Following the coffee crawl, I did at the Legazpi and Salcedo Villages; I knew I wanted to explore the coffee scene of Makati City more.
On this recent trip to Metro Manila, I explored another part of Makati City: the Población area. Based on what I have seen online, the area is known as one of the city’s food districts.
During my stay here, I was booked at U Hotels Makati. Not wanting to stray too far away from where I was staying, I opted for coffee shops near the hotel.
Commune Cafe+Bar
Location: 36 Polaris St., Poblacion, Makati
Business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 12 a.m., Sunday to Thursday | 8:00 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday
First on my list was the Commune Cafe+Bar. I love how the coffee shop is located at a corner lot along Polaris St. This gives it a fairly different layout from most coffee shops I encounter. The coffee shop’s seating areas are mostly designed for you to share a table with someone, which is quite true to its name.
For this visit, I ordered their Adobo Rice Bowl, an Americano, and an espresso. The Adobo Rice Bowl was nothing special, but it was filling for a late lunch. I loved the espresso, while the Iced Americano was just fine. Based on the size of the cup, I think the iced Americano was 16 oz. Hence, I did find it to be a bit watery for my liking.
Good Sh*t Coffee
Location: 5872 Enriquez, Poblacion, Makati
Business hours: 6:00 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday | 6:00 a.m. to 12 a.m., Friday to Saturday
Just a short motor ride from Commune is this quirky bakery cafe. I find the vibe quite “Millennial” with its look and feel. This means it is a cafe where I would find Millennials hanging out regularly. I also love the cafe’s colors.
I ordered their Dirty Horchata and the Turonutella. This is my first time trying horchata — A Mexican drink made from rice and cinnamon that were soaked in water overnight or, to its simplest definition, cinnamon-flavored rice milk. So, I have no benchmark or reference point on how it should taste. However, this was a pretty good latte drink. I loved the Turonutella. The pastry was light, and the filling was generous. However, I regret that I could not order their Kouign Amann and Cookie Croissant, which looked delicious.
Annex House
Location: Don Pedro St., Población, Makati
Business hours: Monday, Closed | Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Wednesday to Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. | Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 12 a.m.
This coffee shop is the most memorable of the bunch. This was just located around two blocks from Good Sh*t. While it is just near, you will miss this coffee shop if you are not paying attention to your surroundings or if you have not checked their socials. No signage will tell you that you have found the coffee shop. I had to ask a few friends in Davao City for directions because I thought I was lost. But the coffee shop was right in front of me the whole time.
A clear indication that you have found the spot is the gate that has been made using a rusty metal sheet roof with kalabaw horns as gate knobs. You press a doorbell to enter the coffee shop.
You are greeted by a spacious garage that has been converted into an outdoor seating area for the coffee shop, which is located on the first floor of the house. I was told that the second floor turns into a bar at night.
The use of rusty metal sheets continues inside the coffee shop and are used as accents for the design of their counter. The interior of the coffee shop is homey, but I find it to be masculine and give off a “man-cave” feel.
For this visit, a friend recommended their Leche Flan Latte, and I ordered a Chocolate Chip Cookie to go with it. I love that they torched the top of the Leche Flan Latte, leaving a satisfying crust to break. The drink was surprisingly not very sweet, but I wished it tasted more “Leche Flan-y” because I was expecting that kind of flavor. The cookie was delicious, and I loved that sea salt was sprinkled on top.
The biggest surprise was seeing a familiar face manning the counter — Junie, Cafe Prelaya’s former barista. Hi, Junie!
Solid Ground Coffee
Location: Escuela St., Población, Makati
Business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday | Closed on Sundays
This was my last stop, and Junie recommended it. The coffee shop was a five to 10-minute walk from Annex.
The coffee shop was located at an odd place — in front of the public market. That is a location where I won’t expect to find a coffee shop. But oddly, the coffee shop seemed to fit nicely in their chosen environment.
Junie recommended that I order their pour-over. But I was already at a caffeine high at this point, so I only ordered their signature drink, the Sampiro. According to the owners, the Sampiro is an ode to their hometown. It is a “coffee beverage with cinnamon-infused oat milk that would make you feel at home.”
“During the Spanish period, Poblacion was previously known as San Pedro de Macati to honor its Patron Saint. Locals, however, renamed it to a casual and more welcoming – Sampiro,” they said in an Instagram post.
Thanks to the cinnamon, the drink was definitely a “feel-at-home” drink. However, I had it iced, and I think it would have been better if I had it hot. Nonetheless, it was a delicious latte drink.
I thoroughly enjoyed this whirlwind coffee crawl. I started at around 12 noon and ended at around 4 p.m. At the end of my crawl, I was high on caffeine and very full.
One thing I wished I had done differently was to order the pour-overs. Except for Good Sh*t, the other offered pour-over coffee featuring coffee beans from varying roasters. It would have been fun also to experience how they will differently brew a cup of coffee.
Anyway, for the time spent, I think this was a solid batch of coffee shops. Regardless of what I may have said, what I presented to you guys is just the tip of what they offer. For sure, they have a lot more to offer. I would recommend you try all four of them and see which coffee shop suits you the most. See you on my next crawl!