MANILA, Philippines – From the Land Down Under to the Philippines, Melbourne’s famous St. ALi Coffee shop is now brewing in Metro Manila with its first Philippine branch in OPUS Mall, Bridgetowne Estate, Quezon City!
Melbourne’s eclectic food scene, bustling coffee culture, and laneway charm come together to serve signature specialty coffee and international dishes with a spotlight on locally-sourced ingredients.
The Australian coffee pioneer was founded in South Melbourne in 2005, starting out as a small mom-and-pop business set up in a garage. Now a global icon in the artisanal coffee space, St. ALi Coffee roasts over 1.5 million tons of ethically-sourced coffee annually from its humble Port Melbourne roastery to global branches around Australia, Bali, Jakarta, and its newest home in Manila, which opened last October.
Space for everyone
ST. ALi’s founding team from Australia is at the forefront of operations in Manila for now, personally overseeing every aspect of the café. From manning front-of-house service to meticulously crafting every drink, the team makes daily adjustments to the menu based on the quality of local produce and random new ideas.
Australians take their coffee seriously, and you’ll feel that with the team’s hands-on approach; the brand’s passion for pushing the boundaries of what coffee can offer was evident during our visit last October.
“The coffee landscape has matured globally, and we’re thrilled to see people wanting a taste of what we do. We’ve heard from many Filipinos who studied in Australia and came back saying, ‘We want that Melbourne coffee experience here at home,’” Lachlan Ward, CEO of ST. ALi, told Rappler.
ST. ALi’s space is bright, spacious, and inviting. Its ground floor boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the café with natural light and offering a clear view of the mall’s outdoor driveway. The combination of brick walls, rugged wooden accents, and industrial-modern touches brings Melbourne to Manila, while a second-floor loft provides more privacy for those seeking a quieter corner.
A long communal table in the center is adjacent to a wall of stylish merch, with ST. ALi’s distinct branding on full display on ceramic mugs, caps, shirts, and socks.
Sitting by the window adds to how open and airy the café feels — perfect for sipping coffee, enjoying a heavy brunch, people-watching, working, or catching up with a friend without the cramped, dim atmosphere other urban cafés tend to have. Although spacious, it still feels cozy enough for a long stay.
Drink up!
ST. ALi’s menu reflects Melbourne’s diverse culinary scene — a melting pot of different cuisines and cultures, all while using local Filipino produce and artisanal ingredients.
“Coffee is more than just a drink for us — it’s a craft. We’re proudly Melbourne-born and bred,” Alex Wang, ST. ALi’s Head Barista, told Rappler. Wherever possible, they also deal with producers directly.
All coffee is roasted fresh to order at their Port Melbourne roastery, where skilled roasters fine-tune each batch for consistency and quality. Alex shared that during a visit to Seoul, Korea — their first trip post-COVID — he was inspired by their coffee scene’s attention to aesthetics, creative presentation, and boundary-pushing take on well-loved drinks.
“We spent so much time looking inward during COVID, so seeing Seoul’s coffee and hospitality culture was a breath of fresh air,” he said, inspired to create seasonal coffee and non-coffee drinks to appeal to a new wave of coffee enthusiasts, especially the Gen Z and their obsession with cold brew and matcha.
We tried the Matchamansi (P480), an original drink that combines Japanese matcha with calamansi, our local citrus. Surprised at how harmonious the unique mix of zingy citrus and the earthy depth of matcha was, I appreciated how both strong flavors melded together, equally letting each other shine in every sip. It was a refreshing beverage that didn’t taste too sour or too bitter.
Another favorite was the Not Guinness (P460), made with filter coffee, honey, coconut cream, and caramel syrup. The coconut cream gave it a tropical twist, making it feel more like a dessert than a coffee drink, with its mild coffee flavor lingering at the end. It was comforting, sweet, and indulgent all at once — perfect for lovers of coconut desserts. (PSA: Most of St. ALi’s drinks can be alcohol-ified if you wish).
For the hardcore coffee drinkers, try the Espresso Flight (P500) — a trio of curated espressos — and the Barista Breakfast (P500), which serves St. ALi’s single-origin blend in three different ways: flat white, espresso, and filter. The Winter Freddo (P460) also stood out with its mix of peanut butter chocolate and shaved chocolate, giving it a nostalgic appeal; and so did the The Coco Mingle (P460) with espresso, chocolate cream, and coconut water, which tasted like a rich hot cocoa but served cold.
Other drinks include the Banana Paradiso (P480) — banana curd and vanilla ice cream with Orthodox espresso — The Milo Shake (P420), and Espresso Shake (P420), along with various hot teas (P220). Hot Chocolate (P250), Chai Latte (P250), and Matcha Latte (P250) complete the classic options.
For cocktails, choices include Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Espresso Martini, Melted Manila, Wide Awake Negroni, and Japanese Slipper, all available for either P460 or P480.
Good grub: Filipino ingredients, Melbourne flair
The food menu at ST. ALi begins with “I’m Peckish” appetizers such as Granola (P380) with passionfruit, mango curd, and pinipig granola; Avo Toast (P420) with charred avocado, black sesame seed hummus, sherry caramel, and Aussie dukkha; and From Chicken With Love (P380), featuring two eggs any style on sourdough.
The Ube Panna Cotta (P460) is made with St. ALi’s housemade pinipig granola, white chocolate, and toasted coconut — although the ube taste was quite mild, the star for me was the localized granola, exclusively made for the Philippines: crunchy, sweet, nostalgic, and addictive.
“Morning Glory” options include Hummus Breakfast (P460) with poached egg, parsley pesto, crispy chickpeas, curry leaves, chili oil, on baguette, and the French Omelette (P550) with cheese custard, grandma’s ham, and parsley.
We tried The Tokyo Omelette (P620), a fluffy Japanese-style omelette wrapped in nori coated in bonito flake butter, topped with pickled enoki mushrooms and a chunky smoked eel oil to finish. You rarely see “Tokyo” and “omelette” in the same sentence, and the dish satisfied my curiosity — it was an umami bomb that was smoky, salty, and savory in all the right ways.
With the Whole Pompano (P1,100), our local fish’s buttery, mildly sweet flesh shines alongside a spicy-sweet Korean gochujang sauce with a punchy kick. The pickled mango salad on top counters the slight spice with sweetness and sourness, while the charred lime on the side adds brightness to the dish.
St. ALi’s Squid Ink Risotto (P650) was unlike any risotto I’ve tried; it was aromatic and strong in spices, with five-spice and star anise standing out and providing a uniquely bold flavor lift to the dish. The texture was more moist and almost soupy; the charred octopus was tender and added to the dish’s depth.
Good for sharing, the Spatchcock Chicken (P620) is as homey and simplistic as a roasted chicken dish comes. The meat was moist and juicy, and lightly flavored by the fermented chili and ginger butter marinade (a squeeze of charred lime takes it further). It went well with my favorite part of the dish – the crunchy, creamy, and tangy slaw — packed with punchy onions for some bite.
The menu also includes Short Rib Burger (P680), which features 24-hour braised short rib with kimchi and garlic aioli; The Royale (P580), a wagyu beef patty with American cheese and dill pickles; and the Barramundi Burger (P580) with pan-seared barramundi, chili paste, and mango papaya salad.
For lunch, choices range from Salmon Papillote (P880) with salmon fillet, boy chou, capsicum, and zucchini; Congee (P560) with braised pork cheeks, XO sauce, and spring onion; and Steamed Silken Tofu (P420) with spicy prawns and braised vegetables.
ST. ALi Coffee’s Manila debut brings the heart and soul of Melbourne’s café culture to the city with a thoughtfully designed communal space, dynamic menu, and novelty drinks.
“Melbourne is known as one of the coffee capitals of the world, and ST. ALi is a big part of that. Filipinos have an unmatched love for great coffee,” local franchisee of St. ALi, Stewart Ong, said.
St. ALi is open from 10 am to 10 pm daily at the ground level of OPUS Mall, located at Bridgetowne Destination Estate, Opus, Bridgetowne Blvd, corner C-5, Quezon City. – Rappler.com
