The Den

Highly Recommended: this is definitely the Best Coffee Shop in Binondo Area and possibly the whole Tondo Area too. All pastas are amazing, all coffees are great, ambience is great. They use good equipment and beans. Connecting shop Escolta Coffee Company also sells the coffee beans they use, drip coffee powder also available.

The den’s specialty is really coffee, don’t recommend the non-coffee drinks, tried them all and kinda tastes weird IMO.

Con: they close at 6PM! They have great food so it would be great if they are open until 10PM

Budget: I don’t understand why others find it super expensive, def cheaper than Starbucks, for within P500 you get good coffee and good filling food, the prices are justifiable imo

Others: this is not a lounge type cafe, good for 2 hours stay max, since it’s located at The Hub people who frequent this cafe are mostly involved in creatives or are having a quick coffee break from the offices above. Quite a busy place but I don’t find the people at the counter rude at all. Maybe people are just super used to Starbucks treatment.

Free wifi for two hours, ask for the voucher code after ordering.

The Den is like an oasis amidst the busy Escolta, offering refreshing drinks and tasty coffee selections.

Based on what I saw, it attracts the Gen Z market. It’s a good place to hangout on a weekend afternoon or enjoy a quick weekday snack.

They maximized their limited space to accommodate more seating customers. Before or after a visit, you can check out the novelty stores beside it.

I love their Spanish Latte Coffee. One of the best! It's best to go here early in the morning around 9-12nn, crowd is less during these hours.

Hoping to visit again and try other food options.

Located on the ground floor or First United and inside HUB Make Lab, The Den offers a meeting place for the people who visit Escolta. The vibe here is very youth. Their dishes are nice as well! Very nice serving. I had their Spicy Tuna Pasta and Berg’s Coffee. They also offer a complimentary 2-hour wifi.

Love their spanish latte!! I also like their collection of books.

A hole in the wall coffee shop that can be found in Escolta, The menu is in fact interesting and I went for the Bergs paired with Toast topped with Nutella Spread. Fell in love with the grilled cheese with tomato dip. The quality of the bread is good and the cheese is just as great.

The store provides a QR Code for contact tracing upon entry and body temp is also being identified. they provide a paperbag for the mask and each table is marked for social distancing.

I’m such a sucker for hidden and low-key coffee shops in and beyond the metro. One of them is The Den, tucked inconspicuously inside First United Building — the 90-year old establishment along Escolta Street that is now home to independent shops, and is a booming art hotspot.

Like a true-blue millennial, I discovered The Den through Instagram. Dragging the BF with me, we forayed to this part of Manila one rainy Saturday afternoon. 😂

The Den isn’t your typical crowded and busy coffee shop with its dark industrial interior and amazing artworks displayed around. It gives off a mysterious and laidback vibe which I immediately loved! It’s the perfect hideout for when you want a place to chill, a coffee date, or just a quiet afternoon with friends.

Lezzgo to our orders shall we? Had the following —

☕ Berg’s
The Den’s original creation, made of espresso, coconut milk and muscovado syrup. The first sip tasted of coconut milk and then the bittery taste of espresso kicked in. I’m usually not into super sweetened coffee but this one worked for me. It’s something new and unique. Completely loved this! Will definitely venture into Escolta again just for this. 😄😍

☕ Mocha
Okay, so what is a coffee shop visit without ordering my default coffee drink? Naturally, I had to sample their mocha. I always have ‘em hot for me to fully appreciate how it tastes. This one didn’t disappoint. It’s rich and chocolatey without overpowering the espresso. It’s so good it almost levels with my current fave mocha drink (Mozaic Living). Haha!

☕ Chorizo Pasta
Ordered food because I was hangry already. Commuting from the North to Manila is no joke. Lol. Their pasta is made from scratch, yasss to handmade pasta, BB! 😍 It was super good! Pasta was al dente and I loved the abundant amount of chorizo tossed in it. Also, huge serving! It’s flavorful but this is just me ‘coz I prefer it to be a wee bit on the salty side. 😛

Aside from coffee and pasta, they also serve pastries and other non-coffee drinks. The owner was there when we visited, was super nice and even approached our table to ask for feedback on the pasta. And all throughout our stay, I noticed that he was really hands-on and was all smiles to all the customers coming in. Coffee shop owners such as him gets bonus points in my book! 😅 It completely shows his passion not just for his business but for serving kickass coffee.

For peeps who don’t mind going to far places just for good coffee, don’t miss out on The Den! ☕☕☕

Great egg sandwich with croissant loaf! Cool, quiet and accomodating place to work or hangout (free 2 hours wifi code!) with friends in Escolta.

A cafe located at the Hub. Hub is beside UCPB Escolta. They are open every Tuesday to Saturday. They serve pastas (all at P225), sandwiches (priced at P200; pulled pork and the other one was salmon on rye), some waffle, cakes, & small baked products. They have coffee as well as crafted beer. Some of the items adorning the interiors are for sale. Had the sausage ravioli, which I was informed was one of their bestsellers together with the tinapa pasta. It was ok. But I really liked the tomato-based sauce. While I was eating it, I thought that maybe their tomato-based pasta other than the ravioli is tasty as well. The herb and the sauce were wonderfully combined that the herb did not overpower the sauce at all. I had the bread wiping the sauce off the plate. 😁Had the Long Black, drank it as is, it has a bold taste that light drinkers wouldn't enjoy. I didn't complain at all since I try to give each cup I taste to be a statement of what the owners themselves prefer.

We have been visiting this place, countless times since 2017. Usually after the boyfie gets his hair done at Folk.
The cafe also serves as an art gallery.
So every visit is a different backdrop to memory bank.
(From banner themes to art deco to installations)
It has a strong cultural vibe, that makes it more interesting.
Whenever we visit the cafe, the boyfie always have matcha latte, and I usually have something chocolate-y or dirty chai, it's my constant favorite. The pasta dishes are a must try too! They make their own bread/brioche.
Meals are affordable, but generous in serving size.

Most importantly, if you have to use the loo, they have a common toilet outside de cafe (within the building), just ask for the keys, don't worry, it's thoroughly kempt as ever.

This is the most cozy place that I can recommend in the area. Their coffee is very good, esp. their special Berg's coffee. Must try!

Artisanal coffee located in a good, heritage building? Yes please!

At the time of trying, they might be cautious because of COVID that they are allowing 10 people inside the main cafe. Coffee is good and you know they know their craft. Artsy things are also sold inside.

One of the hidden coffee shop in Escolta. As a coffee lover, I can say that the coffee here is great! Perfect if you want to work in some relaxed environment.

Coffee shop in Escolta??? Yup I was also surprised when I saw Cindy S. review about this place. So given a chance to be in Manila area we took the opportunity visit this place. Its like treasure hunting for this hidden coffee place. Tucked inside First United Building along Escolta you’ll find the Den. People familiar with Hub:Make Lab will now this building. Yup it’s the place where Escolta bazzar is being held. Treasure finds of old manila relic and antique items.
The Den perfectly blend with the place with its industrial interior. Unique design of table and chairs. Love the unique artistry of the place. Dark and mysterious kind of vibe. Perfect like a hidden Den in Escolta. Love that this place is a sure hideaway that people will have a hard time looking for you.

For our order I got my Mocha latte and it was really coffee chocolately good and strong. They use blend of Kalsada beans. I love how the barista told us that with their coffee old people around the area are starting appreciate the complexity of coffee flavors. I also got to try the flat white and again I love it! We also love to try their Peach danish but it wasn’t available on our visit. While the pasta start to be served at 12noon. Anyway another good reason to visit the place again.

Overall I highly recommend this place for coffee and art lover like me.

Nestled inside First United Building, The Den offers a cool respite from Manila's heat, hustle and bustle. The interior is modern and cool to the eye, with an outdoor smoking area. They offer good coffee along with other non caffeinated beverages, as well as light meals and desserts.

try the adobo. slighty salty but ive never tasted any other adobo like it its pretty good.

Perfect place to chill. Lots of vintage items in their shelves. Their coffee is strong and tasteful. The ambiance is just the best! A hidden gem in Manila.

One of the best coffeeshops that I've been! The iced Spanish latte was amazing!!! A must visit when in Binondo! 👌

Great drinks and food in a nice setup. Don't leave without trying their Berg coffee drink, a must. Extremely nice team that goes out of their way to deliver. 5 stars for lack of a higher rating. A keeper.

Very Nice place with a Nice staff and excellent food!! We loved it and good vegetarian options