In search of a good cup of coffee

The Philippines exports more than a million and a third kilograms of coffee every year. Curiously, Filipinos are not great coffee drinkers. When you visit someone’s home, you are more likely to be offered soda or juice (aka “Tang”) than coffee. Many restaurants do not serve coffee and others serve it only at breakfast. Fortunately, western chains are making some inroads, and it is possible to find a good cup of coffee if you do a bit of searching.
Local markets seldom have coffee, but you will find a moderate selection at western-style supermarkets. Curiously, instant coffees occupy almost 4 times as much shelf space as ground coffee. There are a handful of western brands and Nescafe seems to be the most popular. Individual serving packets known as 3-in-1 combine powdered coffee, sugar, and cream. Again, Nescafe seems to be the most popular and San Mig has second place. Neither is flavorful enough to suit my taste but Kopico from Malaysia comes close.
Most supermarkets offer a handful of ground coffees, many in various flavorings. I’ve tested a half dozen or so and been disappointed by most. Coffee from Davao is the most flavorful, but is usually ground to fine for my taste.
Coffee is also available at fast food restaurants. Ubiquitous McDonalds’ usually have coffee and both Jolly Bee (the “poor man’s” McDonalds) and Tropical Hut have coffee in the mornings. Dunkin’ Donuts are sprouting here just like Starbucks did in the United States, but their coffee is just like that at other fast food stops—bland and watery.
Fortunately, some western chains have found their way to the Philippines. Mocha Blends makes a credible cup of coffee, but their only outlets are at larger shopping malls and a few other high (western) traffic spots. The best news is that Starbucks has established a strong foothold here. The company says they have 58 stores in the Philippines, but I’ve personally sampled the goods at only a dozen or so. All have been clean and well staffed, and the coffee is just as it should be: hearty, flavorful, and black! My wife curls here nose at the mention of Starbucks, but that’s expected … she’s a Filipina. A very pretty one, but still a Filipina.
Finally, I’ll mention a very pleasant surprise. I recently stumbled into a BeanYard coffee shop at the SM Mall in Santa Rosa. It doesn’t appear to be part of a chain, but I’ll check with the manager next time we’re there. After two visits, I can report that the coffee is very good, service is great, the store is clean, and the atmosphere very pleasant. And, BeanYard is a premium shop—a large Americano costs 70 pesos (about $1.50)—so its not crowded.