blocleaf café — Restaurant in Manila

---{ Ambience }--- ☐ My soul left my body (derogatory) ☐ Felt like a dentist office with fairy lights ☐ Neutral zone—neither cozy nor cursed ☐ Warm, intentional, could read a book here ☑ I ascended. Heaven has floor seating and good lighting

---{ Drinks }--- ☐ Espresso? That was just pain in liquid form ☐ Mostly milk, maybe a whisper of flavor ☐ Got the job done ☐ Smooth, satisfying, went back for seconds ☑ I would write poetry about this latte

---{ Service }--- ☐ Made me feel like an inconvenience ☐ Distracted but polite ☐ Just okay—no complaints, no sparks ☑ Kind and attentive in all the right ways ☐ Treated me like a long-lost friend with allergies

---{ Crowd }--- ☐ Felt like a TikTok trap ☐ Loud, chaotic, and deeply online ☐ Mixed bag of students and solo diners ☐ Chill creatives, old friends catching up ☑ Soft couples, journalers, and nap-worthy silence

---{ Bathroom }--- ☑ No bathroom. Your bladder, your problem ☐ I saw things I’ll never unsee ☐ Held my breath and prayed ☐ Clean, stocked, no weird surprises ☐ Smelled like citrus and safe decisions *You can pee at the Hop Inn next door

---{ Wi-Fi }--- ☑ Talk to each other like it's 1995 ☐ The loading symbol became my spirit guide ☐ Usable, but don’t get your hopes up ☐ Worked great for browsing and light work ☐ Fast enough to send emails and rethink your career

---{ Price }--- ☐ I paid to suffer ☐ Regret with a receipt ☐ Expensive but I understand ☐ Reasonable for the quality ☑ A steal—I felt like...

One of the coffee place that I’ve been seeing in Instagram that really caught my attention is Blocleaf. Located in Malate Manila so I really have to find a schedule just to find this place. So in one of those weekends me and my coffee/food buddy decided to go on a simple manila crawl. We started of with Blocleaf since according to google maps its just walk from Diamond Hotel. Blocleaf is bright spot in the street of MH Del Pilar. Just below Hop Inn hotel ermita. The place is really neat clean eye ctaching since the area of MH Del Pilar got the old dirty looking Manila vibe. I love how minimalist Blocleaf is with the accent of wood and plants. This is the perfect place that you want to spend your weekend morning waking up. Relax, light and chill.

For my coffee/drinks I got their iced matcha latte since it was a beauty in the picture haha. Tastewise I was a bit disappointed due to the lack of Matcha flavor. I think it was a bit diluted by the ice. Maybe next time I’ll try it hot. I also got to taste what my buddies ordered. The hot thai milk tea was so good. I love this better. I really should had my matcha latte hot. We also tried the Ube cheesecake. Also enjoyed this cake. Not too sweet but the ube flavor was also very light. Not bad.

Overall love this place feel but for the food/drinks I think they still can improve on it. But when in Malate looking for a grerat coffee spot this is really a great option. Suggest go for the hot thai tea latte that’s a...

Small but cozy place. Interior design is relaxing, but not dim due to large windows. This maybe helpful if you want to do some work since the brightness can help keep the sleepiness at bay. The cafe is hidden away from the heavy foot traffic of Malate, Manila area. I spent about 4 hours there with no other customers in the shop.

They have good, strong coffee with the right amount of "creaminess". They also have a good selection of teas. They use loose-leaf teas that are very aromatic and relaxing. Also, their avocado cheesecake is superb- definitely a must try! They also serve some sandwiches and pastas. I tried the longganisa pasta. But I feel that it was not worth it. It tasted OK but I expected more from its price. Most of the other food items are as pricey as the pasta I tried, but I haven't tasted them yet to make a verdict.

There are electrical outlets available for charging your gadgets. Free WiFi is also available. Seats are not cushioned. They are not ideal for lounging around and some people may feel uncomfortable after a few hours of sitting.

As I said, the place is out of the way of heavy foot traffic. Normally, you would need to have a private car, Grab, or a taxi to get there comfortably. You may also try the jeeps that pass through MH Del Pilar street if you are familiar with their route. Or you could walk, especially if you want to see the uh... sights of...