Overall, Café Kuya is a warm, neighborhood café on the south shore known for great third-wave coffee, matcha, and signature drinks with ube syrup, alongside Filipino-inspired sandwiches and smash burgers that many reviewers rate highly. The staff are repeatedly praised for friendliness and attentiveness, and the vibe is cozy with Star Wars memorabilia and a strong community feel that invites lingering or working on site, though a few criticisms pop up about seating during peak times, occasional inconsistency in coffee flavor, changes to recipes such as the ube sauce, and a messy bathroom on some visits. Still, the place is seen as a local gem with regulars, pop ups, and collaborations that reflect a clear sense of place, making it a go-to stop for drinks and comfort food like the tocino or lechon sandwiches, buko pie, and other pastries.
Great vibes, super friendly staff, & the food is a BANGER.
Tocino sandwich was great, tender juicy chicken, 10/10
Lechon Sandwich was a banger, juicy slice of pineapple with the crispy lechon, super well balanced.
Their potato buns are soo soft, they're the perfect pairing with the meat choices available, & the ratio of meat/topping/sauce is absolutely flawless.
We had the Pandan Matcha & the Ube Matcha, i'd like to try an unflavoured matcha for purer comparisons sake, but this is definitely a solid matcha. The ube syrup sort of cancels out the flavour of the matcha in a weird way? I think ube would work better for the coffee than the matcha. Pandan Matcha was a fire combination though, heavily reccomend that. Not their fault though!
Now, the real star, the super crispy fries with the battered texture, with sinigang powder on it?? You guys are geniuses. I cant believe i had never thought of that.
Overall a lovely cafe! I live quite far but will definitely make the trip just for this!
Mar 15, 2026
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I bought a drink (see photo) SOOOO GOOOD.
I bought one of their chicken sandwiches Tuscino I think its called. Also really really good. I bought one of their sponge cakes. All three cost around 23$ so its alittle costly, but really good. Definitely recommend!
Un joyau caché de la rive-sud qui offre des produits originaux tel que le café éthiopien & un sandwich déjeuner d'inspiration sud asiatique. Fraîchement fait lors de la commande, il est digne d'une étoile michelin.
Fantastic little coffee shop, we had the matcha & coffee latte the two were delicious we also tried the chicken sandwich such was really nice, would recommend !!
We love this cafe, really good coffee, breakfast sandwiches & great & friendly service :). Also good cold drinks (ube syrup, matcha etc). They often have specials (kamayan, wraps, burgers etc) & partner with locals (pop up yoga event, pastry features, floristry etc) so would recommend following them on IG!
Le café est excellent ! La présentation aussi, & leurs sandwichs, wow. Expérience excellente du début jusqu'à la fin. Il n'y a pas énormément de place a assise à l'intérieur, donc se prendre d'avance. Possibilité de take out. Il y a le parc Léon Gravel pas loin (5 minutes d'auto).
The matcha & cappuccino had a decent taste, however the artwork wasn't very appealing. In addition, I had ordered a hamburger with chicken.The rest of the sandwich was great, despite the mushy bottom of the hamburger.
I've come here two times in a row this week & have enjoyed Cafe Kuya. It's a hidden gem with a good community of local business in the plaza. I have eaten their chicken sandwich & their lechon sandwich. Both were great, but the lechon sandwich was definitely my favorite. I also had their matcha late & regular latte, which were great. The place is a nice cozy environment with some StarWars memorabilia. The staff are friendly & hard working. Cafe Kuya brings some Filipino style to their menu & shares their culture with the community. I am looking forward to coming back to visit again!
A great find with a nice vibe & excellent service. Latte & matcha latte are amazing & the breakfast sandwich with rice is authentic & delicious. Highly recommend!
The fried chicken sandwich (we got the current special-mango habanero) is awesome, but dare I say the seasoned fries are even better?! The staff are SO sweet & welcoming too. Ask them for menu recommendations bc they're passionate & fun to talk to! 10/10 experience & I'm already looking forward to the next visit 🫶
My absolute favourite cafe. This place is a community gem of the south shore & feels like the embodiment of a warm hug. The space is airy & cozy with lots of natural light & high ceilings: a perfect place to sit down & work or have a good coffee date. But what really sets this cafe apart is how incredible everyone who works here is. The staff are so thoughtful & kind. They always check in with their customers to see how they are & always go above & beyond.
The drinks & food here are equally delicious (try their ube syrup in a latte & breakfast sandwich if you want to get a taste of their specialties). They have a great assortment of Philippino inspired sandwiches, pies, & baked goods.
Additionally, they are always innovating & working with the local community bringing in pop ups & different Philippino foods to try, supporting other local businesses & uplifting others (keep an eye on their IG for pop ups & other community events).
Cet endroit est vraiment Hot !! Le sandwich lechon est succulent le café excellent les pâtisseries sont fraiche ! Mais le meilleur c'est l'accueil super chaleureux ! J'y retournerai
