From Earth to Cup: The Third-Wave Coffee Scene in Baguio

Similar to the world of fashion and food, coffee enthusiasts have started a movement of ethical preparation and handling.

This is widely known as the third-wave of coffee. In today's realm of being more socially conscious, the shift towards coffee that is locally sourced, carefully roasted, and brewed with a passion for enhancing the distinct flavors is evidently present.

At the helm of it all in Baguio are two cafés: Café Yagam and Kape Umali. These local cafés will bring you a rich culture, a taste of the farmers’ hard work, an ethnic appreciation, and an authentic experience directly to you, from Earth to cup. Read on to find out more!

Café Yagam

Café Yagam is a cozy and humble café with an inspiring story to tell. Not a lot of people know that the local café won the prestigious Google Business Group Success Stories. In 2017, it came out on top among hundreds of contestants!

Owner Carla Poleen Rosito used to be a full-time community organizer in an environmental NGO called Cordillera Green Network. This was where she established a deeper sense of Cordilleran culture. As a result, she shares it through food and coffee at the café. Because of her passion for Baguio’s culture and love for the locals, she directly sources from local farms. Right now, Café Yagam source their coffee beans from Tublay, Benguet.

Café Yagam ensures that the beans are locally grown, meticulously handpicked, properly sorted, and freshly roasted and brewed. In fact, the baristas will first ask for your preference of brew, roast, and strength. They offer French Press and Paper Drip for the brew. A cup of freshly brewed coffee can go for as low as P80.

Café Yagam
25 J.Felipe Street
Lualhati, Baguio
2600 Benguet
(074) 442 3805
Daily, 11AM - 11PM

Offical Facebook Page
@cafeyagam

Kape Umali

The bean type, brewing method, roast, and strength level are all important factors in third-wave coffee preparation. Certain beans and roasts may have different characteristics when subjected to different brewing methods. If you are looking for a coffee shop that boasts a variety in beans and techniques, Kape Umali is your go-to.

Kape Umali is a proud server of third-wave coffee and has been running this model since 1948. They are a group of people who love, study, and work hard for the coffee they produce. The coffee beans are sourced from different areas in Benguet: Tuba, Atok, Tublay, Kapangan, Kibungan, Sablan, Kabayan, Bekel, and Itogon.

Fun fact: They also grow some of their Arabica at their very own backyard!

Kape Umali’s beans and blends have even made the rounds globally, most especially in Budapest, Hungary. With years of learning and experimenting, they have quite the collection of equipment.

In the café, you would find a dated PROBAT coffee roaster, a Chemex, a couple Siphons, a handful of cocktail shakers, and more. This is a testament to their constant pursuit of discovering different aromas and flavors.

The third-wave trend is still a young concept penetrating the local coffee scene. Surely, more and more cafes highlighting the craft and history of coffee will rise.

Kape Umali
1 Shangri-la Village, Baguio City
Daily, 9AM - 1AM
(0915) 445 4416
(074) 442-8739
Official Website
Official Facebook Page
@kapeumalistore

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