There’s nothing like a good cup of joe to perk you up before―and especially after―a long flight. Thankfully, we’re not the only ones who think so.

On October 16, 2017, Manila Marriott became the very first hotel to open a dining outlet inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with Manila Life Café. Aside from offering a delectable menu of Filipino favorites (Sisig Nachos and Inasal Tacos are just the start), Manila Life also prides itself in being a champion of local produce.

Pancit Luglog

“Manila Life Café is a showroom of Manila’s current food and beverage state: highly sophisticated in some areas and raw in others,” Brendan Mahoney, Food and Beverage Director of Manila Marriott Hotel, told The Ultimate Coffee Guide.

Sunrise Plate

“Manila Marriott’s motto in food and beverage is to ‘Go Local’…our coffee is aligned with supporting local farmers, so we sell and support locally grown coffee,” Mahoney added, pointing out that they also offer local coffee as part of the hotel’s room amenities and main restaurant, as well as banquets and catering events at the luxury hotel.

According to Mahoney, after a series of tastings with a local coffee expert, the rare Benguet Peaberry―with its slightly fruity yet deeply rich flavor―rose to the top and became the star of Manila Life Café.

“Philippine coffee is not well  known in the world stage,” he stated. “Filipino food has always been globally under marketed, so what better way to show people the streets of Manila than in a sophisticated but approachable environment delivered by our five-star trained Filipino hosts?”