MADGE CAFE + DINAGYANG FESTIVAL | ILOILO CITY
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MADGE CAFE
Iloilo City has numerous places to visit that it will make your travel itinerary so full especially if you are visiting the area during the Dinagyang Festival. From heritage sites to lifestyle centers, there are a significant number of activities you can try. You will want to take a bit of chill time for a rest in the middle of all that tour. And Madge Café is the perfect place for you to have that.
COFFEE
The coffee that they serve are beans from northern Iloilo and native Arabica coffee. Its brew varies from light, regular, and strong. You can choose to have it cold or hot. The coffee is prepared using a culador, a flannel sieve that acts as the filter for the coffee beans. This type of coffee brewing has been used by the café ever since it started. Drinking their coffee will make you think of the past people who drank the same brew in that shop.
FOOD
Aside from their brewed coffee, the shop also offers other food choices on their menu. They have sandwiches, rice meals, pasta, noodles, and other drinks available. Depending on the time of the day you visited, you can have a heavy meal or a light snack with their famous coffee.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Started in 1951 by Vicente de la Cruz, the coffee shop was passed down to different generations. Before they turned to a coffee shop, the store was initially selling Halo-halo, a famous summer dessert in the Philippines. Since the business of selling the dessert is seasonal, the shop was turned into a café. Coffee is a passion of the owner which made it a suitable option. It was named Madge Café after his wife’s name, Magdalena. They ran the coffee shop until 1977 when their son Gerardo took over the business. With Mr. Gerardo’s wife and five children, the family business flourished. The store was later passed to his son, Peter, the present owner and manager of the cafe. Presently, they are still using the original coffee brew that was created from the time the business started.
AMBIANCE
Though the place is old with its faded flooring and old style windows, this is one of the things that gives the café its charms. The atmosphere is relaxing, and the people who run the place are friendly. The site has become famous over the years that celebrities even visit the café. You will see pictures of the said famous people in a bulletin board in one of the walls. The coffee shop is kept simple to keep the relaxing ambiance that is similarly found in a home.
MUGS
When you enter the café, the mugs will get your attention. All of these are lined in custom-made shelves which is truly aesthetically pleasing for visitors. There are all kinds of mugs with different types of designs. The other beautiful thing about these mugs are the names written on it. If you are one of the café’s regular customers, you will be honestly happy to use your own cup.
In your trip to Iloilo, you should make some time to visit Madge Café even with your busy itinerary. You will find the café in La Paz Public Market located at Luna corner Huervana street, La Paz Iloilo City. Their shop is open from 4 AM to 7 PM.
Madge Café is definitely one of the best places you should visit especially if you want to rest from all the walking and traveling. The coffee and relaxing atmosphere that it gives off will make you fall in love with the place.
DINAGYANG FESTIVAL
Must Read: Dinagyang Festival Schedule of Activities
The Dinagyang Festival is one of the biggest and grandest festivals in the Philippines. Held in Iloilo City, Dinagyang festival attracts various tourists both local and International. For many who have witnessed this event, Dinagyang Festival is not only a festival which showcases the culture of Ilongos, it is also an event which promotes creativity and discovery of new talents.
Witnessing the celebration, one can immediately conclude that it is a venue for any choreographers to shine. Each competing tribe is expected to perform with much drama and gimmicks with their performances. Many choreographers would prepare months before to put up a celebrated dance-drama during the event.
Dinagyang Festival also has the “Kasadyahan” wherein festivals from other provinces and cities would compete with each other. This feature of the Dinagyang Festival made the event even more meaningful as it fosters friendship amongst other cities and provinces in the country. Dance Drama Performances are ticketed so you may contact the Iloilo Tourism Office for more details:
City Tourism and Development Office (CTDO)
Dinagyang Lounge (Freedom Grandstand),
JM Basa St., 5000 Iloilo City, Philippines
(+63)(33) 336 3439
info@dinagyangsailoilo.com
For those who are planning to witness the festival, it would be great to book your hotels way ahead as bookings may come quite difficult if it is nearing the festival dates.
Click here for the ILOILO CITY TRAVEL GUIDE AND HOTEL LIST
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- Dinagyang Festival Guide and Things to Do
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