common ground | coffee & other tings — Restaurant in Baguio

Went here because they’re 100% pet friendly. I’m just so happy we found another place where our furry baby can stay and be herself. Firstly, no issues with us coming in with a medium sized dog. An ASPIN. Feel like had to emphasize that since most establishments prefer dogs with breed. Anywayyyy, the place is for students, I feel like. Cos there are these reminders everywhere on their quiet hours policy. Or maybe that’s a city thing, don’t know 😅 Food was great too! We ordered the pork steak and the salisbury steak. Both properly portioned at 200-300 price point. Coffee was great too. I wouldn’t say that I have a thing for coffee, but that my partner and I enjoy it a lot. Their fries were a mix of potato and kamote. I appreciate that. Maybe a little feedback is it’s a little overpriced at 250 and too thick to be called fries. Due to the weather, they became soggy. That could be improved for sure. We missed to have some pasties but we’ll get some next time. Overall, a must try especially if you want a pet friendly cafe that serves rice and not just snacks/pastries/dessert. Service is good, too. Order at the counter and wait for your buzzer to go off to get your food. It’s good that it’s not a table service kind of thing because they won’t have to look over secluded spaces for anything that a diner might need. Also, clean as you go. Trash bins are by the entrance/exit. It won’t be hard to miss. Bussing the plates is also by the condiments and utensils. So you won’t miss that too after you’re done eating. I like the idea because I noticed that there were only 2 people manning the cafe. At least they won’t have dirty tables to clean and focus on order taking and making. Feedback would be for the staff to mention where to get condiments and return used plates when orders are served at the counter. That would help set the minds of the diners to clean up before they leave. Amazing place....

The ambiance of the place is quite excellent. Even with music playing, it's serene enough to have a normal conversation, so kudos to their playlist. The Wi-Fi is impressively fast too, which is a great bonus.

As for the food, we ordered the Dirty Taro (iced) and the Butterball Latte (hot). My boyfriend had high hopes for the Dirty Taro, but unfortunately, it fell short. It had the color of taro but none of its flavor, which was disappointing given the price point. My Butterball Latte was okay—not bad, but not memorable enough for a return order.

We also tried the croffles, specifically the s’mores and cheese flavors. To be honest, we expected them to be buttery, fluffy, and airy, but what we got was quite the opposite. They were very thin and hard to slice through. Flavor-wise, they were underwhelming. The cheese variant, in particular, was just slices of cheese placed on top and torched. It felt like it needed more thought and refinement.

We visited around 6 PM, and there were only a few diners at the time. The service was decent. The staff was approachable and happy to explain the menu, which made for a pleasant interaction.

Overall, the place has potential. The ambiance and service were good, but the food, sadly, didn’t quite live up to expectations. While it wasn’t a bad experience, it’s not one we’d be eager to repeat...

Literally a haven for dreamers alike. ✨

07/28/2025

Because of the stormy weather in Baguio, there were no electricity in various areas including ours; so to keep the momentum of our study session, my friends and I decided to look for a cafe that is student-friendly and AI brought up Common Grounds as one of the best — if not, THE BEST.

And truly, it lived up its title. As a first impression, this café is a true haven for dreamers alike. We arrived with little to no space available but we managed since people there were kind enough to adjust — kinder even to lend my friend their laptop charger!

The staffs were friendly; they did not reflect on their services the rather gloomy weather at the time.

The coffee kept us warm, with the right amount of caffeine, that manifested in the cup a balance of sweetness and bitterness.

The platter we individually ordered had generous serving; the flavor is there, but a room for improvement may likewise be welcomed.

The café’s atmosphere felt like it was taken right out of a studio ghibli movie; a perfect place to work and study, contemplate on life, or just appreciate the architectural masterpiece.

And yes, you get what you pay for! You get your money’s worth in such an experience!

P.S: The photos won’t do justice; I’ll take better ones next time because I will return! Will keep...