Sunday Afternoon Merienda at Afters Coffee Shop

I knew about Afters Coffee Shop after a fellow author and cafe hunter (Hi again, Kim, for the nth time) recommended it. I went on a Sunday afternoon, so seats were almost full.

How to Go to Afters Coffee Shop

At the right of McDonalds Ortigas Extension, just across Valley Golf and Primark Cainta, you will see a narrow street with stalls selling cold cuts. Walk straight until you see a tricycle terminal, and tell the tricycle to drop you off at 16 Sun Street corner Apollo. If you see their eyebrows cross, just tell them it’s near Taytay United Methodist Church. It’s only a minute away from there.

What to Expect in Afters Coffee Shop

Afters Coffee Shop is mostly an outdoor cafe. There are seats inside, but the doors remain open. Both its exteriors and interiors are filled with browns, whites, and greens, adding a rustic, earthy vibe.

The cafe is along a road where barking dogs, tricycles, and cars pass by, so if you’re looking for a peaceful place to work, this may not be the best option. However, this would be a perfect venue for a small get-together with your friends. (Plus, if you want to be inspired, their baristas are kind of cute. Hehe.)

What to Eat in Afters Coffee Shop

I ordered their chocolate chip cookie (PhP 35) and salted caramel latte (PhP 95). I have no negative comments for both, and I really enjoyed my merienda . . . while watching humping dogs hahahaha—I mean why of all times and why of all places did they choose to make new pups in front of me?

For more information, visit this post by Kape Tayo, Rizal.

Afters Coffee Shop
16 Sun Street, corner Apollo Street, Taytay, Rizal
10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
https://www.facebook.com/afterscoffeehouseph/

Good Pizza, Good Coffee at Lucas Cafe

I am eager to be inside my room 24/7, working relentlessly on editing paperwork whose payments are long overdue, but this has taken a toll on me, especially since I was a girl who sought for peace in discovering new places before the pandemic started.

I am always anxious when I go out since (1) the delta variant is just around and (2) I am a freelancer trying to make do of what I have. But there are also times when I am persuaded by my concerned connections and friends to go out for a while to take a breather (after seeing my artworks implying dark thoughts on Instagram). I agreed on a few conditions: places will only be in Rizal, preferably near my hometown; we won’t stay too long outside; it would be on a weekday so there’d be fewer people; and there is coffee . . . which led us to our discovery of Lucas Cafe.

How to Go to Lucas Cafe

Across Valley Golf subdivision is a narrow street, a part of Gen. A. Ricarte road. Walk toward a tricycle terminal, and then tell the driver to drop you off at Mars Street (PhP 30–40), which is a street away from Taytay United Methodist Church. Walk straight until you find a cozy cafe.

What to Expect in Lucas Cafe

The above pictures show how the exterior of Lucas Cafe looks like at four in the afternoon. It had a rustic and welcoming ambience, with air-purifying plants and wood accents beautifying the venue.

At six in the evening, they open their LED lights whose warm tones add to the coziness of the cafe. The pictures below show how their al fresco dining area looks like. They are only limited with three tables that could accommodate at most two to three people if protocols are followed.

We dined there at around four in the afternoon of a Wednesday, and it was one of our best decisions that week, I guess. It was not too hot, and there were few dine-in customers. The cool wind, along with the serenity and coziness that Lucas Cafe brought forth, refreshed and calmed our stressed selves. For the first time that week, I felt relaxed.

What to Eat in Lucas Cafe

We ordered macchiato iced coffee (PhP 100), noncaffeinated cookies and cream iced blended drink (PhP 120), and their best-selling spinach pizza (PhP 210).

I loved both the drinks, especially when eaten with the pizza. Though if I had to recommend only one of the few things we ordered (I am sorry, coffee), I highly recommend their spinach pizza. Must try! I wanted to go for the bacon flavor, but the spinach flavor was highly rated, so we took the recommendation. Never have I thought that I could taste both sweetness and saltiness in a pizza (since most of the pizzas I order are fully loaded with either cheese or meat); this may have been the best pizza I have ever tasted.

Favorite Picture

Lucas Cafe
12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
3 Mars Street, Taytay Rizal
https://www.facebook.com/LucasCafeTeaPizzaDessert/

Jill and Pops: A Hidden Hangout Place in Taytay, Rizal

My cafe hunting in the past years has proven me that many instagrammable cafes and restaurants in Rizal aren’t discovered by many yet. True enough, Jill and Pops popped up on my Facebook feed last December. They’ve been in the dining business for two years already, and as of 2020, they already have two branches in Taytay.

How to Go to Jill and Pops

Anywhere from Ortigas or Felix Avenue, ride a jeepney going to Angono Highway or Binangonan Double Highway (don’t mistake it with Binangonan Floodway). Tell the driver to drop you off at Meralco Village (nearest landmark is Puregold). There are tricycles going to Jill and Pops, but I highly recommend using Google maps and then walking from the gate instead.

Place and Ambience

The venue was filled with bright primary colors that made the whole area look lively. It somewhat gave a Selecta 3 in 1 + 1 ice cream vibe, if you know what I mean. You can’t really work here though, as sockets and Wi-Fi aren’t available. But if you’re looking for a place you can hang out with your colleagues, Jill and Pops might just be perfect for you. When we went there, a group of students were jamming OPM songs on their acoustic guitars, and another set of friends were drinking beer outside.

What to Eat in Jill and Pops

Their sizzling sisig (Php 125) tasted okay: well-cooked meat, nicely topped with egg yolk. However, I wasn’t a fan of their lion sugar milk tea (Php 120); it tasted like condensed milk with brown sugar, and the flavor worsened as time passed by. I recommend their caramelized brownie ala mode though. The cashier recommended this dessert after telling me that cheesecake on a stick wasn’t available. Check their menu here.

Favorite Picture

Jill and Pops
275 Rizal Ave. Brgy. San Juan Taytay Rizal
https://www.facebook.com/jillandpopskitchencafe/