bananas, oat milk, arnibal sauce, espresso, banana chips, and langka. It is a sweet and creamy drink with a familiar taste.
“The preparation, taste profiling, and layering are challenges, but it’s worth it when people like them, and we get to impart our love of coffee and Filipino culture through an enjoyable drink,” Silay said.
Nearly a year since its opening, Kugi has made waves in the local coffee scene of Davao City. They offer something different to coffeeholics who are used to the fast-paced serving of most coffee shops in the city.
Kugi lets you relax in the comfort of their living room as you wait for your cup of coffee. Once your coffee is ready, there is no rush to finish it. Kugi lets you take your time to savor your cup of coffee. The intimate space sparks conversations among guests of different backgrounds.
“We wanted the shop to serve as space for meaningful connections and conversations over coffee, about coffee and beyond coffee,” Silay said.
Kugi Slow Bar
Location: 126-A Guadalupe Ave, Lanang
Business hours: They vary. Check their posts regularly for the week’s schedule. They are usually open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday through Sunday.
Socials: Instagram
What to order: Pour-over coffee, Iced Sikwate, Turon Latte
How to get there:
- If you are coming from J.P. Laurel, any jeep going to Lanang would do. Be sure to get down at Phoenix Lanang. From Phoenix Lanang, it will be a five to ten-minute walk
- You can take a taxi there. If you come from Abreeza Mall, the estimated fare would be around P120 to P150.
- You can also book a taxi or car using GrabCar, but fare varies.