Bread & Bean Cafe

Coffee and Bread.

If I were to name few things which I consider a match made in heaven, coffee and bread would be one of them. It’s like pen and paper, onion and garlic, Michele and Barack, the list are endless. Yes, each of them can stand on its own, but its mere existence without the other can be painfully sad and boring.

I grew up in a family who has deep-rooted affinity for coffee and bread. As a child, one of my simplest joys was sprinkling sugar in a warm slice of bread smothered with creamy goodness of butter. The butter melts slowly as it penetrates even the smallest morsels of bread, leaving the granules of sugar illuminated, sparkling before my very eyes. One bite and I am transported to my own Neverland. When I reached the age in which I am allowed to drink coffee, my trip to my Neverland becomes more exciting, I already have Peter Pan with me.


In the industry that I am in right now, I have always been grateful to have visited quite a number of places where good food coupled with the charm of excellent service that highlights some of my most unforgettable gastronomical experiences. Yet, in the midst of all things beautiful and appetizing, I still find myself longing for the simple and delicious combination that gives me pleasure. My recent visit at Bread & Bean Café with some blogger friends paved way for me to reached my Neverland again.

Bread and Bean Café in San Juan has always been there for quite awhile now. It used to carry a different name when the owner Kaye was still a franchisee. When they have finished the contract, they did the right thing of having their own coffee shop instead, so, Bread and Bean Café was born.

Cafe Latte

A minute or two after we were warmly welcomed by Kaye, we were served with coffee of our preference. I had a Cafe Latte. The bold taste of espresso mixed with steamed milk conveys a substantial and powerful punctuality of smoothness and balance as you sip on it. The sensation it brought to my tongue prepares me for good things yet to come.

Hot Chocolate

My friend Ern who was with us that time is not a coffee drinker so, he had Hot Chocolate instead. I've had my fair share of memories at Bread & Bean when a cup of steaming hot chocolate comforts me especially during cold rainy days. It never fails to bring out the child in me that yearns to be spoiled with anything worthy to indulge with such as warm and delicately rich chocolate in a cup.

Ham and Cheese Bread with Pesto and Garlic & Paprika Spread

Days after I have tasted these slices of heaven, I am still raving about it. With the choice of pesto and the garlic and paprika spread that comes with it, I could consume the entire loaf of bread with reckless abandon! It was that good. Between the two spread, I fell madly in love with garlic and paprika. Its savory taste beckons. Inviting one to slather its goodness from one slice of bread to another.

Cheesy Pork Floss

Savory pork floss on top of creamy cheese that nestled in a fluffy soft warm bread. When freshly baked Cheesy Pork Floss graced our table, I stared at it for good 20 seconds before I was able to capture it in my camera. It was a sight to behold. The taste was a mere declaration that Pork Floss wasn't just made by a well-known chain of bread shop, because Bread & Bean provides equally good if not better version of this satisfying delight.

Cheesy Logs

Now this reminds me of my childhood favorite, bread with butter and sugar, only this one has a surprise. The warm log of bread richly spread with generous butter and sprinkled with sugar is just an outside appearance that makes one salivates. As you bite into it, you will be greeted with melted cheese lavishly intensifying the goodness of the bread.

Servings of Cheesy Logs and Cheesy Pork Floss

I have a lot of fond memories at Bread & Bean even before when it carries a different name. Friendships were built, dreams were made, hearts were broken, wounds were healed, blessings were celebrated, and even the simple joys of life were witnessed by the silent and observant walls of the café. With an appetite of a food blogger, majority of the time I spent there was graced with a full meal skipping the thought of trying out their freshly baked breads altogether. Little did I know that the brunch we had consisting of coffee and freshly baked breads would still be in my mind days after, haunting me, yearning for a repeat.

Grilled Ensaimada

Ensaimada grilled to perfection. The burnt part is my favorite. It intensifies the richness of the butter and cheese. However, just like their Cheesy Log, I would love to be surprised with something deliciously breath-taking that may come out from the inside, perhaps a melted cheese or salted egg for a good measure. Nevertheless, it is good on its own.

Bacon and Cheese

I always have this love and hate relationship with store bought bacon and cheese Bread. It's either the cheese is overwhelmingly salty or there isn't enough bacon in it. Bread & Bean Bacon and Cheese struck a perfect balance. That is if by "balance", you mean generous amount of Bacon tucked in the bread covered with shreds of cheese, then you might agree with me.

Cold Coffee Variants

One of the best thing about Bread & Bean is their Cold Coffee Variants. Having acquired the same staff who mans the kitchen way back it's franchising days from a well-known coffee shop, they have adopted the same quality and taste of cold coffee they serve. The bonus is, the price is way cheaper. Good quality coffee at a very affordable price, who could ever beat that?

Harbor Bridge Burger Supreme

This one I have already written about way back. I am happy to know that they still serve it up to now without changing the quality. The 100% beef burger patty coupled with juicy bacon on top screams flavor giving a promising delight of a filling meal.

Adobo Pesto Sandwich

This sandwich is my rockstar. Home cooked adobo and pesto may seem like a weird combination, well at least for me. Yet, when I was introduced to this sandwich, it rocked my world. Pesto is known for its domineering taste, but surprisingly, it does not over powers the equally tasty mixture of spices in the chunks of adobo generously gracing the crunchy soft ciabatta bread. The push and pull of flavors plays in the tongue leaving one craving for one more bite after another.

Chocolate Ganache Cake

Bread & Bean does not just focus on serving freshly baked breads. They also offer their line of delectable cakes that are equally satisfying and delectable. It could be a sweet ending after feasting on their rice meals or you could have it with your choice of coffee. Their Chocolate Ganache Cake I had goes well with black coffee. I love that the cake is not too sweet but it does not lack the goodness of chocolate. This is one of the thousand and one reasons why I would go back there.

Mango Cake

For those who prefers fruity and refreshing variants of cake, Bread & Bean offers Mango cake along with other choices like Ube, Strawberry, and more. Their Mango cake is lavishly indulging with its layers of cream and bits and pieces of mango. Kids and adults will surely fall for this one.

Aside from its affordable price, the way you can customize your orders is another way for this cafe to show how they value their customers. You can kindly request for a different combination of breads, coffees, spreads, and they will gladly suggest what goes well with one another. The possibilities are endless.



The goodness of food does not merely rely on its taste but in a manner that it was served. That is one strong remarkable point of this cafe. Theirs are the most professional and accommodating if not the friendliest food attendants I have come across with. They never fail to make me feel welcome and comfortable in their cafe. They are the kind of people that earns my respect. Those who take their profession seriously without compromising humility and care for their customers.

I cannot sum up numbers of great dining experiences at Bread & Bean Cafe in one post, so, expect that in the coming days, I will be featuring some of their to die for meals which are equally worthy to try and indulge with.

Big heaps to thanks to my blogger friends Juan Manila Tiffy Glenn Chaz and Ern for spending brunch with me, Kaye, and the awesome Bread & Bean Staff.

That brunch at Bread & Bean Cafe was truly a memorable one. Nothing beats feasting on great food served with love in the company of great people who celebrates the goodness of life in gastronomical way. Just like me, my dear readers, you might want to visit your own Neverland to create a delicious memory of endless possibilities through bread, coffee, and all stuff delicious and happy. Visit Bread & Bean Cafe, we might bump into each other and perhaps we could exchange some stories.

Bread & Bean Cafe Facade
( photo credit to Bread & Bean)

Check out my good friend Ern Raymundo's food shots for Bread & Bean Cafe.


Bread & Bean Cafe
Unit 3 Citiplace Building 8001
J Abad Santos San Juan, 1500
Manila, Philippines