Abaca Baking Company® (Restaurant) - Ayala Terraces

Review: I really love bread and often visit bakeries, but croissants are my absolute favorite. When you search for the best croissants in Cebu, this café always comes up. I usually go to their branch in IT Park, but this time I visited their shop on the 2nd floor of Ayala Mall for the first time. The atmosphere was very pleasant — quiet, with people working on their laptops or simply enjoying coffee. Since the café is connected to the department store, there’s a steady flow of people, but it still feels cozy. The staff welcomed me warmly with a smile and were very accommodating even with several orders. This time, instead of bread, I tried one of their desserts, and I highly recommend the Basque cheesecake. Of course, their croissants are also delicious, and the coffee is very good too. Prices are a bit higher compared to other places, but the quality of the coffee makes it worth it. They also seem to have a wide range of meal options, so it could be a nice spot for lunch as well. I’ll definitely come back again!

Some time ago, my wife would occasionally go to Cebu for work purposes, and she started bringing home pastries from this place. So far, Abaca has offered the closest to European-style pastries I have had the pleasure to eat. On 8 April, 2025, I finally had the privilege of setting foot in their restaurant, and the overall experience was nothing short of stellar. For entrees, they offer a variety of dishes but manage to keep the menu from being overwhelmingly large. The fish of their fish and chips has a lovely thick, crunch, but light batter. The chips, while not true English-style chips, is severely tasteful and well-seasoned. The only minor downside to the dish is that vinegar isn't included with it - such as malt or brown vinegar - that would really tie the meal together, and keep it traditionally English. Despite having read the description, the breakfast quesadilla was not what I expected, but for all the right reasons. While having plenty of cheese to honor its namesake, the inclusion of egg and breakfast sausage was divine. The guacamole served it was just phenomenal. Lastly, our daughter opted for the kimchi fried rice with Spam/luncheon meat. I'm honestly not sure if the meat was canned or made in-house but it simply hit different. The fried rice itself bore a lovely kimchi without it being overpowering. Really well balanced. The food will definitely come across as pricey, but I guarantee each bite is worth it. Lastly, about the service provided. Unfortunately, I was unable to get their names, but they were prompt, polite, and showed initiative. By my wife's experience, their service has remained consistently fantastic. My only wish is that they would open a branch in Davao. Life would be good then.

Great food, coffee, tea & pastries all the time! Abacookie is my all time favorite & the half chicken! As of March 2025 As I was enjoing my coffee in another shop, I have decided to just share the feedback I had been holding for days now. I’m writing to express our deep disappointment with the way we’ve been treated at abaca ayala, over the past few days. As long-time loyal customers—visiting this branch in Ayala almost daily and frequenting Abaca Seaside or Paseo on Mondays, Fridays, and weekends—we never expected to be made to feel unwelcome at a place we’ve supported for years. Lately, our visits have been awkward, with staff seemingly trying to keep us from sitting in our usual outdoor spot, where we have always preferred to stay. Initially, we were asked to move to another table, which was just beside our usual one, with vague and inconsistent reasons such as: 1. Staffing issues – We were told no one could attend to that area, yet our table is actually closer to the door than the one they wanted us to move to. 2. Dust concerns – The claim that our table is dusty due to nearby construction, while the adjacent table was supposedly dust-free, seemed absurd. 3. Better service – We even tried offering solutions, like having a self-service system where customers could pay and order at the counter, but no one seemed interested in listening. Instead, we kept hearing, “Because the management said so. There is nothing we can do.” We attempted to address this with Jody, Solamit, and Matthew, but unfortunately, our concerns were ignored. What’s even more disheartening is the way we were treated last week—being booted out like criminals or beggars from a coffee shop we have supported for years. A server named Mike approached & requested us to transfer saying “mo inform lang mi nimo sir na gipalagpas lang mo namo the past few days but dili na gyud pwede palingkoran diri na table” The experience was not only upsetting but also embarrassing. We’ve always admired Abaca for the quality of its food, pastries and coffee—hands down, some of the best! But at the end of the day, no level of quality can make up for a lack of respect for loyal customers. It’s disappointing to realize that customer service, loyalty, and valuing people don’t seem to be a priority in your mission or core values. Needless to say, I have changed my high rating to thw lowest possible as our experience no longer reflects the quality & service we once appreciated. i truly hope that mgmt re-evaluates how it treats its long-time customers as no business thrives by driving away the very people who have supported it for years!

We always go to ABACA every time we visit cebu- it’s always on our list! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It beats a lot of the food places here in Manila. Winner winner chicken dinner! - @foodieforya on IG

Good coffee,cakes and pastries. We enjoyed ourselves with iced Americano coffee, and a muffin , tart and a cinnamon raisin pastry. Delicious

I had the burger in the cafe and it was pricey but worth the price. One of the best burgers I've had in the Philippines. The sausage rolls were beyond expectations. The chocolate cream puff. Well let's just say I should have only bought 1 as 2 is too much. But that's not going to stop me trying

Food: it was perfect. I've been craving smoked salmon on a bagel. Craving satisfied. Service: There is still room for improvement. They are quick to cater to their customers, but in doing so, the floor is too busy of them walking around. Atmosphere: The place is superb. The view outside is pretty. I guess it's the noise surrounding the restaurant. It can't be helped.

I would jump on a plane from the UK to Cebu just for this coffee! WOW We loved the atmosphere of the coffee shop, the coffee menu is amazing, and my favourite combination is the coconut iced late. They offer lovely meals with a fare price to portion size ratio. They have attentive staff and friendly staff. We enjoy their banana loaf/cake the most, it is our all time favourite and nobody makes it as tasty as they do. Recommended! GO!