Chains shouldn’t compromise quality. It’s an outlook that Toby’s Estate is aiming to prove with several locations across Metro Manila. As one of the first shops in the region to showcase specialty coffee, they deserve credit for what they’ve accomplished so far. Toby’s has inspired their customers to appreciate a better and simpler cup that focuses the coffee itself, raising standards higher than what people were accustomed to. Your options may vary from store to store, and some branches serve up a better taste than others, but all of their stores are familiar and comfortable. You can always rely on them to serve up a no-fuss, daily cup of coffee.
The Toby’s Estate at Century City Mall in Manila is a grab-and-go type situation, sparsely filled with only a few stools lined along the wall and a counter. They offer the standard Toby’s coffee menu and a substantial choice of pastries, but this branch forgoes any meals because of its to-go nature. They put an emphasis on their single origin coffee from Kenya, which is a Black Currant AA. It’s a special blend of beans from different lots within Mt. Kenya and the Central Highlands region. As an iced black, you’ll find tastes of dark chocolate with blueberries and hints of burnt caramel. They also offer some pastries from Bucky’s, a shop worth noting for their famous “Bucky” brownie (although they refuse to call it a brownie). This Toby’s is located near a cinema, so for people who have tendencies of sleeping while watching a movie, the shop might be your new best friend.