First Sip: Where's Marcel?

Pearl Drive was my place to be back in college because my alma mater is located there. I’d frequent a few establishments that offer pocket friendly dishes and I would occasionally splurge on a meal or two when I feel like I deserve it after a gruelling long exam. Fast forward to present, I would still find myself being a stingy foodie. But I wouldn’t scrimp on a cup of coffee especially if it receives a lot a good reviews. And that’s how I found myself in front of Where’s Marcel.

Hello, Where’s Marcel?

Why is everyone looking for Marcel? And more importantly, who is Marcel?

Well, for those curious, the coffee shop is named after Marcel Ruggieri, a coffee enthusiast who often wanders off to Costa Rica and Columbia, two popular coffee regions to look for the perfect beans. It takes pride in being a strong supporter of local businesses and engage in direct trading with farmers. The crop-to-cup concept has developed Where’s Marcel as an establishment that is more community-based. And this Melbourne born shop decided to have Manila as its first location offshore.

Aside from its expansive coffee menu, it also offers a bunch of savory dishes such as sandwiches and pasta. But since I planned to have dinner elsewhere, I settled with one Revel Bar (PHP55) and a cup of Marcel’s Dirty Chai (PHP170, 12 oz). 

The place was pretty empty on a Saturday night so it was a perfect place to hangout and catch up with friends. The place also offers WI-FI so this place could also be a nice spot to do those term papers. 

First served was the revel bar and it was delectable.

The oatmeal gave the snack a lovely chewy taste and the melted chocolate chips made the bar sweet yet not overwhelming. For PHP55, it was a pretty good find. 

I also enjoyed my cup of Marcel’s Dirty Chai which had a nice blend of espresso, tea and cinnamon. The cinnamon taste was evident but not too strong as I still got to appreciate the taste of espresso and chai. The aroma though was more chai than coffee. 

If you are not fond of strong coffee, dirty chai would be a great option for you

I wasn’t able to finish my drink as a medium cup was a bit too much for one sitting. I then remembered that the barista mentioned that he could transfer any leftover drink to Where’s Marcel’s charming to go cup. Yay!

Overall, it was a pleasant visit and I would love to come back and try its savory dishes. 

Where’s Marcel is located at Ground Floor, The Pearl Place, Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.