Ube Lattes and Jackfruit Cappuccinos: Filipino Coffee’s Flavor Mafia

Ayala Coffee in Union, NJ, owned by 32-year-old Trixie Jose and 34-year-old Matthew Reyes (because nothing screams youthful rebellion like complex tropical syrups), is serving up ube drinks like they’re the Filipino Starbucks no one expected but everyone needed. Their menu reads like if Willy Wonka took a tropical vacation: pandan, cassava cake, leche flan, and jasmine lattes, plus espresso tonics with tamarind and cold brews boosted with Milo syrup—a nostalgic chocolate poweder that screams 'calm down, it’s just coffee.' They source Philippine-sourced liberica beans via Kalsada and roast in Jersey City, battling oversaturated ube stereotypes while offering a 'gateway' for adventurous taste buds. Baby’s Kusina in Philly charges $6.50 for its Milo mocha—cheap enough to not require a second job but expensive enough to whisper 'I’m basic yet culturally woke.' As coffee price chaos brews worldwide, Philippines’ rare liberica bean aims for a caffeine comeback bigger than the Avengers—coffee edition.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

When your latte flavors read like a Philippine playlist and the coffee beans are R-rated liberica, it’s not just a drink—it’s a passport and a diploma in Filipino culture. Welcome to Ayala Coffee, where your $6 ube latte is officially classier than your entire life.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Forget 'pumpkin spice,' Filipino coffee shops are out here flexing ube, tamarind tonic, and jackfruit cappuccinos like they’re flexing vitamin D at a California beach party.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Ayala Coffee’s secret formula: real ube not flavored syrup, plus a dash of cultural pride and a splash of "if you know, you know" for all the basic coffee drinkers scared of flavor.

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