WHERE: HIGHLANDS COFFEE TIMOG / MODERN MUSIC AND MOVIE NIGHT MEETS VIETNAMESE CAFFEINE

HIGHLANDS COFFEE TIMOG / MODERN MUSIC AND MOVIE NIGHT MEETS VIETNAMESE CAFFEINE

You go to a cafe like the most popular "crowned mermaid" coffee shop and what type of music do you expect? I am sure we all have the same answers.

But when you go to Highlands Coffee at Timog Avenue, Quezon City, the answers may vary. Wanna know the song which made me decide to write about this place? Clarity - yeah, Zedd's Clarity. And after some edm hits, a playlist of the alternative rock band The Script was played. I was totally amused and have to double check whether it's beer or coffee in front of me...

Take a break from cafe americano or macchiato and try this cafe offering authentic Vietnamese style coffee. 

The area on the first floor is well lit and the small space, including the smoking area outside, is just enough not to make you feel crowded. I am basing it on the couple of times I spent here. Maybe since it's relatively new and people don't spend half their day chitchatting downstairs, there are few chances of losing seats.

There are five tables outside if you want to smoke. Again don't worry about the limited space, you'll understand as you read along. In case you are also wondering - and I bet many coffee shop aficionados are - yes they have WiFi connection! You can access any of their two usernames, and though they're not very strict with passwords, I do hope you won't be a leech and just browse away without ordering. Aminin, maraming ganyan ;) Yet this for me is an advantage for Highlands as I don't feel deprive, unlike with other cafes' very limited access.

A Highlands Coffee visit won't be complete without trying the Vietnamese coffee style experience and have the caffeine kick of cafe Sua Nong or cafe Sua Da. These are authentic Vietnamese coffee with a mixture of condensed milk and hot water / ice prepared with their own single-cup filter/ brewers known as phin. This will cost you P100- P120 only!

They have loads of pastries, pasta and snacks to choose from. Among their best sellers are their cakes plus sandwiches Highlands make themselves!

Among their cold drinks, it's the Cookies & Cream and Hazelnut (photo below) which customers love the most! I just wish they would have milk tea or alternative for milk tea coz I am more of a tea drinker than coffee.

This chips is for the win! I AM IN LOVE WITH IT! I think they sell 3 flavors of this here.

Now let's go upstairs for a more quality "chill" time and space.  

The second floor welcomes you to two sections: the conference room (non- smoking / air condition area) and the favorably engaging al fresco! You can see the GMA tower from here and many of their customers are expectedly from the said network as well.

The al fresco is a perfect haven for a tiring work day or some random movie night... 

Wait what? Movie night you say? 

Yes yes! Thanks to their video wall! Harry Potter, 500 Days of Summer, Avengers, they have it! How about NBA games? Beer with basketball is overrated! I got to watch Abraham Lincoln and Dear John during some of my stay there.

Their video wall opens from 6PM till closing. You can also request as long as the movie's in English. 

The angular woven furnitures, elevated wood flooring, plants and painted bamboo on the wall present an urban tropic ambiance that goes very well with your favorite Highlands drink!

As what is mentioned earlier, Highlands Coffee also plays an array of music not usually heard on other coffee shops. Among those I've heard are Icona Pop's "I Don't Care", Disclosure's "Latch", The Wanted's "I Found You", Alesso's "City of Dreams", and Cris Cab's "Paradise (On Earth)".

They also follow a timeframe for their playlist: Mornings they play classic and jazz; afternoon is light RNB; night time gives you a random mix of alternative, reggae, pop, and yup, EDM.

They believe music caters to different people on different timeframes. Usually they have a young crowd of customers during late night so they don't play the classics, while morning sunshine is for those going to work or is at work and want to relax so they play the classic and jazz. 

For those unaware, Jollibee Food Corporation already bought nearly half of the share of Highlands Coffee. Wow! 

My events & production team owes this cafe a lot as some of our business' important decisions and framework were discussed particularly at their al fresco. Thanks to the instant comfort of their couches and good WiFi connection! Ow and they also have great service here, from baristas to the guard, they'll make you feel at home :) 

Ultimately, what made me love the place is their stretch to provide an extra ordinary coffee shop experience: from the Vietnamese style coffee; movie night at the al fresco; and music to sing along with. As what their FB cover photo says: "BECAUSE A LOT CAN HAPPEN OVER COFFEE..."

WEBSITE:

http://www.highlandscoffee.ph/

PRICES:

Hot Coffee ranges from P100 - P120

Ice Cold drink ranges from P100 - P170

Sandwich ranges from P100 - P129

*You can also rent the conference room for P2,500/hour with a minimum of 2 hours. If you'll be using the whole place (including al fresco and video wall), the price will just be doubled. They can also lend their projector, laptop, and other available technical assistance depending on the theme or need.

CONTACT NUMBER:

3323956

ADDRESS:

118 Timog Ave., Brgy. Sacred Heart, QC

MUSIC:

CLASSIC / JAZZ

MAINSTREAM

(ALTERNATIVE ROCK, POP, EDM)

INDIE