Hello, I'm just popping into the Hive Cafe!
The year-end brings an avalanche of anxiety and excitement to complete deadlines before the holiday rush.
One of those tasks was to sit down with a consultant to work through drawing revisions. He's not enthused by email or communicating through social media. It was a bit of a challenge, in the beginning, our communication was mostly through SMS and phone. And in order to get things done meant driving to his office an hour away and working through the changes together.
Hence, a workshop meeting was scheduled that day and he won't be available until January 2023.
I arrived 45 minutes earlier than our appointed time. I strolled around the area and chanced upon this place which was tucked behind Petron gas station along the busy road of Carcar, south of Cebu in the Philippines.
The scent of roasted coffee beans was welcoming when I got in. The tables were filled with regulars. I gained that impression from the casual way they all talked inside the cafe as though they'd been coming there every day for years.
Lokal Brew struck me as 'the' local coffee house in town, a frequent meeting place, and an ideal spot to take a break after grocery shopping from the nearby Metro Supermarket.
There was an empty wooden bench in the corner. I sat at a table at the far end of the cafe that gave me a good vantage point to observe and people watch. It's a quaint airconditioned space adorned with vinyl records, local art, and old books.
It was an hour past lunch and after skipping breakfast, the thought of hours sitting and tweaking electrical layouts made me crave sugar. Their raspberry crumble looked tempting, especially paired with a freshly brewed Americano.
The Americano hit the spot with a caffeine rush before diving into work.
I asked permission from the manager to take pictures after sipping my cuppa. By then the customers have left and she delightfully and passionately answered coffee questions I threw her way.
The signature coffee of Lokal Brew is the creamy espresso-based, Kabkad Latte at Php 100 (USD 1.80) named after the plant found everywhere in Carcar.
My curiosity was piqued by this machine.
Lokal Brew roasts their beans sourced from locally grown coffee from the hills of Bukidnon, different parts of Mindanao all the way south to the peaks of Mt. Apo in Davao.
Interesting to note that Lokal Brew sells medium roast 100% Arabica beans and they supply them to cafes, restaurants, and resorts in the south. One of their customers is Tan-awan Cafe.
They also have other roasts that can be purchased online. Check out their page
Opening Hours:
Lokal Brew is open daily from 9:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on weekdays and 8:30 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. on weekends.
It is located behind Petron Gas Station in Poblacion III Awayan, Carcar, Cebu, Philippines.
My Take-away
I am grateful I stopped by the Lokal Brew. I needed the caffeine punch which then led to an effective and successful workshop meeting. Things got solved in one sitting which eliminated doubts and misunderstandings. I am definitely going back there again, to enjoy a cup and to try their home-roasted Arabica.
How's your Wednesday going? Thank you for reading if you've reached this far and wishing you productive days ahead before jumping into holiday preps and parties.
"I am an old soul who simply loves coffee, who finds joy and beauty in both the tangible and the unseen."
Curiosity and imagination lead to unexpected experiences. Interested in Nature, Places, Roads Less Traveled, Minimalism, Authentic Living, Anything French, and International Cuisine. Feel free to follow her, re-blog, and upvote if you enjoy her content.