Ayala Coffee: Specialty Coffee & Cafe — Restaurant in Union

We give this place an overall score of 3 stars. We drove 2 hours from the Jersey Shore to visit this shop the last week of January 2025 based on a recommendation from a client. I normally do not give a lengthy review, but a very honest review was drastically needed as this café has glowing reviews, which I find to be extremely questionable. Here is our assessment of this café:

Location: Ayala is located at 946 Stuyvesant Ave in Union. This area is located on a busy two-lane road and we initially missed the location as the café lacks any signage. Parking is street parking only and we were lucky enough to park in front of the café. I can see how parking could be a major turnoff to customers. 2 stars here.

Staff Friendliness: The cashier and barista were extremely friendly. 5 stars here.

Café Ambiance and Cleanliness: The place is cozy, warm and inviting, but seating is cramped. Tables and bathroom were clean. 4 stars here.

Food: The Filipino avocado toast with egg was very delicious. When my husband saw it included “bagoong,” he was very excited. Bagoong is a traditional Filipino condiment typically made from fermented fish or shrimp, but I believe the one they utilize is vegan. In any case, I can understand why my husband was happy as the bagoong added a positive flair to make the dish very delicious. 5 stars here!

Drip Coffee: Per the barista, the drip coffee is based on their 50/50 Blend, which is a medium roast and consist of half Filipino coffee beans and half Colombian coffee beans. I like to drink my coffee without any sugar or milk so I can taste the coffee, but this cup was bland and unimpressive. 1 star here.

Espresso: The barista also indicated that the espresso is based on their medium roast 50/50 Blend. However, espresso by its name is of a dark roast and not a medium roast. A dark roast will give a bold, rich and slight bitter taste, which the Ayala espresso lacks. Also, the crema (the foam that sits on top) on the Ayala espresso resembled sludge and took a very long time (over 10 minutes) to dissipate, which shouldn’t be the case with a properly extracted espresso shot. Sadly, 1 star here.

Ube latte: The Ube latte was extremely sweet and is comparable to drinking sweetened milk with a purple coloring. Espresso taste is non-existent, and we opted for espresso to be added at an additional cost, which is highly unusual as a latte typically contains espresso. While I love ube, this drink had no ube taste. We only took a few sips before tossing. 1 star here.

Price: The price for the Filipino Avocado Toast was $12, but with the egg an additional $2 was added bringing the total to $14. I understand that food, particularly eggs, has risen, but this dish is extremely pricey for what it is worth. As for the coffee drinks, the cost for the medium (12 ounce) drip coffee, single shot espresso and medium-sized Ube Latte were $3.25, $3.25 and $4.50, respectively. The cost of the espresso is comparable to other coffee shops. However, the cost of the drip coffee is expensive for what is given (12 ounces versus other places that offer 16 ounces for about the same price). Also, there is an upcharge of $1.00 to add espresso to the Ube Latte bringing the cost of this drink to $5.50. 2 stars here.

Return Visit: I would only visit this place if I was in the area, and if I was lucky enough to find parking in front of the store on the first go around. The food is good but be prepared to pay a premium price. The coffee, espresso and Ube latte are lackluster so this is something that I...

Whether you're local, out of town, out of state, or even out of the country, Ayala Coffee is the Mecca of the Philippines that every Filipino must visit at least once in our life. The coffee has been phenomenal (my personal favorite being the cassava or jasmine vanilla), and their matcha flavor has blown my mind - I always thought matcha was supposed to have a bitter aftertaste, but not Ayala's, which really goes to show just how high-quality the food and beverage is in this Filipino coffee shop.

The only issue that I have, though, is the seating: despite the popularity of Ayala Coffee taking NJ by storm, this means that more people - especially if they come in groups - will be trying to get their hands on a table or two, so you're best bet is to try and come in as early as possible. Fortunately, if you're no morning bird and seating is unavailable and you would still like to try some of their food, Ayala can pack your order and have it ready to go - very convenient! In fact, if you're in a rush and don't have time to wait in line, you can also stop by their pick-up-only location right on Morris Ave. The food selection there is small, but their coffee is just as addicting.

All in all, I am very proud that my favorite coffee shop is growing and giving back to the Filipino community. As we move through 2025, hopefully the massive influx of customers will start to wind down as more and more people become familiarized with the Ayala brand. (At the time of writing this review, it's only been 10 DAYS since the big Ayala location opened to the public.) In conclusion, I wish the Ayala team more success on their chaotic journey to become the #1 Filipino coffee shop in the...

I had this place saved for a while and was excited to finally visit, especially with their expanded space and seating. Unfortunately, my experience was disappointing.

When I walked in, there were only 2-3 other customers waiting, yet no one was taking orders. Three employees were behind the bar—one making drinks, while the roles of the other two were unclear. Despite the low foot traffic, I waited about 15 minutes to order. As a crowd started forming, another worker finally stepped in to take orders. While drink preparation was quick, the pickup process was chaotic since the counter is positioned in the middle of the ordering line. They’ve introduced a waiting area, which I appreciate, but the setup still feels inefficient.

I ordered a jasmine vanilla latte, but it tasted more like sweetened milk with barely any espresso. The cassava latte was decent but nothing special. I also got an ube croissant, which they forgot about—I had to remind them 10-15 minutes later. Thankfully, the croissant was the highlight of my visit and almost made up for the hassle.

I originally came here to work based on reviews praising it as a good spot, but I found the disorganization distracting, and seating was quite limited. I’d recommend this place for takeout or an early visit if you’re just grabbing a table to eat or chat with a friend.

Overall, the cafe has potential with its beautiful interior and thoughtfully crafted menu, but the operational issues took away from the experience. I won’t go out of my way to return, but if I’m in the area and it’s empty, I’d stop by for a...