Mabuhay Craft Coffee, Now Brewin' Coolness 24/7 Along A. Mabini In San Juan

The San Juan neighborhood gets a cool caffeine fix from Chef Kel Zaguirre and his team. Creative, contemporary and proudly local, come in for a soothing cup of coffee and hearty bites fresh off the oven at Mabuhay Craft Coffee...

After the successful opening of Binondo Boys in Quezon City (see more on my post That Cool Chinatown Vibe With Sumptuous Dim Sum, Noods, Rice Toppings And An Inventive Secret Menu By The Binondo Boys from early January this year), Chef Kel Zaguirre is back with yet another innovative cool 24/7 concept with Mabuhay Craft Coffee in San Juan. This time, Chef Kel Zaguirre takes a deeper dive into the local coffee culture injecting his team's creative and even playfully inventive and quirky style adding a unique element to your coffee experience. The enjoyment of coffee is intensely personal, and Chef Kel Zaguirre knows this as Mabuhay Craft Coffee is poised to be your neighborhood go-to spot for exquisite local coffee, tasty fresh-baked bites and even cocktails. So pick your seat and enjoy a moment of cool at one of the metro's true chef-driven coffee destinations...

Located along A. Mabini in the maze of winding streets in San Juan, one can easily spot Mabuhay Craft Coffee with its distinctive floral logo reflecting the brand's values on "freshness, comfort and welcoming community-centric" vibe. And that's exactly what one feels the moment you step inside Mabuhay Craft Coffee...

...with its unique and immersive character weaving traditional Filipino culture through its local artisan coffee creations and nostalgic baked offerings and pastries with a contemporary and modern café flair. Right off the bat, you just know this isn't your usual coffee spot, exuding the vibrant community spirit and connection while supporting local farmers tying the brand concept and setting in a seamless blend. There's a calming and welcoming warmth that greets you from the friendly staff to the fragrant aromas of its tempting artisan brews and wide selection of local-inspired fresh-baked treats to the cozy and even homey setting that defines the tone for your coffee experience at Mabuhay Craft Coffee. Finally, you found your own personal spot to enjoy your caffeine fix...

Culinary maven and rebel, Chef Kel Zaguirre boldly explores flavorful possibilities unrestrained by rules and I've been fortunate to experience his innovative renditions from his various concepts through the years on the blog from as far back as 2015 (for more on Chef Kel Zaguirre, see my posts on his epic culinary journey and his many concepts with Make Me Fat. Please. At FAT Restaurant. from more than a decade ago, A Weekend Brunch At Locavore and Let's Do Lunch...Locavore Style both from 2016, Be Inspired At U Hotels Makati, The First Art Hotel In Poblacion featuring a stop at Chef Kel's Fyre Rooftop Lounge from 2018, Poblacion Finds: Obama Noodles, Pho and Morning Glory At VBQ Vietnamese BBQ from 2019, Kampai! Chef Mikel Zaguirre Redefines Japanese Bar Food At Kampai In Makati's Poblacion from 2021 and A Tipple And Tasty Bites On The Rooftop At Takao Studios Coffee from 2022). His latest concept, Binondo Boys (more on my post here), Mabuhay Craft Coffee and Malagihay Cocktail Club (up next soon on the blog) each reflect the next chapter in his continuing story while enriching the local dining scene. And Chef Kel Zaguirre remains a man on a mission, constantly challenging the culinary landscape with his bold take on flavors in his evolving repertoire of novel concepts. 

Inside, the space may be small but never feels cramped to dampen the coolness. Mabuhay Craft Coffee is your own personal space or if you choose, your virtual office with each table equipped with outlets and wifi access 24/7. Yet it's a place that brings back real connections with that neighborhood vibe. Anchored on the finest local artisan Arabica coffee beans from Mount Apo in Mindanao as their flavorful base, Mabuhay Craft Coffee brews an impressive selection of soothing variations from classics like the Flat White (P 210 Hot/P 220 Cold), Cappuccino (P 220), Long Black (P 140 Hot/P 150 Cold), Double Espresso (P 150) and Tablea Mocha (P 270 Hot/P 280 Cold)... 

...to creative seasonal renditions from their recent Mabu-Hei Fat Choi collection for Chinese New Year like the hopia-infused Hopiaccino with its sweet nutty hints finished by the bold notes of espresso and garnished of course with the traditional dice cake hopia. The subtle sweetness of the local Mt. Apo Arabica delivers delectable hints of milk, chocolate, caramel and sweet berries that complements the imaginative variations at Mabuhay Craft Coffee. The previous Chinese New Year collection included even more inventive renditions like the Dirty Coco Tikoy, Hopia Latte, Black Buchi Hojicha Ice and Magic Americano. If you missed the Mabu-Hei Fat Choi offerings, Mabuhay Craft Coffee's regular menu also presents tempting options reflecting Chef Mikel Zaguirre's and his team's playful inventiveness like the wittingly named Gatcha! (P 260 Hot/P 280 Cold) with gata or coconut milk, matcha and latik or fried coconut milk, the Ube Latik Latte (P 240 Hot/P 260 Cold), Dirty White Champorado Latte (P 260 Hot/P 280 Cold) and Salt Foam Latte (P 260 Iced) made with espresso, condensed milk and topped with asin tibuok foam. 

The latte creations celebrate local flavors, reimagined with a creative twist like the childhood street classic Dirty Iskrambol (P 260 Iced) made with espresso, white malagkit latte, dulce de gatas and cinnamon for that fun and nostalgic take. Rich and indulgent, this one's just what you need with summer just around the corner. 

And speaking of summer, Mabuhay Craft Coffee will soon be launching a new seasonal menu for summer inspired by familiar street staples. The Pineapple Espresso Soda (240) from their current menu provides a clue on the new summer collection. Refreshing notes balanced by the deep hints of espresso, the Pineapple Espresso Soda is just one of many unique beverage options at Mabuhay Craft Coffee. 

Pair your soothing brew with tasty bites like the fresh baked bread, cookies and pastries at Mabuhay Craft Coffee...

...like the flaky and cheesy Spaghetti Joy, a laminated pastry with its delicate buttery layers filled with spaghetti noods. An ode to childhood flavors, the intricate pastry with its light and airy crispness drapes the palate with a play on mildly sweet and savory notes from the Pinoy style spaghetti that's both hearty and sumptuous warming the palate with fond memories with each bite. And no, you won't find anything like this anywhere else, only at Mabuhay Craft Coffee. 

The decadent viennoiserie options with puffed pastry or leavened laminated dough are just some more reasons to visit Mabuhay Craft Cafe, with the Tocinossant (P 290) with sweet pork tocino and Pansibuyas with onions offering a savory and delightful twist to the unique Mabuhay Craft Coffee experience. 

The Kouignsaymada (P 290) is another tasty number at Mabuhay Craft Coffee. A Kouign-amann  and ensaymada mash-up, this one works to complete your afternoon coffee break injected with an element of fun. 

And there's more. Enjoy a generous dab of the creamy Sour Bistek and Onion Aioli (P 450) on flaky Croissandesal (P 250-7 pcs) for that French spin on the local pandesal or the Sourdough with Roasted Bawang and Linga (P 350-Whole/P 90-2 slices). You can also opt for the buttery Umami Mantikilya (P 450) or Panjam (P 450,) a cool pandan jam with their signature sourdough. 

From Mabuhay Craft Coffee's cookie jar, the Champorado Cookie (P 140), Cacao Crinkles (P 260) and Yema Blondie (P 260) present even more indulgent options for that perfect coffee moment. From the fresh baked sourdough, pastries and cookies, Chef Mikel Zaguirre and his team nails the concept with a unique menu. 

There are coffee joints and then there's Mabuhay Craft Coffee. From concept and the quaint and homey neighborhood spot to its lavish coffee creations using 100% artisan Arabica from Mount Apo to the exquisite array of Filipino-inspired viennoiserie style treats, sourdough bread, pastries and cookies, each element is tied together by an advocacy for local flavors and produce in a tight weave. With Chef Mikel Zaguirre and his team leading the charge for another unique concept that simply cuts through the competitive and cluttered cafe landscape, Mabuhay Craft Coffee brings clarity to the maze of options far off the beaten track. And it just works for a refreshing change of pace while striking that delicate balance between relevant differentiation and respect for your own personal coffee experience. And you'll have to agree, that's pretty cool. 

That calls for one more Dirty White Champorado or a Salt Foam Latte finished with asin tibuok and bringing real connections back to the neighborhood. And yes, one more Tocinossant and Spaghetti Joy too for good measure. And you'll only find these along the winding streets of San Juan at Mabuhay Craft Coffee...

Mabuhay Craft Coffee is located at 193 A. Mabini, San Juan City, Metro Manila. You can also visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/p/Mabuhay-Craft-Coffee and https://www.instagram.com/mabuhaycraftcoffee/ for more information and updates or call 0927 353 9971 for inquiries. 

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