Coffee Shops, Cafes in Lipa City Batangas

Mobile business people like myself crave for cafes anywhere we go. Visiting Lipa City, you can see an interesting trend - development of different cafes. If you don't know yet, popular coffee shop chain, Starbucks, already has a branch here. Like other Starbucks around the world, it has a standard interior decor -- flourishing with its memorabilia, sugary unhealthy sweets and glaring mermaid logo. Unlike most Starbucks shops in the Asia Pacific region, Starbucks Lipa has free internet - unlimited. I just discovered that today and I am glad I have a decent place to visit in Lipa. The other cafes like Cafe de Lipa has now lost one of their competitive advantages - free wifi is now in Starbucks Lipa... Bear in mind though that I also appreciate that unique and authentic coffee of Cafe de Lipa but for practicality's sake, I think I would be able to stay longer in Starbucks because its toilet doesn't smell as much as Cafe de Lipa's :-( 

Bag of Beans, Tagaytay


Bag of Beans is a success story. I love their simple setting and now they made it better and more affordable to more people. They added the 'all you can eat' breakfast.

The selection is varied but the quality of dessert choices isn't very good. Still, it is decent.

This is definitely a Filipino breakfast experience. I think the price per person is Php 300 and I think that's very good value. You can have omellette, champorado, arroz caldo, dried fish, sausages and other local Filipino breakfast selections!

For dessert, there's watermelon, pineapple, banana and "kakanin" or dessert made from starchy ingredients.

They also serve brewed coffee and juice.

The ambience is relaxed and the owners are pet friendly which is a definite plus. The only thing missing is the free Wifi... but if it's family time anyway... why work?

Whenever we visit Bag of Beans, I have a positive and satisfied experience.

So give it a go! :-)


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Cafe Hestia, Sta Rosa Laguna


Cafe Hestia located in Sta Rosa, Laguna is a hidden cafe/restaurant owned by an Austrian and his Filipino wife. I heard it's located amidst a huge pineapple farm owned by the couple. It has a quaint little garden and refreshing grounds. It's unique, clean and one of a kind.

The price of food is not cheap. The pizza below is a mere Php 400 so if you're not really hungry, you can just order a pizza for snack.


The coffee is around Php150 which isn't too much too.

The other selections like steak etc are slightly more pricey at Php 900. I don't like steak so I can not tell the quality.

I would recommend Cafe Hestia to people who have spare time to roam around. It's not terribly amazing but if you walk around it's gardens and it's nice little bridge, you'd think - why don't Filipinos create more atmosphere's like this for their gardens? Looks so cheap and easy to build... especially Filipinos have a lot of low cost labor.

I'd recommend it for people who want to take their clients out for a nice and decent meal out of the city.

I'd recommend it for a special dinner with family.



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Vudu Cafe Queenstown


Savory muffin $4
Vudu Cafe, Queenstown

Perfect Day for a coffee - hot sun but very cool breeze!

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McDonald's Queenstown Mc Cafe


Mc Cafe Queenstown provides 1 hour free internet. They also created a coffee and cake promotion for 1 month... for just $5. It's fantastic value. The cafe mocha is huge and quite a nice coffee actually. This is strawberry cheese cake. I don't like it much but it's not bad.

There have been quite a lot of campaigns against Mc Cafe coffee that it is not authentic like the regular cafe coffees. That might be true. Their cafe mocha isn't bad though.

The Queenstown Mc Cafe branch is located along Frankton Road. It has a really nice view of the Wakatipu Lake.

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Joe's Garage Queenstown



Coffee and Cake is the best seller in Joe's Garage Queenstown. This is $6.50
They serve different cakes every day. However, this time, this pudding cake isn't very nice for me. It's decent though and of course they always serve a wonderful cup of coffee.

Starbucks can never ever top coffees in real cafes. This is why I never visit Starbucks unless I do not have any other choice.

Joe's Garage Queenstown provides 1 hour free internet. However, it's important to ask the staff first if the wifi is working and if they still have the coffee & cake promotion.

However, if you want to socialize a bit and have no need to work online, then by all means, drop by Joe's garage. They create a nice and relaxed atmosphere.


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Bigg's Diner - It does the job....





This diner is a locally-owned franchise. The photos are taken from the SM Batangas branch. I must say the food is extremely cheap! For a few minutes I was actually worried if I am eating safe food. But I didn't get diarrhea after. In fact, the waiters are quite service oriented - but I don't service is really part of their culture because there are notably some staff who are not helpful.

The entire model is quite weird. I have to sit down first, pick from a menu, then stand up again to go to the counter and tell the cashier my order.

The spaghettis is remarkably cheap at $1.1 or 50 pesos... You can consume it in 3 to 4 minutes. You'd be satisfied for 2 hrs for that meal. Then you'd be hungry again. The spaghetti has a Jollibee feel and taste to it. It's the Filipino spaghetti - sweet with some meet and ketchup and some cheese.

Anyway, I got what I paid for, 50 peso spaghetti. My partner ate the fish meal which I think isn't bad but isn't too good either. It's just a meal to fill you up.

Do I recommend it? Well what's your purpose? It really depends... if you just want a meal and get over some hunger, then go for it. Choose the fish meal - better and healthier.

Would I go there again? Well not if I had a better choice...


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Wanganui Accommodation


As a business traveller, it is a great joy and convenience to stay in a motel with FREE wifi. When I say free, I mean free. Some hotels offer 2 hours or 10mb worth of internet which is not enough for a busy person like me.

Aotea Motor Lodge in Wanganui is the only Wanganui Accommodation I know which offers free internet. It is close the a really posh cafe, Parnell cafe (I think). I enjoyed the coffee and some gelato but it's quite pricey.
Good thing Aotea is right next to New World so I can buy some healthy nut bars and cereals for breaky.

All in all, Aotea is a great value hotel. The minimum is $150 + gst - negotiated corporate rate. The rooms are big and very clean. It's seldom that you can get a really nice and comfortable stay for that rate ... in all motels all across New Zealand.

For reference, you might want to visit their website at http://www.aoteamotorlodge.co.nz

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Grilled Chicken, home made & delicious!


Home Made Meal - Grilled Chicken

A special meal indeed!

Took only 20 minutes to prepare!

Chicken was fresh and marinated in my mom's special marinate sauce and grilled until tender. I like mine well done.

Used the same grill for the fresh veggies as sides. It's one of the best meals I have ever had in the Philippines.

Very healthy and I was literally humming lively songs while eating.


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Flap Jacks, Robinsons Manila



Flap Jacks, Robinsons Manila

Food ok - not really decent
Slightly more expensive than normal
Would I come back? We yes due to free wifi and food was 'ok' and not very expensive
The aircon was down when I was there, bad experience
The toilet wasn't clean and a bit smelly
The food is "ok" but nothing special
But I guess you can get free wifi and unlimited coffee for Php 75



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Seattle's Best Coffee, Greenbelt Makati

A few nice things about having a coffee at Seattle's Best Coffee Greenbelt:

1. When it's a nice breezy day, it's nice to be out even if it's a little humid
2. There's a huge variety of people to chat with - locals, expats, young, old, male, female
3. Coffee is reasonably priced
4. One of the nicest surroundings with natural trees
5. Wifi available for free if your order is more than Php 200 (sometimes their wifi doesn't work but there is free WIFI in the mall)
6. I got a skinny latte which tastes decent and is only 85 calories :-)

Will I go back? Definitely.








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Zuni Greenbelt Makati, Philippines

Aragula Salad

Barramundi Fish

Zuni


Zuni looks like an upmarket restaurant in Greenbelt Makati.

We ordered barramundi fish, Php 700+ service charge and aragula salad + service charge. It's a good meal, a bit small but filling and very flavorful.

The restaurant is decently decorated. It's trendy but it's not really lavish. It's good for a nice dinner date for a couple or a quiet and small family reunion.

I'd recommend it of course, try it once and visit it again after a few months if you like.

Because of the pricing, I wouldn't recommend it readily.


However, definitely, if you earn in USD, this is quite a nice cheap meal already - western standards. :-)

Click here for their Ala Cart Menu :)

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