I prefer generally The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to Starbucks, OR even the local brand here in the Philippines, they’re called Bo’s Coffee. I know this won’t sit well with a lot of the Starbucks fans, but I really think they have better choices. I feel like going to Starbucks has become boring if you will and frankly basic. There are so many options everywhere else and definitely more options in the Philippines. As I’ve mentioned Bo’s Coffee is a favorite, there’s also another new favorite of mine called Toby’s Estate Coffee shop.

So the very first time I went into a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, I was in Southern California, in Downey to be exact. I had an Iced Americano and a muffin; I think something called a Morning Glory Muffin or something like that. It seemed to me at the time a very California inspired name, but it wasn’t and I guess it was a thing. But it was a good muffin nonetheless. I think it was like a bran muffin of some sort, and raisins and some sort of nut, maybe walnuts and cinnamon, It felt like a carrot cake muffin. So that being said they also had sandwiches, wraps, etc. the usual fare for a cafe.

Fast forward to a few months ago and I know I’d seen several Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s in the Philippines, some in Cebu and in Manila. Lyn and I went into one for breakfast and I thought okay maybe a wrap or a muffin and a coffee or tea for breakfast. Well color me happy, they had actual breakfast like full on breakfast meal offerings. I saw a Filipino breakfast, you know the standard Garlic Rice, eggs, and of course some sort of meat, i.e. longanisa, tapa, or tocino, and maybe they had bangus (milkfish), I couldn’t remember, but a number of other offerings.

I opted for a cup of Cappuccino and the Pinoy breakfast of garlic rice, eggs, and longanisa, which did not disappoint and Lyn had the open face tuna melt sandwich with chips which was quite good as well.

The prices, since we were in the BGC area were close to stateside prices so about $18 bucks for both of our meals. Whenever you eat at more tourist places or where more foreigners are prices tend to be on a much higher scale, the outer areas aren’t so pricey.