Moving to a new neighborhood can be socially challenging. The change in scenery and the unfamiliar people in a different environment gives a foreign feeling. However, a house and lot for sale in Cagayan de Oro City near friendly and cheerful establishments can turn frowns into smiles.

For people who want a taste of something familiar in a new setting, coffee houses are the best places to be. Luckily, Kagay-anons are the perfect hosts. They know how to transform each place to make it feel like home. To get a dose of the familiar and cozy, here are four local cafés to visit.

 

1. Bean Voyage

Of the many spots at Marfori Compound, a cafe stands out for serving a heavenly drink for all tastes. Bean Voyage, is a travel-inspired coffee shop at the streets of Pabayo and Gaerlan. The quaint interior of the cafe exhibits a world map and a group of wall clocks. The clocks show the time in various famous cities – Beijing, London, Manila, New York and Sydney. Besides the clocks and the map that serves as an accent wall, it also has signages pointing to various city centers and country capitals. The travel agency beside the cafe, En Route, emphasizes the feeling of preparing for a journey.

People enjoy the ambiance of Bean Voyage because the place is well-maintained. It’s clean, and the staff is friendly and warm. Moreover, having your face on your drink adds to the fun. The cafe serves Selfie Coffee, wherein the customer’s selected photo is on top of the beverage using whipped cream, giving the coffee a very personal flair. The customer must upload the photo on the cafe’s Facebook Page to enjoy a cup of the creamy selfie.

Bean Voyage also serves non-caffeinated and blended drinks, breakfast meals, cakes, pasta, and snacks. Guest are sure to enjoy the magic of the Rainbow Cake and the tasteful Caramel Brownie Cheesecake. For pasta, the best-sellers are Tomato Basil Linguine and Tuna Pesto Fettuccine. The flavors of their meals complement the handcrafted drinks.

 

2. Chingkeetea

Continuing the journey at Pabayo Street, there’s another spot that’s a hit with students and the younger crowd. The Pimentel Residence at Hayes Street houses Chingkeetea, the best milk tea place in CDO. The success of the scrapbook-themed tea house made it possible for them to expand into multiple branches.

Chingkeetea now has a branch at Grand Central Building on Pabayo-Hayes Streets. The place includes an alfresco lounge. The interior is unique as it features the artworks of Sharee Mae “Chingkee” Te, owner and founder. Her love of art, specifically painting, and painting gave birth to Chingkeetea.

The new home of the best-selling Wintermelon Milk Tea occupies three levels. The cafe continues to keep the fun and interest of its patrons by conducting events such as Trivia Nights, Poetry Nights and Art Fairs. Moreover, the menu isn’t limited to milk and bubble teas. It also has fruit teas, hot and brewed teas, coffee and Yakult-based drinks. The cafe also has an artisan collection, which features a list of concoctions by Chingkee.

 

3. Dave’s Beanery

Passing to Kauswagan Highway, there’s a coffee house that is hard to miss. The interior has natural, polished wood from discarded crates and leftovers. Refurbishing the materials to make use of them as pieces of furniture, counters, and surfaces gives Dave’s Beanery its distinct identity.

Since the wood is maintained to look as close to the original, it requires effort to preserve the shine of the materials. Other than the earthy interior, the coffee place is a hit with the people of all ages because of their Wi-fi connection. The cafe now has two branches in Kauswagan.

Kagay-anons visit the Beanery to get their fix of Brazo de Mercedes, Midnight Cake, and thin crust pizzas. The Al Prosciutto and Three Cheese pizza are crowd favorites. Of course, the in-house organic coffee is something to try. The Black Eye, the strongest coffee on the menu, claims to be the strongest in the whole city as well.

 

4. The Librewry Café

“It’s a library, with the convenience of a coffee shop,” said Kyna Flores.

During college, she conducted a feasibility study on the concept which proved to be useful. Thanks to the partnership with her brother and some friends, The Librewry Café came to life.

The cafe has all the essentials of a library – chairs, desks, tables, and bookshelves. The layout is conducive to group study sessions or simply getting lost in a good book. One can enjoy a calm and productive environment for twenty-five pesos per hour. Moreover, there are books of various genres on the shelves. There are new and old titles so everyone can take a pick from the shelves.

The Librewry Café serves drinks, snacks, and rice meals. Thus, students cramming for a test or professionals in a rush to polish their presentations can enjoy the comfort of the cafeteria as long as they want. The café is open twenty-four hours a day and supports the local industry of Mindanao as it obtains its coffee beans from the region’s small scales farmers.

There are other cafés in CDO worth the visit besides the five on the list. There’s Pane e Dolci (Translation: Bread and Cake) that serves Italian, French and Filipino inspired dishes. The café’s Sylvanas, Leche Flan, and Affogato that’s always a crowd favorite. Another French-inspired caféteria is Maison de Bonbon (Translation: House of Sweets). Customers enjoy the clean, crisp and modern interior that is perfect for special events.

All the cafés on the list are products of a Kagay-anon’s hard work and hospitality. The food, decorations, and service are designed to provide the best experience for their customers. Indeed, the warmth of Cagayan de Oro applies to all aspects of their life.