Lato Coffee and Restaurant — Restaurant in Puerto Princesa

This review is for the coffee portion of this beautiful cafe. We havent tried the food… yet. But we will.

Lato is a beautiful cafe on a beautiful strip by the water. Service is impeccable - you order at the counter, and then you take a seat so they can bring their order to you. Pops ordered an iced tea, and as pictured, came in what looks like a fish bowl where the tea itself is brewed. You then push a small switch to dispense your freshly brewed tea into your iced carafe. Brilliant. Presentation is A1. My 2 friends ordered an iced flat white, and a strawberry lemonade cooler which came with chia seeds - amazing. As for my cold brew - it stands out as one of THE best I’ve had so far in Philippines. 520 pesos flat. If you’re a NYer like me, you’d know that 4 drinks at a specialty coffee shop priced at $10.40 is a damn STEAL.

These baristas know what they’re doing, and they’re clearly sourcing from an excellent company that cares about quality. For coffee connoisseurs like me and are visiting Palawan - particularly Puerto Princesa - you need to come to Lato. I’m here for a week on business, and I’m bringing the gang here every day. It’s worth the travel. Not to mention the fantastic view you get of the mountains...

I had high hopes for Lato Coffee and Restaurant given its cozy ambiance and nice location along Baywalk. The place looks inviting, perfect for a slow morning or afternoon chill. Unfortunately, the food didn’t quite live up to the atmosphere during my visit.

I ordered a Filipino breakfast set that came with longanissa, garlic fried rice, and string beans. Right off the bat, the garlic rice was cold—not lukewarm, but noticeably cold like it had been sitting for a while. The string beans were undercooked, borderline raw, and tough to chew. As for the longanissa, it was just okay—flavor-wise, fair, but not memorable.

It was disappointing considering the potential of the place. I wasn’t expecting anything fancy, but basic breakfast items should at least be hot and cooked properly. Service was polite but a bit slow. No one checked in after the food was served, so I didn’t get a chance to bring up the issues.

Lato has a lot going for it in terms of ambiance, but I hope they tighten up their kitchen consistency. I’d be open to giving it another shot—maybe for coffee next time—but based on this experience,...

Came for breakfast. Tapsilog was served cold but tastes okay. I was to order the vegetable dish but it's serving is for two and they don't take half orders. Their service is good; they serve you your orders to your table. This is good if you are new to the place and don't know if they have customs of getting stuff to bring to your table and all.

Coffee is awesome and they have lots of choices for you. Place is superb as always. Seats are far apart enough that you wouldn't smell the other people who just worked out by the bay (which is by the way a consideration for this type of restaurant setting haha).

Value for money is okay if you could justify spending 300 for...