The Giving Cafe, or just TGC, is a new cafe along Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong (near the more popular Pioneer Street) that seeks to make a difference to the local coffee community. It functions as a social enterprise, where a portion of the proceeds from select dishes supports the Foundation for Sustainable Coffee Excellence geared towards helping the coffee farmers in La Trinidad, Benguet.
The cafe is being run by Henry and Sons, a total coffee solutions company that has been around for years. With over 50 years of coffee experience that offers unique crop-to-cup coffee solutions, if there's a company that would know how to run a cafe, it's Henry and Sons.
They also recently rolled out Bloom Coffee, where you can support a specific issue that's troubling La Trinidad coffee farms but let's delve more on that later.
Here's a look into the new social enterprise...
The cafe features all the different coffees from Henry and Sons, which include their Signature Coffee Blends, Bloom Coffee, as well as the more premium Monogram Coffee.
When I first heard about The Giving Cafe being managed by Henry and Sons, I did have my doubts on whether or not they operated as a specialty coffee shop. After my visit, I think they have a little bit for everyone. They still cater to the traditional coffee consumer - who can care less about acidity, body, and fruitiness in coffee - but also have something on offer for the specialty coffee person due to their Monogram Coffee line.
They also sell specialty coffee equipment in case you're interested. For an introduction to specialty coffee equipment, check this article.
The cafe itself is very quirky, with a lot of antiques and trinkets said to be a glimpse into the home of the owners. It's very much like an old house turned into a cafe. I guess the owners were trying to pull off a welcome atmosphere where you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee or tea and a hot meal. They indeed delivered!
The cafe serves three different specialty coffees in their Monogram line, which includes coffee from the tried-and-true Ethiopia, Malawi, and Nicaragua. You can have these as a Coffee Journey (Php 118) or as a Coffee Flights of the Day (Php 288). If you're with a friend, I would highly recommend the coffee flight!
Kindly note that monogram coffees are not included the cafe's list of charitable dishes. It's best to ask which dishes/drinks are included if you are really intent on giving back!
You can choose the brewing method for the beans if you're particular. I had mine brewed over a Hario V60, which helps bring out some very clean fruity notes from my cup. I believe you can also have your coffee brewed over a Coffee Siphon (recommended for coffee with chocolate notes or blends) or with an Aeropress.
This is how your coffee is served, which comes with a nice note on the coffee origin you ordered along with the ground beans that you can smell. I love the presentation! The coffee also tasted great, well worth the money I paid for it.
Honestly, I would have been willing to pay a higher price if only it had a portion of it going to charity!
The Bloom Coffee line is your means to giving back to La Trinidad coffee farmers. The beans itself is a blend of roasted Arabica and Robusta beans from La Trinidad. Unfortunately, in terms of flavor it's not a bag that a specialty coffee drinker like me would really enjoy, but it's dark chocolate and nutty notes will definitely help wake you up in the morning.
For every bag bought, Php 50 will go to a specific cause. For a list of the different causes you can help support, check out the photo below! The coffee bag will have brewing instructions for those of you not into the science of coffee making.
I would love to support The Giving Well, Cup to Seed, and Beans within Reach because these particularly help bring Philippine coffee to the global coffee scene. Companies such as Kalsada also help make that a reality. It's my hope that the quality of Philippine coffee with improve substantially over the next few years to be in similar standing with the Brazils and the Ethiopias of the world.
Food Quality: 3.5
Service Quality: 4.0
Ambiance: 4.0
Overall Rating: 3.5
Overall Rating: 3.5
I love the idea that you can give back just by enjoying good food and a tasty cup of coffee. Hope you can drop by The Giving Cafe at Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong! It's worth the visit.
Further reading you might like:
- Coffee Gear That Will Instantly Help You Brew a Better Cup
- Enjoy the Best Freshly-Roasted Coffee Beans Delivered Straight to Your Door
- The Northern Taste Coffee Company: Affordable, Freshly-Roasted Philippine Coffee
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Cheers,
Chef Jay
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