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I didn't know about the existence of Cafe Maya in 33 Cuartero Street in Jaro, Iloilo City until I discovered it in one of the foodie reels on TIktok. If you are a busy person and would love to vicariously discover new cafes and hang-outs, Tiktok is the place to go!
The cozy, beach hut style coffee shop is a 10-to-15-minute walk from the entrance of Cuartero Street from El 98 Road. Amidst the lively street life of Cuartero neighborhood, Cafe Maya's peaceful vibe is ideal for quiet alone time or a casual coffee date. The cafe is inspired by the Maya (Eurasian Tree Sparrow/Chestnut Munia), a beloved local bird that is lovingly featured in Filipino folk tales, poems and stories. Maya is also more than the name of our local bird; it is also a concept that means illusion or unreality or the name of an ancient Mexican civilization.
Out of curiosity, I approached one of the baristas to ask why the cafe is named after the Maya bird and he said that the cafe is inspired by the biblical verse Matthew 6:26--"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
The first thing that you notice when you enter the cafe is the accent wall with a beautiful mural painting of a Maya bird perched on a berry laden branch of a Coffea tree. This singular artwork is enough reason to visit the cafe.
Aside from the mural art, the cafe is a cozy, low-key place to enjoy brunch or all-day breakfast. I love their meticulously plated Hungarian sausage and eggs breakfast set. As it was already late afternoon when I visited, I decided to forego the coffee and opt for their Maya Signature Matcha, a concoction with frothy dalgona cream. I totally forgot that matcha is also loaded with caffeine so you can guess that I had a sleepless night after visiting the cafe. The bright green, fresh flavor of matcha begged for something sweet so I ordered a slice of a satiny caramel glazed Biscoff Cheesecake. Quite the sweet, happy pairing that I was yearning for.
Cafe Maya also offers classic hot coffee concoctions that are popular with the younger set such as Spanish latte, salted caramel, mocha and butterscotch latte among others. Various cold brew preparations are also available as well as non-coffee drinks, tea and chilled fruit juices.
I would love to come back to try their moby latte drink (caramel popcorn flavored brew) and pizza. Until next time when the little Maya bird calls me!
CAFE MAYA
33 Cuartero St., Jaro, Iloilo City
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