Looking for a colorful new spot to get your coffee fix? When it comes to unique cafes, the Maginhawa area has no shortage of cozy and trendy spots to visit. One of the newest cafes making the rounds on social media is Kape’t Lang, a cozy, artsy cafe inside the Filipino restaurant Mr. Jeepney.
The eatery, which specializes in family-style boodle meals you can eat inside jeepney booths, has been around for several years. It’s pretty hard to miss on the corner of Maginhawa and Malingap Street, with the vibrant jeepney-style signage perched above the property and street tunes blaring out from speakers.
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
One side of the large restaurant recently got a makeover and has been transformed into a maximalist and eclectic cafe with loads of personality.
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Kape’t Lang is a reading cafe and community hub where anyone can go to enjoy books, crafts, distinctly Filipino-themed drinks, and more. The playfully named cafe makes a festive stop on any Maginhawa coffee run.
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
During the week, it serves as a study- and work-friendly cafe in the area. If you happen to visit early or during odd hours on a weekday, it can be a pleasant, solo-friendly spot for reading, crafts, and journaling while getting a coffee fix. You can decorate notebooks with uniquely designed stamps featuring Kape’t Lang’s exclusive designs and get free stickers with every drink order as well.
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
With available outlets, free Wi-Fi vouchers (good for two hours), and long operating hours during the day, the cafe typically gets students and remote workers mainly looking for a place to hang out, study, or work on their laptops outside the house, especially in the mid to late afternoon after lunch.
On weekend mornings, it’s a good pick for runners and leisure cyclists looking for a spot that opens relatively early, to grab coffee or breakfast with friends after workouts or biking in UP Diliman or QC Circle.
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
Inside the cafe, the plants, colorful design elements, vintage furniture, and warm lighting give the place a cheerful, homey feel. It’s the kind of neighborhood cafe you wouldn’t mind making your living room or office if you lived nearby. The colorful corners provide a dose of good vibes if you’re trying to beat a deadline or get through a hectic workday.
There are lots of seating options, from window seats and couches, to individual nooks and a long table meant for sharing. In case the main ground floor is full, you can try to snag a seat on the second floor. Cyclists may want to make use of the al fresco seating to keep an eye on their bikes.
During my visit, I tried the Taho Latte (P180), one of the cafe specials made with soy milk and sago, which is a unique take on the familiar street snack. Other signature coffees include an Orange-cano (Espresso and Orange Juice, P220) and Dirty Halo-Halo (with ube and other tasty ingredients, P245). Of course, they have the usual coffee drinks like Affogato, Cafe Latte, Spanish Latte, Sea Salt Caramel Macchiato, and Malagos Mocha, with the option to switch the milk to plant-based options. Drinks are in the P180 to P230 price range.
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
Aside from coffee, you can also order matcha, tea, and chocolate drinks. The food menu isn’t extensive, but they do serve a few basic silog meals, pasta, ube and choco champorado, and a few pastries. If you’re feeling extra hungry, you can also order select items from Mr. Jeepney or cross to the other section of the restaurant past the jeepney booths to chow down on heavier meals.
Insider tip: I heard they serve free self-service taho and suman during opening hours on weekends (until supplies last).
PHOTO BY Kara Santos
How’s the parking situation, you might ask? Like most cafes along Maginhawa, streetside parking can be tight for four-wheeled vehicles, especially since this is located at an intersection. It's easy enough for those on two wheels to park in front, while attendants can help car owners find a spot across the road by the defunct Bayantel Building. While we didn’t see any bike racks as of our visit, there’s enough space inside the gated compound to park a few bikes by the stairs at the back of the photo booth.
We’ve seen our fair share of stark minimalist cafes and those decorated with vintage cars and motorcycle memorabilia, so it’s interesting to see the iconic jeepney and unique Filipino flavors getting the star treatment in this cafe.
Kape’t Lang Cafe is located at 131 Maginhawa Street, Quezon City. Open from 8:00am to 10:00pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
PHOTO BY Kara Santos