"How Coffee Should Be"Being one of the newest brands in the coffee shop business, Bialetti Caffe claims to provide customer service that is beyond the usual coffee experience. With branches in and around the metro, Bialetti Café strives to win over coffee-holics with its own brand of coffee and a cozy place for you and your friends to hang out.
The question is, are you willing to give up that cup of Starbucks
for a cup of Bialetti? Here’s a quick review of the coffee shop to help you
out.
Location
Now, if you’re living in other provinces, especially in the
Visayas and Mindanao region, the nearest branches to you will be that in
Masbate and the one in Zamboanga del Sur.
Ambiance
The overall look of Bialetti Caffe exudes a roomy and airy
feel. The Batangas branch we visited has high ceilings and mirrored walls that
seemingly increase the amount of space inside the shop.
The lighting inside the shop is also quite nice. There are
huge windows that let natural light in during the day which are complimented by
warm light coming from their lighting fixtures. At night, the place looks even
better thanks to multiple funky looking chandeliers installed in different
parts of the shop.
There’s also a balcony where people who want natural
ventilation or those people who smoke can dine and drink their coffee. The
balcony has at least one or two shaded tables with outdoor furniture made of
woven synthetic material.
Unfortunately, the Bialetti Caffe must have forgotten that
outdoor furniture is supposed to stay outdoors because they also use the same
type of chairs, tables and sofas inside the store. The murals and artwork in
the shop weren’t also that interesting if I may say. I would have preferred
real artworks rather than commercialized ones that serve as advertisements.
Food and Drinks
The drinks and beverages department of Bialetti offers utmost
an above average selection of hot and cold coffee drinks as well as frappes and
shakes. For hot beverages, serving size is average and is served in clear glass
mugs. Cold beverages, like smoothies and frappezioso, are served in high, slim
glass cups, which can sometimes be troublesome as the drinking straw they
provide falls short in reaching the bottom of the glass. Aside from that, the
drinks and beverages offerings from BC are quite good.
Food on the other hand is quite a different story. At best,
BC offers a moderate range in terms of food selection. Customers are treated to
a limited number of dishes such as pasta dishes, paninis and crepes.
Furthermore, the branch we visited does not offer pastries, which could have
been the best food to partner with hot coffee. However, serving size is quite
generous, which at least justifies its above average price.
Amenities and Customer Service
Just like in any other coffee shop, Bialetti Caffe offer
wi-fi connectivity to its customers. Although we were the only ones in the shop
during that time, the connection is stable and fast enough for browsing the
internet.
Restrooms were very clean and the entire shop is monitored
via CCTV cameras. The staff was very courteous and pay attention to customer’s
needs. Food serving time was also good (but yet again, we were the only
customers at that time so it’s a little hard to tell) as our drinks and meals
were served in less than 15 minutes.
The Verdict
To sum it all up, Bialetti Caffe is the type of coffee shop
that provides average to above average customer experience and satisfaction.
They offer a good amount of selection when it comes to the food and drinks they
offer at prices that some can consider affordable. But is it enough to win
Starbucks, Seattle’s Best or Figaro customers? I think not.
In the end, this coffee shop would just fall as a substitute
to coffee lovers when a Starbucks coffee shop is not within reach or for people
who wants to try out a different brew. Don’t get me wrong, the place is not bad,
it’s actually quite nice; it’s just not good enough to beat Starbucks yet.
