“Continually brewing friendships and memorable times through coffee and food that’s made from the heart” (Café Ella’s tagline)

Cafe Ella, located at UPLB Los Baños Laguna, got its name from the owner’s firstborn, Ella. I got the opportunity to visit the place and had a tête-à-tête with the owner, who can pass off as an ‘artista’, the beauteous Ms. Racquel Genuino. I am sharing with you here what I have gathered.

Cafe Ella opened in 2013 with a steady upward trend, having been noticed in the area as the go-to place not just for good coffee but for its food as well. The menu came from family recipes, but their chef, Jesse Mernelo Vergara Jr., developed them and made a few tweaks here and there to better capture the taste of their clientele.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, they were forced to close and relied on safe deliveries. But it is good that the economy has bounced back after the public health emergency was lifted. And they are back with a vengeance, so to speak, re-opening to a new and better Cafe Ella.

New and better means they redesigned the whole place, changing not just the logo but the wall paint, tables and chairs, and awesome lighting. Bright, sleek, modern, yet minimalist—very inviting!

Right now, Cafe Ella is also in Clark, Pampanga, but Racquel mentioned that they have plans to bring Cafe Ella to Metro Manila very soon since most of their friends are egging them on to do so. I agreed!

And here are a few of the dishes and drinks I was able to partake in:the Country Fried Chicken, Lengua, Pork Binagoongan, Halibut, and Lechon Kawali meals. For the pasta, we had Tomato-grilled chicken, Seafood Pasta, Truffle and Mushroom, and Beef Lasagna. They also served us Pizza Margherita, Pizza Carbonara, and Mushroom and Garlic.

Now, here are the delicious liquids of Cafe Ella:Strawberry Mojito, Passionfruit Mojito, and Blue Lagoon. And on to the most exciting part: coffee! The Java Chip and Salted Caramel Frappe were delicious, but, hands down, a jaw-dropping favorite of mine is their Spanish Float and Spanish Latte! Seriously, what is with Spain? Because we were under their rule for quite some time? Maybe. Haha.

But I love that Cafe Ella carries a locally grown coffee called Makiling Coffee. Straight from the mountains of Makiling, this coffee is not too strong for my taste and is smooth, with no harsh note of acidity.

Knowing all of this information and tasting what they offer, I highly recommend Cafe Ella, not just to students and people within the Laguna area but in its neighboring towns as well. Heck, even I, from Parañaque City, would come all the way to Cafe Ella just to have a sip of their coffee and just chill. It is that good! It is worth the trip. See you again soon!