Sunday, March 20, 2016

Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe: Metro Manila's First Cycling Cafe


Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe is a specialty cafe and a specialty retail shop for cycling, swimming, and running all rolled into one. They just recently opened on February 2016 along Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City in hopes of breaking away from traditional sports retail stores and typical neighborhood cafes. Located inside the Sparta Complex, the Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe hopes to be a hub where athletes and fitness buffs can enjoy outstanding great, good food, and top-quality coffee. 

Putting up a specialty cafe wasn't initially part of the plan, but after going on a coffee crawl across Los Angeles, shop owner and cycling coach Andy Leuterio said that if he were to serve coffee then they might as well serve only the best - similar to the rest of the cycling, swimming, and equipment that he sells at the specialty retail shop. With that, they took up coffee classes at EDSA Beverage Design Group so that they can start serving their patrons specialty coffee.

If you're looking for a list of the brands they offer, check out their Facebook page. Here's a bit more about what makes Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe stand out. 



The store sells all sorts of specialty gear that cyclists at any stage, whether you're just starting out or competing professionally, would want to have as part of your arsenal. The most expensive bike they have costs as much as a second-hand vehicle - a couple of hundred thousand dollars! The shop also has a bike fit or coaching studio and a bike spa.

After listening to Andy talk about bikes, you can see that he's so passionate about it. If you see him around, it will be great to let him guide you in getting the perfect bike for your needs. 


It's pretty amazing how Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe blends the concept of part specialty retail store and part coffee shop beautifully. The atmosphere is great since it's quiet and is just a nice place to either grab a cup of coffee before an working out or just to hang out and get some food after an intense session at the gym. 


Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe offers 5 single-origin varieties from around the globe and 1 special blend. The Ethiopia Sidamo Hunkute is roasted by YKW Roasters - one of Manila's top coffee roasters - while the other single-origins were roasted by a fairly new roaster in Manila, Bean & Barley.

We tried just one single-origin varieties today but I can't wait to try their other single origins such as the Burundi Rurira (which has a very sweet, caramel aroma) and the Guatamela Huehuetenango (notes of chocolate and nuts). I found that these were some pretty unique single origins that I haven't encountered in Manila's other specialty cafes. I would love to have a taste! 


We tried the Ethiopia Sidamo Hunkute Pour-Over Coffee (Php 140) which was brewed over a Chemex. As soon as the coffee was served, you can smell the sweetness of the brew, which is very typical from Ethiopian coffees. The coffee had sweet, floral notes of Jasmine with a citrus-like acidity and a bit of bitterness. I personally liked it, although I was expecting it to be a bit more bright and fruity, similar to a delicious Ethiopia Konga or Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.

You can also try it brewed over a Hario V60 but I personally prefer the Chemex for Ethopian Coffees. They also have plans of getting an Aeropress so that you have another option, which I find to be great with coffees that have notes of chocolate and nuts. 


The coffee was brewed over a Chemex and here's how it looks like, the Chemex has been touted as the scientifically correct way of brewing coffee and is one of the best coffee gears on that serious coffee enthusiasts need to have as part of their brew bar. The Chemex is recognized in the Smithsonian Museum for its excellent design and elegance

It's known for producing very clear cups of coffee when using their signature cone-shaped paper filters, and I've had some of the best coffee using the Chemex. It's often used to bring out subtle fruity notes from fruity single-origin coffees.


We also tried a Latte (Php 130) and it had a rich, strong coffee flavor with a natural caramel sweetness. Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe also uses espresso beans sources from YKW Roasters, which explains why it's really yummy.

I'm also curious to find out if they make a pretty good Cappuccino or Piccolo Latte. These classics help you judge how good a coffee shop is. 


Maximus also has a number of cold brew creations and we had the opportunity to try the Dark Matter Strawberry Blast (Php 200) which is made with cold brew YKW's Dark Matter Theory Espresso Beans. The flavor in this drink is amazing since it just had the right balance of sweets and it reminds me of a glass of Tequila Rose, without the alcohol. 

The Dark Matter Strawberry Blast was rich and very addicting. A definite must-try when you drop by Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe!


The Aligue Pasta (Php 220) was hearty and was flavored nicely with crab fat and the olives just balances everything quite well. It's a great dish for lunch and it pairs nicely with a cappuccino or latte. It's one of their best dishes! 


I really liked the Feta, Cream Cheese, and Mozarella Grilled Sandwich with Spanish Sardines (Php 200) of the two sandwiches we had. It was full of flavor, had a kick of heat, and was nicely grilled. You can substitute the sardines with chorizo , but I personally prefer the kick of spice from the sardines. It's a great post-workout sandwich! 


I'm picky when it comes to Chocolate Cake and I must say their version is pretty delicious. It's full of dense, chocolate goodness that's just perfect with Brazil or Guatemala single origins. It's not the best chocolate cake in Metro Manila but it's a nice dessert to share with 2-3 friends. 



The Red Velvet Cake was my favorite cake, mainly because of the really tasty cream cheese frosting. It's a nice, sweet dessert that also pairs well with brewed coffee or a latte. The cake is quite rich so make sure you bring a couple of your friends. 


You can also bring home a bag of their Signature Spartacus Blend that's a blend of Costa Rice and Brazil coffees. I'm not sure about the flavor notes yet but I'll keep you posted. 

Food Quality: 4.0
Service Quality: -
Ambiance: 4.5

Overall Quality: 4.0


The next time I'm around Pioneer Street, I'm definitely dropping by Maximus Athlete's Coffee Shop again to try more single-origin coffee varieties. They certainly offer a lot more in the shop that we haven't had the opportunity to try just yet. 

If you find yourself in Mandaluyong, you should drop by Maximus Athlete's Coffee Shop for good coffee and to check out their wide selection of cycling gear. You can expect good food, top-notch coffee, and a nice quiet space for fitness buffs to enjoy. See you there! 


Maximus Athlete's Coffee Shop
 Space 1, Level C, FMF Business Center, 126 Sparta Complex, 
Pioneer Street, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City

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Cheers,
Chef Jay

Maximus Athlete's Shop Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review. The author did not pay for any of the dishes mentioned in this article. This, however, does not impair the unbiased opinion of the reviewer. 

2 comments:

  1. That's a unique concept. Marrying cafe and sports shop sounds like a winner to me.
    The food looks delish too. Plus the interior looks so homey and comfy. My kind of place.

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  2. I love the space here. I attended an amazing event here and I ate more than I should. I had bread pudding, apple crisp, waffles and strawberries and cream. The main floor of seattle venues is very large and good size without being overwhelming, also there's tons of bar space too to order drinks.

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