Cartel Coffee Deli — Restaurant in Makati

I was feeling peckish after a light breakfast and had a craving for coffee, so I turned to Google Maps to scout nearby places. Castro & Cartel caught my eye—coffee, food, and close by.

The coffee was well-prepared, but personally, I found the roast a bit too dark for my taste. I would’ve appreciated an option for a more fruity, artisan, medium roast, which aligns more with the current coffee trends.

For food, I started with the goat cheese salad. It felt a bit build-your-own, featuring halved grapes, lettuce, and pre-packaged goat cheese bites with a sweet crunch. It was okay but lacked creativity and refinement.

Next, I tried the Angus steak pasta. Unfortunately, it was somewhat bland and sat in a pool of liquid—not terrible, but with so much room for improvement. It could really benefit from the addition of chewy mushrooms and a hint of rosemary. Pair it with a thicker pasta to better coat the sauce. As it stands, it felt a bit disjointed, like a half-hearted attempt.

The glass of red wine wasn’t bad, but in a warmer climate, it’s always a delight to have red wine served slightly chilled instead of room temperature. As for the Gin & Tonic, it was standard—served in a balloon glass with ice and a lackluster lemon wedge. On my request, they brought out cucumber slices, which was a nice touch, but a bit more finesse (like a beautifully rolled cucumber ribbon) could elevate the experience.

The recurring theme here is missed potential—it wouldn’t take much effort to double the quality.

That said, the staff deserve special praise. They were charming and genuinely good-willed, though a bit more attentiveness to guests looking for service would be appreciated. The whole place exudes warmth and a sense of trying, which is refreshing. Now, just a few finishing touches, and this place could...

Buyer beware! I came in and saw that the place was spectacular. Great setting very european seemingly goog selection of wine, cheese and cold cuts. Went to the cashier while selecting off their board. Ordered a cabsav at P200 and a Jamon Serrano at P360. All good so far. Get the ticket to pay and the prices were different. The wine was P225. So i asked why and the lady said their is a service and plating charge of 10 percent. I then said 10percent of 200 is not 25. But i paid anyways whats P25 so i thought. I sit they serve promptly and properly. But the Jamon Serrano is uhm Ham! I ask and they insist it is Jamon Serrano. I go over to the display and grab a prepacked Jamon Serrano and i show the server the difference. He says he will fix everything. Then he returns and says that he needs to charge me the pack price plus P150 for plating service as they will put a plate, baguette, etc. I said forget that give me the pack and scissors. Then he says this is not allowed and so i respond saying keep the ham and no need forget the money but dont bring it back to my table. He leaves and a manager comes and insists that it is jamon serrano. I said i dont care eat it if they want but its not serrano. They did return my money and i find out that the wine posted at P200 but line billed at P225 because of service charge had another line at the bottom of P20. So posted at P200 paid at P245. In fairness thet saud their price posted was erroneous. I wonder how many oatrons have...

Food: Coming from a Filipino palate, we found the flavors quite subtle. We tried the ₱700 breakfast all-in set, and unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet our expectations. The mushroom soup was bitter and bland, the salad was fresh though, and the arroz a la cubana was just okay. The wagyu burger steak was bland as well. We needed to ask for salt and pepper so our food would have a taste. We had to put A LOOOOT of salt and pepper lol. Even the iced tea remained bland despite adding the sugar syrup. For its price, we were hoping for more flavor.

Service: The staff were friendly and approachable, which added to the experience. Service was smooth and accommodating.

Ambience: The overall atmosphere was pleasant, but the indoor setup felt more suited for evening dining due to its dim lighting. If you're looking for a bright, refreshing breakfast setting, I’d recommend dining al fresco instead. Additionally, the temperature inside was quite warm, so a bit more air conditioning would make the space more comfortable.

Overall: While the service and ambience were good, the food was milder than expected for the price. If you enjoy bold, well-seasoned flavors, you might find it...