Fuel.ph: Your Specialty Coffee Destination in Iloilo City

Fuel.ph is a specialty coffee shop in Iloilo City located along Diversion Road (near Kia Motors outside the Smallville Complex). The coffee shop was founded on one principle - to help people like you and me pursue their life passions. So far, Fuel.ph has done just that by being the venue where people meet to share their passions on art, music, dance, photography and much more. Fuel regularly hosts events such Doodle Thursdays or Open Mic Nights to encourage people to share their passions with the rest of Iloilo City.

Another great thing to know is that Fuel.ph is also a budding social enterprise. They serve only locally-grown Philippine Arabica coffee beans sourced from Benguet for their hand-brews and they use some of their profit to donate to local causes. I remember a previous campaign where Fuel.ph was raising funds to help build Rain Catch Mechanisms in Barangay Calajunan through their Snowball promo.



They re-opened their doors just last September 15, 2014 after briefly closing shop following the tragic loss of CEO Mathew Barr and his wife Hailey, victims of car accident in their hometown of Louisiana.

The moment you enter Fuel.ph, you will be greeted by a beautiful cozy store and the array of coffee brewing equipment on display. You can choose the brewing method you prefer, whether it's Kalita, V60, or Chemex. These are all pour-over methods of brewing coffee. I would recommend that they also include the french press as an option, since there are some coffee enthusiasts who prefer the bolder flavor that comes with coffee prepared using the press method.

You can also have your choice of coffee beans. You can choose between two medium roasted beans - Atok (hints of Passionfruit and nuts) or Tuba (sour berry notes). I was able to get a taste of their medium-dark atok beans as well, which had hints of chocolate and nuts. I personally prefer the Atok beans, but if you don't indicate a preference then I think the default brew would be Tuba beans. I chose the Hario V60 brewing method to try it out, but I recommend you try the Kalita method if you're looking for a stronger brew.

If you want to brew specialty coffee at home, educate yourself on what equipment you need and where you can get freshly roasted coffee beans.

Coffee Brewed with the Kalita Method

The baristas from Fuel.ph were great and friendly. I was particularly impressed with Hector. I had the impression that he tries to craft the perfect cup of coffee each time. It was amazing to watch him work. He made sure that every brewing detail, from temperature to water measurements, were perfectly executed.

The coffee was served in a simple white coffee cup. Classy. You can drink it black or with some sugar and milk. Personally, I always recommend brown sugar with coffee.

You can also order some sandwiches to go with your cup of coffee or tea. I tried the Double Grilled Cheese Sandwih and Garlic Pesto Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Both sandwiches were served with a some popcorn and a delicious dip. I loved the Garlic Pesto Mushroom sandwich!

I was also there during the Sharpie DoodleJam Year Ender. The place was packed and the doodles were beautiful. For samples, you can check out the Fuel.ph Facebook page.

Fuel.ph is open Tuesdays - Saturdays from 2:00pm to 10:00pm. For snapshots of their menu, please see the pictures below. I find that the food they serve is quite affordable.

Food Quality: 3.5

Service Quality: 4.5

Ambiance: 4.0

Overall Quality: 4.0

I can't wait for more people to pursue their passions with the help of this coffee shop in Iloilo City. They have a great cause and I am looking forward for more people to support it. Don't forget to share this precious coffee shop with your Ilonggo friends! 

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Further reading you might like:

• Brewery Gastropub: Serving the Best Imported Beers in Iloilo City
• Enjoy a Top-Notch Gastronomic Experience at Bistro Carcosa
• Have a Taste of Native Iloilo Arabica Coffee at Madge Cafe

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Cheers,
Chef Jay