What Makes a Good Cafe

As of late, cafe establishments have skyrocketed in number in the City of Pines. They're basically everywhere. It's the new trend - where people are going from cafe to cafe and judging its overall experience. But as life is, things come and go. Not every cafe stands the test of time. Competition becomes stiff, new ideas are running out, customers slowly find new cafes, and eventually, they shut down.

As a frequent cafe visitor, I believe that the following criteria are what makes me keep on going back to the cafes that I love:

1. Location
When the infamous phase "San tayo kakain?" ("Where are we eating?") phase is brought up, there are a lot of factors that come to it. One of the most important is the location itself. If it is too far, then chances are it will not be taken into consideration.

Therefore, it is best that it is around the Central Business District area. More folks will be coming into the cafes.


2. Ambiance

Recently, cafes have made it so their ambiance matches with their food. Its "Instagram-worthines" has taken Baguio to storm. The cafes featured are Vanilla Cafe (first picture) and Lolita Bistro Cafe (second picture). From kamisetahotel (first picture) and FindGoodBaguioFoods (second picture).

Ambiance means the entire environment setting and the vibe it gives out. This includes the interior design, furniture, staff uniform, and music.

This is the thing that makes people go to your cafe in the first place. Give them what they would like to experience. Most cafes have a calming vibe - as it is mostly used for studying and creating outputs, as well as relaxing conversations with friends and family. Recently, cafes have also started making themes for their ambiance; backed up with their food and beverage selection.

Ultimately, your place has to be inviting enough. You know you've done it well if they take a picture of the place and deem it "Instagram-worthy".


3. Beverages

Just a few from Yagam Cafe's wide selection of beverages. From Martin Andrade.

Coffee is the blood, heart, and soul of the cafe. There is no right for you to call the establishment a cafe without their signature blend of coffee. Therefore, the coffee preparation is as meticulous as it should be. There are a number of ways to brew coffee, each giving different results of the coffee bean of choice. Here's just a few from fotolia.com:

Not only should a cafe's beverage be coffee, but it should include others like tea, juices, and even alcoholic drinks. Expanding their selection makes them viable for a bigger target audience.


4. Meals

We don't live out of just drinks, right? The dessert selection is from Patch Cafe while the bottom picture is from Secret Garden. From Andrew Bongco Photography at Wordpress (first picture) and X Marks the Spot for Good Baguio Foods (second picture.)

People don't just live off of coffee. Just as the beverages, the meals have to be meticulous and carefully-planned. First of all, it should be viable for any time of the day. Your breakfast meals are something that I should be able to eat at 9 pm. Second, they should complement the taste of the coffee. As coffee is your backbone, your meals should be able to support it.

And of course, it has to be at an affordable price. Nobody really goes to cafes for food. If they do, then it means that it was done well.


5. Staff service

Best staff I've had so far is from Yagam Cafe so shoutout to them. From tripadvisor.

Most of the reasons why I only go to a cafe once is because of the service. Rude and/or unaccommodating staff is one of the biggest turn-offs for anyone in the service industry. How the staff treat their customers is just as important as the ambiance and food and beverages; it makes or breaks the entire experience.

The staff represents the company. How they act is how the customers perceive the company.