This Café Doesn’t Just Give You a View of Manila Cathedral, It Lets You Dine in It

You may already be well-aware of a café that lets you dine with a view of Manila Cathedral. Easily one of the most Instagram-worthy cafés in Intramuros, La Cathedral Café has been frequented by both coffee-lovers and photographers alike since opening in the Walled City in 2018. But have you heard about Belfry Café?

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Must-visit cafés in Intramuros’ most historic addition

Freshly opened in February 2021, Belfry Café is the latest addition to the many must-visit coffee shops in Manila. Why? More than its menu, which we’ll get to in a minute, it stands right within the premises of Manila Cathedral — the first cathedral in the Philippines, which was originally built in 1571.

That being said, the café owes much of its unique ambience to the cathedral’s impressive facade, including having the seven Carillon bells as its overhead decorations. There’s an indoor seating area for when you prefer to have air-conditioning and spacious alfresco dining for natural ventilation or better social distancing.

To dine right next to a structure so important and historical is an experience in itself. However, you’ll also find that the Belfry Café menu is equally as interesting and satisfying.

For a start, the Manila Cathedral café serves espresso from ₱110, tea from ₱85, and blended beverages from ₱140. They also have classic Filipino delicacies like ensaymada, which you can get for ₱60 and special bibingka for ₱90, as well as other pastries with a price range of only ₱45 to ₱120.

Also read: 13 Notable Sites in the Philippines Every History Buff Must Visit

Belfry Café visiting hours and requirements

Belfry Café is open from 9am to 8pm daily (except Monday). In light of the pandemic, visitors of the café must wear a face mask at all times. Social distancing is also strictly implemented inside the shop. And before you can enter, you should first sanitise your hands and step on the disinfection mat.

The best time to visit Belfry Café is on the weekdays, as it’s likely to get crowded during Saturday and Sunday because of church services.

Featured image credit: Belfry Café | Official Facebook Page