Flavors of Tagaytay: Say Hello to Hello Cafe...

Long associated with the local coffee culture, Tagaytay is home to another new player in the southern destination's vibrant café scene. Say hello to Hello Café...

Far from the famed views of Tagaytay is another new and hidden gem tucked behind the ridge for another visual spectacle. And some seriously good coffee and tasty bites too. The third in a series of blog posts documenting the new wave of restaurant concepts and cafés in Tagaytay born out of the pandemic, the evolving culinary landscape is reshaped and redrawn by daring new restaurateurs adding yet another colorful layer in its storied tapestry of flavors. Step inside Hello Café...

Coffee shops and cafés are an integral part of the Tagaytay experience, and Hello Café is the newest kid on the block with its wide selection of specialty brews to soothe your mind, body and palate. Drive down the side road and you'll find one of Tagaytay's newest attractions... 

Along with the extensive coffee selections, the clean and sleek design of the minimalist pristine white structure stands out as a bold statement to Tagaytay's café scene. Fresh and strikingly modern, Hello Café brings that much needed shot in the arm with its cool style to the post-pandemic landscape of Tagaytay. The subdued elegance in its simplicity is a radical spin on the usual café look, giving Hello Cafe that distinct character setting it apart from the usual café set-up. 

The spacious gated lot offers both indoor and al fresco seating options to enjoy Tagaytay's cool breeze. In the evening, the space is transformed with lights draping the café with an amber glow. And on Thursdays and Fridays at 6pm, you can enjoy Movie Nights at the al fresco garden area of Hello Café with your favorite brew paired with tasty bites.

It seems we can't have enough of a good thing as another new café makes its mark in Tagaytay. It's a story that began way back in May last year when Aaron Paul Charvet and wife Leslie were thinking of opening a car shop or a franchise as a local business until a friend introduced coffee as a viable option. For Aaron and Leslie, a café just seemed right. And the story behind the name? Aaron described the common greeting as the perfectly natural name for the couple's new café venture, setting both the tone and relaxed vibe to your experience. A dictionary provided inspiration for the unique fonts and typeface of the brand. 

Completing the creative process is the specialty coffee of Hello Café, with beans sourced from Vietnam, Indonesia, Sumatra and Africa as well as local coffee from Benguet and Davao. Masterfully medium roasted for that rounded yet full-bodied and smooth flavor profile, Hello Café takes their coffee quite seriously from sourcing to roasting all the way to your freshly brewed cup. But Aaron and Leslie have even bigger plans for Hello Café, including innovative expansion programs with cashless coffee kiosks. Now that's something to keep an eye on as Aaron and Leslie level up their coffee game.

Inside Hello Cafe, the team of skilled baristas prepare the orders for the evening's customers...

...as more guests arrive. Hello Café is no longer a secret, and word does get around for good coffee.

A creamy Latte or Flat White are the perfect options to get acquainted with Hello Café's specialty brews with its deep, bold and nutty notes smoothened by the creamy milk for that balanced yet robust finish. And this is where the medium roast shines, delivering a richness with depth and none of the bitter over roasted hints. 

Premium beans and an intricate roasting process come together seamlessly at Hello Café for that perfectly brewed cup of coffee to warm the palate and body. And despite the number of coffee shops in the southern destination, nothing beats a good cup of coffee in Tagaytay. 

Hello Café elevates the bar with its emphasis on quality beans and the meticulous roasting process resulting in the perfect cup. Every time. 

Stay awhile and enjoy another cup...

...and pair it with one of Hello Café's tasty options from their menu including Rice Meals like Beef Salpicao (P 360), Tapsilog (P 290), Hungsilog (P 250) with Hungarian Beef Sausage and Spamsilog (P 290). Hello Café also offers Fresh Pasta like Casarecce Pesto (P 300), Fettucine Mushroom & Garlic (P 360), Spaghetti Tomato Basil (P 310) and Beef Fazolletti (P 330). All-Day Breakfast? Go for the Hash Brown & Eggs (P 210) or go all-out with the Hello Big Breakfast (P 400) with scrambled eggs, beef sausage, hash brown, bacon, homemade salsa and toast. 

A slice of Pistachio Sansrival (P 165) and Classic Cacao is a comforting duo at Hello Café, rounding up a memorable full day in Tagaytay. Each bite brings rich indulgent notes perfectly capped by the equally rich and deep flavors of the Classic Cacao.

The Creme Brûlée Cake (P 255) is another must-try at Hello Café with its delicately torched caramelized layer pairing well with their specialty brews.

Still hungry? Can't go wrong with the Tapsilog (P 290) and an ice-cold brew at Hello Café, just ask the servers what's cold at the chillers.

That evening, Hello Café served up warm and fresh popcorn for Movie Night...

...as Maverick saves the day once more on the screen. Good food, good coffee, crunchy popcorn and an al fresco theater with the cool Tagaytay breeze, it just doesn't get better than that.

For the young couple Aaron and Leslie, Hello Café is just the start of even more better things yet to come. But like all good things, they're taking it slow with one soothing cup at a time. 

The coffee scene in Tagaytay picks up the pace after the long days of the quarantine, with new concepts rejuvenating the southern destination. Like they say, you can't have enough coffee shops in Tagaytay, and Hello Café is one more name to add to your list of options. 

There is a prevailing yet cautious mood of renewed optimism in Tagaytay led by new restaurant concepts and cafés, and that's a good sign. The bounce back is real, as Tagaytay's culinary landscape continues to evolve and change with the times. Meanwhile, say hello and have a soothing cup of freshly brewed coffee at Hello Café and stay a while. And experience the new wave of fresh flavors rising from the famed southern destination... 

Hello Cafe is located at Lot 2F-8, Polivel Subdivision, Maitim, Second East, Tagaytay, Cavite. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/hellocafe.ph/ for more information and updates.

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