For anyone living a busy and hectic life, coffee would probably be one of the top things on a list of items that one can’t live without. And with the invention of instant coffee and pre-made coffee mixes, people can now easily have access to this beverage. But for those still looking for the old fashioned brewed coffee or something similar even with their fast-paced lifestyle, there are a number of premium coffee shops that would serve great-tasting coffee fast and quick to meet your busy schedules.

Here are a few options you guys might want to check out when getting that much needed caffeine boost to relieve work-related stress or when you just need additional energy to get some things done.

Starbucks

Starbucks is the world’s largest coffeehouse company that serves a variety of coffee and coffee-related products all around the globe. In the Philippines, Starbucks is one of the most popular premium coffee shops with branches all over the country. Aside from its branches in the Philippines, the company also operates in 60 countries including Canada, Japan, Great Britain and China to name a few.

Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, cold drinks like frappes, coffee beans, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, Panini, sweet pastries, snacks and other items such as mugs and tumblers.

Seattle’s Best Coffee

Seattle’s Best Coffee is a wholly owned subsidiary of Starbucks. As the name implies, the head office of this coffee shop is located in Seattle, Washington in the US. In general, products sold by Seattle’s Best are more affordable compared to that of Starbucks as the brand targets the working class sector of the economy.

Also, similar to Starbucks, Seattle’s Best offer similar menus to their customers. This include a similar set of hot and cold coffee and beverages, salads, sandwiches, pastries and other items like coffee beans, tumblers, coffee complements and gift items.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Another American coffee brand with various branches in the Philippines is The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Mostly referred to as just “The Coffee Bean”, this coffee shop has around 33 stores located all around the metro. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is operated by the International Coffee & Tea, LLC which is based in Los Angeles, California.

The chain has around 830 stores in 23 countries including Australia, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, Cambodia and Vietnam to name a few. The Coffee bean serves brewed coffee drinks, espresso drinks, brewed tea drinks, tea lattes and ice blended beverages.

Figaro Coffee

Figaro Coffee is a Filipino chain of coffee shops and restaurants. The design of the coffee shops were fashioned from European styled cafes. The brand mostly offers products and services to upscale customers through premium coffee products brewed and prepared according to the traditions and high standards of French and Italian cafes.

Figaro Coffee stores are usually located in upscale malls like ATC, the Podium and Greenbelt, but you may occasionally find them in less high-end locations. Their menu usually includes an array of sandwiches, pastries and baked products, pasta, pizza, rice meals, salads, and of course hot and cold drinks.

Café Breton

Last but definitely not the least is Café Breton. Although not as popular as the other four in the list, Café Breton offers quite a number of products specifically targeted to those who love continental and European flavours.  Currently, this coffee shop has stores in Tomas Morato, SM Mall of Asia, Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, Westgate, The Podium, UP Ayala Land TechnoHub, Pasong Tamo and in Robinsons Place Manila.

Their menu includes a fine set of savoury galettes, savoury crepe combination, sandwiches, salads, dessert crepes, ice cream, other savoury dishes made from fish and pork, juices and beverages, coffee drinks, cola coffee and even beer.

"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

So far, Bialetti Caffe has established a few branches here in Luzon. There is one in Quezon City along Matino street, corner Matahimik St.  and another in Quiapo for those living within the Metro Manila area.   If you live down south of Luzon, there is a branch in Bacoor, Cavite and another one in Tanauan, Batangas.

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.