1st full-service coffee shop in Boracay celebrates 2 decades

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the tropical weather in the Philippines, many Filipinos simply love coffee.

It started with the strong, freshly brewed coffee that our parents, grandparents and, yes, even our great grandparents used to “cook in a takure” at home, pour into a cup, and mix with all the sugar that they want. It’s the cup of coffee where they would dip their pandesal in before taking a bite — and another! — then wash the last gulp down their throat with a gargle.

Through the years and through the generations of coffee-drinking Filipinos who came after them, the strong coffee culture in the Philippines leveled up to the types of coffee concoctions, both hot and ice-blended, that we now regularly take out from modern cafés.

We love coffee so much that we constantly look for it, even when we’re sprawled on the white-sand beaches of world-famous island destinations such as Boracay. There is nothing quite like sipping a tall glass of ice-cold latte with the bluest views of the crystal seas, out there by the beach, where the waves endlessly kiss the shores and the cool breeze gently caresses our skin.

So, when Café del Sol arrived in Boracay and built the first modern, full-service coffee shop to open on the world-famous island paradise in 2003, it became an instant hit.

The brainchild of entrepreneurs Juan Elizalde and Paolo Occhionero, it started out as a cozy beachfront coffee shop, where locals and tourists from all over the world get to enjoy thirst-quenching ice-blended frappes and fresh fruit juices paired with mouth-watering paninis and the café’s delectable selection of cakes, pastries and breads.

Café del Sol’s classic Mango Cheesecake easily gained a cult following, while its Italian espressos pair well with its breakfast plates. These have conveniently been a big go-to for early birds who want to enjoy the island’s morning sun.

Now, Café del Sol celebrates its 20th anniversary, even as it excitingly launches a bigger, better and brighter island coffee shop a recent renovation and makeover.

The interiors are updated and refreshed for a more stylish look. The second floor has also been redeveloped with an expansive space that can hold private