By Gianela Zapata and Jed Nykolle Harme

Coffee has always been a very popular drink for its variety of tastes and aesthetic value. It’s no wonder why it’s almost always in every cafe or restaurant menu. However, it can be overwhelming to choose exactly how you want your drink and what food to pair it with. 

Luckily, if you’re a coffee lover or enthusiast from Cavite, Kapeng Gala is just the perfect place for you. 

Photo Courtesy by Lakwatsero Caviteño

Kapeng Gala is one of the newest, most unique, and affordable cafes in Kawit, Cavite. Located in Brgy. Marulas, a few steps away from Aguinaldo Shrine. 

Kapeng Gala have a lot of budget-friendly menu options that definitely radiate comfort food vibes. 


Photo Courtesy by Where To Eat In Cavite

Their Caramel Machiato is one of their most popular best-sellers, along with their Java Chip Creamcheese and Choco Banana Frappes.

Photo Courtesy by Kapeng Gala

Some unique recipes include their own twist on champorado, mini burger with fries, and a waffle muffin egg. 

Photo Courtesy by Kapeng Gala

The start-up began as shop owner Alexandra Iluzada’s simple passion for coffee, which eventually grew into an avenue for offering good food and drinks to the community. 


Coffee On The Road 

In the business' early run, it was a mobile cafe with only one table stationed along NIA Road. The cafe name was inspired by the idea of being able to go to different places because of its mobility, thus “Kapeng Gala.” 

There are a lot of joggers and bikers in the area, and most of them got their coffee fix from the pop-up stand.

Photo Courtesy by Kapeng Gala

However, they were only open in the morning, which left their customers craving more of their beverages afterwards. Luckily, Iluzada had much more planned for her coffee business. 

After months of hard work, she finally opened her first-ever branch of Kapeng Gala in Kawit last July 15. 

In an interview with the shop’s secretary Irish Mae Agner, she says that the opening is still her favorite memory with the shop up to now. This is because she enjoyed seeing Alexandra finally achieve her dream. 


Barista Workshops 

Iluzada was a barista and instructor in Singapore for four years. With her amount of knowledge in the field, she decided to share her expertise by holding coffee and milk tea-making workshops. She even has her own brand, Gelliecious Tutorial Services. 

They used to have face-to-face workshops at the cafe with 5-8 students. However, due to the ECQ in Cavite, they are now having it virtually via Zoom with over 20 participants each session. 

Her workshops are a great avenue for coffee and milk tea enthusiasts, aspiring baristas, and business owners to learn more about their craft. It also covers a variety of topics such as the intricate process of roasting, rationing, and latte art, to techniques for manual brewing, cupping, and more. 

Photo Courtesy by Gelliecious Coffee Barista and Milk Tea Workshop Entrepreneur

Agno also adds that learning the proper ways of working with coffee is very crucial. You can always just prepare your drink with random measurements. However, unlike 3-in-1 blends, making coffee from scratch requires a certain discipline to create the drink according to your own liking. Consistency is important. 


Coffee Science 

They ensure that their suppliers from Batangas and Amadeo have fresh stocks by only roasting the beans when they order first. 

She also states that coffee beans are very “maarte.” You always need to check if the brew, color, and ratio is right. 

Even simple things such as what kind of environment they grow in have an impact. This is because they can adapt to the smell and taste of surrounding plants. For example, placing it right next to a lemon fruit will make the coffee more acidic. 

There is still a lot in store at Kapeng Gala. According to Agno, there are also new releases for the month of September that you won’t want to miss. As for their future plans, Iluzada is planning to expand her business and open up more branches in the future.

Photo Courtesy by Kapeng Gala

If you are someone who is passionate about coffee, milk tea, and good food, Kapeng Gala is a definite must-try new tambayan in Kawit. 


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