Located about 60 kilometres from Metro Manila, the mountain city of Tagaytay is famous as a weekend destination, especially among domestic tourists. The city’s high elevation at about 684 metres above sea level, as well as gorgeous views of Taal Volcano and its surrounding lake, offer a cool respite from Manila’s humidity and traffic.

Of course, no trip here would be complete without visiting Bag of Beans. What started off as a humble little cafe perched on the mountain’s slopes has evolved to become part of the quintessential Tagaytay experience, with families flocking to the brand’s multiple outlets, which are spread across the area, to enjoy good food served in a charming setting.

During a trip back to the Philippines last December, N and I got to visit Bag of Beans’ Main Branch together with my in-laws. The restaurant opens as early as 6.30am, which was great as we left Manila in the wee hours of the morning to beat traffic, and we needed a breakfast boost.

It was just after Christmas, so the restaurant was still fully decked out for the festive season. Matching the theme were red and green umbrellas hanging from the ceiling at the entrance. There was also a European-style pattiserie complete with a chandelier, black and white mosaic tile flooring, and wainscot counters.

The premises are very spacious and are divided into themes, including an outdoor area with cleverly designed ‘shopfronts’ reminiscent of rustic European villages. There are even a few large trees in the compound, with baubles of lights dangling from their branches, giving diners that ‘al fresco’ feel. Iconic Parisian bistro chairs add to the ambience.

Photography enthusiasts will love it here: there’s a lot of beautiful decor and quaint detailing. It’s fun, but doesn’t come off as gaudy.

The menu at Bag of Beans is a mixed bag of Western and Asian cuisine. They are known for their breakfast items, which include Eggs Benedict, pancakes, bacon and eggs, served alongside Beef tapa, fried boneless bangus, tocino, and longgasina.

There is also a selection of pies like Shepherd’s Pie, steak and mushroom, and pork empanada, as well as local favourites like Bulalo (a Tagaytay specialty), beef kare-kare, grilled liempo, pork sisig, and crispy pata. Prices are a bit on the higher end, but to be expected from such an establishment.

Pandesal, a staple of Filpino breakfasts, came nestled in a wicker basket accompanied by thick slabs of butter.

In case you’re wondering, pan de sal is Spanish for ‘salt bread’, although contrary to its name, it usually has a slightly sweet taste. Its origins are murky, but it is believed that the pandesal was born during the Spanish colonial era, as prior to Spanish rule in the Philippines, the local diet consisted mainly of rice.

Today, pan de sal is eaten across all layers of society, whether one is rich or poor, and is an essential part of the Filipino diet. It is highly versatile, and can be eaten with spreads, or dipped in coffee. It is surprising then that when people mention famous Filipino dishes, the pan de sal often gets overlooked in favour of dishes like the adobo, sisig, or even the halo-halo. I think because it is such a common and inexpensive thing, and so entrenched in daily life, that people tend to ‘forget’ that it’s something special, especially to outsiders. *It’s like when the Hubs asked me why I never introduced half boiled eggs with toast to him before – which is a quintessentially Malaysian kopitiam breakfast – and my answer to him was because I was so used to it that I didn’t think it was ‘special’ compared to nasi lemak, or char kuey teow, or roti canai, lol.

The version at Bag of Beans is done just right: soft and fluffy, with enough bite to be satisfying. I think paired with butter and coffee, I can polish off an entire basket of these on my own.

I ordered the bacon and eggs (P495 – RM41.90/USD 8.90), which also came with pandesal. It was basic but satisfying. Personally I prefer chewy bacon, but the crispy ones here are good too. And eggs are, well, eggs.

The Hubs had buttermilk pancakes (P325 – RM27.52/ USD5.82) which were nicely stacked, topped with a dollop of butter, and served with maple syrup. The texture was perfect, and it was surprisingly, not too sweet. While I wouldn’t call them mind-blowing, they’re good pancakes.

Prices at Bag of Beans can be a little steep, comparable to American prices, but I still think it’s worth going to for the ambience and service. It really set the tone for my holiday in Tagaytay!

*PS: They also have an outlet at Summit Ridge and one called Athena which is their bed and breakfast offering.

BAG OF BEANS (MAIN BRANCH)

115 Aguinaldo Highway, Mendez Crossing West 4120 Tagaytay City, Philippines

Open: daily 6.30AM – 9PM (weekdays), 6.30AM – 10PM (Sat and Sun)

Phone: +63 917 866 6169

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PS2:  All food reviews are at own expense unless otherwise stated. Views here are my own and are based on my personal experience. They are not meant to endorse or disparage businesses in any way.