This Instagram-worthy all-day breakfast place lets you learn latte art

Latte art takes centerstage at Manna and Golde

It’s difficult to resist snapping a photo once you’re inside Manna and Golde, Quezon City’s latest addition to its slew of comfort food hubs. Its bright greens and yellows, the mix and match of mod chairs, geometrical wall and ceiling decor, and even an indoor jalousie window reminiscent of a grade school classroom make the restaurantcafe quite the Instagrammable space.

“We decided to stick to light colors because it’s already common to see industrial or wooden interiors for cafes. I really wanted something inviting, something bright and homey,” explains Eirene Vernice Go, general manager and coowner of Manna and Golde. The restaurant is a family affair; Go put it up with her parents and her sister Valline, who is a chef.

But being Instagram-worthy isn’t Manna and Golde’s only strong suit. With a menu developed by chef Valline and a café overseen by Eirene, a formally trained barista, the place offers breakfast favorites, comfort food, and coffee concoctions that aren’t run-of-the-mill.

Their thick, fluffy pancakes with fruit are soft and moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The Autumn Roast Chicken—perfect for lunch—is marinated for 24 hours and coated with a signature glaze, which turns the chicken skin glassy and gives it a hint of sweetness. It’s served with chunky, savory gravy made from scratch, yet another one of Manna and Golde’s best-kept secrets. A lighter alternative is the Nasi Lemak Porridge, the café-restaurant’s take on the Malay breakfast staple.

Manna and Golde also offers a wide selection of drinks, from tea to cold-pressed juices to milkshakes, but they pride themselves in their coffee, which they themselves expertly roast. Their coffee is best paired with any of the cakes and pastries on display, all freshly baked in Manna and Golde’s commissary.

For a refreshing pick-me-up, try the cold brew soda—it’s balanced and citrusy, and is significantly less acidic than your usual caffeine fix. If enjoying the brew still doesn’t satisfy your caffeine craving, maybe Manna and Golde’s coffee workshops will, where you can learn to make latte art or familiarize yourself with the joy of slow brewing. Cupping sessions also acquaint the palate with different varieties of coffee.

Clockwise from right: Homemade cheesecake with candied lemon; a peek inside the dining space; pancakes topped with kiwi and banana, best paired with a latte

Left: Manna and Golde offers single origin coffee, which you can have brewed through several methods; Right: A fresh cup of joe is prepared via siphon.