WITH coffee shops seemingly present on every commercial strip, it can be challenging to differentiate oneself from the rest.
But for the newly-opened Bicester Cafe, it may have done just that by taking inspiration from what the owner found most comforting--coffee and shopping.
Named after the shopping district Bicester Village in Oxford, UK, Bicester offers regular and specialty coffee, pastries, popular brunch dishes and cocktails.
Manager Rejzl Anne Awit, 24, hopes those who drop by Bicester Cafe will find comfort in the place.
It took about a year to finalize the concept and come up with the dishes they serve. She admitted that she doesn’t know how to cook, but she took an active role in ensuring the food and drinks they served was something that could bring comfort to those who drop by. They had taste tests with chefs to make sure they served good food.
Earlier than expected
Awit, a law student, said the plan was to open the cafe after she graduated from law school. But an opportunity to open sooner came when they found a location at Mahogany Place along Pope John Paul II Ave. They were one of the first tenants of the commercial strip and they managed to get a spot facing the main street.
Unlike most coffee shops, however, Bicester serves something almost unheard of in local cafes--alcoholic drinks. Awit says the cafes in Bicester Village also served cocktails, which was where they got the concept.
Anyone who needs a drink as early as 7 a.m. can find it at the cafe, served alongside breakfast favorites like chicken and waffles, pancakes, eggs benedict, rice meals, pasta and pastries.
Bicester also aims to attract those who enjoy specialty coffee. The cafe serves specialty grade coffee sourced from Mt. Apo and Mt. Kitanglad.
Awit admits she was surprised to find that they always had customers from the time they open at 7 a.m. to the time they close at 11 p.m. The cafe closes at midnight on weekends.
She believes that coffee has become essential to Cebuanos’ lifestyle, which is why they feel can still do well even with big-name brands and small-time operators opening coffee shops all around Metro Cebu.