Rustic Mornings By Isabelo Garden — Restaurant in Marikina

I love that they have a large parking space, and they were almost full, just means people really love this place. My first time seeing this kind of themed restaurant/cafe in/near Metro Manila. The word Rustic really befits its name when you first take a peek at its interiors. I liked the entrace to the dining area, it was covered in foliage. I loved that you have to go through some leaves before the path takes you to the restaurant itself, very well though-of design. They also have both al-fresco and indoor dining areas to choose from. I think the place could use an upgrade though. Some wooden chairs are old they're creaking loudly. And I also was casually scared sitting on some of the steel chairs as I was wearing white and there were some sort of rust (not sure if they did that on purpose to live up to its name lol) build-up in it that might stain my shirt. The menu has lots of items to choose from. I got their Mushroom Soup (6/10) first for appetizer. It was really creamy, won't say it's really good but the taste is interesting enough for me to enjoy it. Ooh and it had a freshly baked/toasted (not sure) Garlic Bread (9/10) on the side which I super duper loved! A must-try! My sister had Caramel Macchiato (6/10). It looked and tasted just your average specialty beverage sold on the street/fairs. It was not as good as Starbucks' but pwede na. I ordered the TapSiLog (8/10) one (not sure what the actual name is) for my main course. The Tapa was amazing. It was sweet, slightly salty and there was definitely umami. What I also loved was how generous the serving was - price-wise. Lol. I never loved Truffle, uhlkk, I know its taste, and it tastes like gasoline lol. They have a Carbonara (7/10) dish (not sure of the name) which my sister oredered. Tasted it and was actually surprised. I definitely tasted truffle but the taste was actually not NOT GOOD. It was bearable xD. And I actually enjoyed how creamy the pasta dish is. We also had pizza for sharing. We got the one with prosciutto and arugula (8/10). It was good, it was a cheesy pizza with bits of those prosciutto strips and arugula leaves on top. I also got the bottomless Calamansi Iced Tea (7/10) as my drink. It was really good but it was too sweet, you'd have to add some water to balance it out. Loved it tho, it reminded me of Wendy's Calamansi Iced Tea which is my fave. Lastly, I got the blueberry pancakes (6/10) for dessert. Loved the pancake (6/10), tho I think I loved it cuz it tasted like the ones my mom cooks at home (the boxed pancake mix sold in groceries). Just loved how moist and soft the cakes were prepared but the taste? Nothing special. Also, they just added sweetened blueberry sauce on top of it. Overall, I think this is a cool place to dine in to but just if you have the bucks to spend on their meals. The menu is not for the ones looking to save money tho, I mean, sure they have generous servings but I'm pretty sure there are other restaurants whose prices really matches their foods' quality/taste. Not to hate tho, I really think the food is definitely great esp. for breakfast/brunch people. And I also think the place has such an awesome ambiance, perfect for...

There was a time when mornings in Marikina felt like a Wes Anderson film. Pastel hues, golden light, conversations over good coffee, and waffles that could rewrite the entire trajectory of your day. Rustic Mornings was a character in that film. It wasn’t just a restaurant. It was a setting for a love story, a series of friendship arcs, a business subplot, and a recovery montage after the apocalypse formerly known as the pandemic.

Back then, the waffles were warm, not just in temperature but in spirit. The chicken, panko-crusted and impossibly moist didn’t try too hard. It wasn’t revolutionary, it just made sense, the way a hug from someone who knows your exact emotional temperature does. Then there were the kofta balls. Meatballs, yes. But meatballs with conviction. The kind of dish that didn’t scream for attention but quietly dominated the conversation.

I used to eat there once a month. Then it became a few times a year. Not because the food changed, not yet at least, but because the prices did. Still, you make peace with that. Inflation, i get it. A growing reputation. But then came the move to the new location.

It was brighter, sleeker, and somehow colder. The smiles vanished, replaced by rehearsed courtesy. The kind that says “we are polite because it is policy,” not “welcome back, we missed you.” The cobb salad arrived like a stranger, overpriced and underdressed, and when I asked for a teaspoon more dressing, I was offered the option to pay extra. I declined, not because I couldn’t, but because I wouldn’t. For almost 500 bucks, I expect a salad that knows its own worth.

Two coffees and a salad: ₱800. The flavor: forgettable. The feeling: betrayal.

And on another time, the chicken and waffles were lukewarm. Cooked in advance. Dry around the edges like a memory you shouldn’t revisit but do, hoping it will feel like before. It didn’t. Maybe it was just an unfortunate coincidence. But I can’t keep paying a premium hoping the magic returns.

This was once the place I brought balikbayans, new friends, my now-husband on one of our first dates. This was where we celebrated tiny wins, brainstormed business ideas, brought ourselves back to life after being sick. This was the first restaurant we returned to after the pandemic, the act of eating there feeling like a soft declaration: we survived.

But now? Now it is a place I visit the way you visit an old lover’s Instagram. Infrequently, reluctantly, and mostly to confirm that yes, it’s not the same anymore.

Rustic Mornings, thank you for everything. Thank you for the waffles that once made me believe mornings could be magical. For the service that once felt like home. For being there when we needed a place to remember joy.

But until I reach a point in life where spending thousands for breakfast no longer makes me feel like a fool, I will love you from afar. Like all the things that meant the world to me once, and now only live in the pages of memory.

Even if I don’t recognize you anymore, I remember what you were. Five...

Giving this place 3.5 stars.

Went here on a weekday morning last year with relatives. We got a table inside one of the structures in this big place. Its an old house with a big garden, and they converted the place into a restaurant with tables in the garden, and tables inside some structures. I can't remember if the place where we had our table used to be part of the house, or was another building within the property.

Anyway, the place looked nice with all the plants and trees. The place was also clean and tidy.

The thing that I didn't like, though, was that it was kinda humid. There was no air or breeze. To make matters worse, we were inside this building so it was more humid. The electric fan that was supplied to our table didn't cut it for me. I was sweating from the heat.

Anyway, they had a big menu of breakfast dishes and Pinoy favorites. They also had some pastries and cakes, if I remember correctly. They also offered coffee drinks. I ordered the Americano and the coffee was fantastic.

I remember getting the sausage with rice and egg. One of my relatives ordered the bangus meal. I couldn't remember the other dishes that were ordered but one thing I remember was that the servings were pretty big and they were delicious.

The prices are not too expensive, but also not cheap. We were four in our table and our bill was close to 2 thousand pesos.

Service could be improved. The waitress assigned to our table was not warm. I never saw her smile and she was hard to call whenever we needed something.

Parking is a problem here. When we got here, the parking inside was full so were advised to park outside. Problem was the street where this restaurant is located is a narrow, one lane street. We had to back up a few meters in order to get to a wider area where we had to drive our vehicles in reverse to get back to the main street where some parking, managed by some watch-your-car boys, were available in front of a closed down restaurant.

I'd eat here again to try the other dishes, but I'll definitely get a table in the garden area, and I'll probably come in the evening so the weather would be cooler, although it wouldn't be a rustic morning...