Sooo…my sister and I were to visit coffee shops here in Legazpi as part of laying the foundation for our dreams- managing our own coffee shop. The first ever cafe we visited was The Thinking Cup, located in Arboleda St., Daraga, Albay. It is an old house remodeled as a cafe and based from my friend, it was supposedly a project collaboration between Bicol University students and their professors, but due to popular demand, the cafe’s now a regular running business. Here’s what it looks like from the outside…
Basically, it is an old house, with wide front and back yards so the ventilation is not a problem. For nature lovers, this cafe is certainly a go-to. The moment we entered, we couldn’t help but gush and fish our phones from our bags to take photos. The interior was cute and rustic. They even have a freedom board where guests could write and the menu was also written on the board which had that ole cafe appeal.
At the ground floor is their freedom wall slash menu, so you can promptly place your orders, especially for hungry souls. There is also the counter and along one side of the wall are some books lined up for sale.
Buuuut…what’s so good about this cafe is that it is a paradise for the artist. Up on the second floor is a wide array of books, which can be read by the customers. Paintings by a student also decorate the walls. The cafe also holds a writing contest, so- called The Quivering Quill Writing Project.
You can read while eating :D And you get to sit on the floor. Isn’t that nice?
These were made by an amateur painter. They patronize local art!
The hanging pictures are actually paintings, too.
As for the food, they serve meals fit for two people. My sister ordered her all- time favorite pancakes and four seasons- flavored juice while I got a bologna sandwich plus iced coffee. Oh, yes, I came for the coffee. However, the cafe is not for coffee enthusiasts, as they served only hot or cold coffee. The usual coffee, except it is your choice if you like it hot or cold. A bit disappointing for my coffee buds, albeit the food was sumptuous and really filling.
Strawberry pancake and Four Seasons juice
They served the coffee in a mason jar! Cute!
Bologna sandwich with kamote chips on the side. Really filling!
If I were to rate the cafe experience, The Thinking Cup would get a four (with five points as the highest) for the location. It is located at the center of the town of Daraga and people can easily find it, as you would only walk straight from the gas station until you find the cafe. No turns, no alleys, just straight across, so the geographically- challenged will have no trouble finding it. As for the interiors, I’d give it a five out of five. No explanations needed for this. Let the photos speak for the place. Food- wise, I’d give it a four. They can still improve the taste, not that my palate complained. Price- wise, this cafe is a five. At a small amount of fifty pesos, you can have their Library meal– potato fries or kamote chips plus a pitcher of lemonade. It is super student- friendly! Another bonus is that you can stay for hours just to finish the book you’re reading. All-in-all, The Thinking Cup gets 18 points out of 20. Not bad for a cafe managed by students :D
Kimchi Thoughts 