Madge Café: Iloilo's iconic coffeeshop

I’m no coffee drinker but Madge Café inside the Lapaz Public Market is a temptation that always renders me helpless. It’s the blog lure of their native coffee prepared as it was more than 50 years ago, that makes me always to stop by whenever I find myself in the market.

A cup of coffee costs PhP25 and still uses the same prewar recipe concocted by Vicente de la Cruz. Ownership then has been passed on to many generations and now; Peter is the one who manages the café. Named after Vicente’s wife, Magdalena nicknamed Madge, the café is a melting pot this side of town.

 There you’ll find government officials brushing with the ordinary folks, celebrities enjoying coffee as students and fans look on. Proudly displayed on the walls are memorabilia from photos of their VIPs guests to features in newspapers and magazines – a testament of how this little coffee shop has developed a “Pride of Place”. 

The coffee shop exudes a calming ambience even during rush hour. It could be the fact that it still maintained its old world charm despite the developments outside. Its pale blue and white motif adds to the serenity of the place even amidst the “palengke” just outside its doors. 

The most notable feature of the coffee shop is the wall of personalized mugs lining up the coffee-makers corner. Though it’s just a recent introduction, it looks as if it had been there since then. From simple white mugs with just a name printed on them to fancy mugs of different colors and designs, the coffee containers enliven the café just by the sight of it.

Coffee from Northern Iloilo and its native Arabica. Upon order of your preferred brew – whether light, regular or strong plus black or with milk, acrobatic moves follow as Manang (didn’t quite got her name) mans the coffee counter. 

First timers would often mistake her for “Madge” as she expertly conducts a concert of coffee using a takure (kettle) on one hand and a colador (strainer) on another. This fluid motion continues until the coffee is strained and off they go to mugs for the regular or glasses for non regulars.

But to make this your trip more memorable why not ask them to make it Coffee Latta by serving it in cans, literally. As styro cups were just a recent innovation in to go orders, coffee shops have their own innovation then for take outs – utilizing used evaporated milk tin cans. Those cans of Alaska evap in one corner serves more than a just a product placement, I say. 

As experts they are in brewing native coffee, their expertise seemed to extend in making these tin cans into something unique as well as convenient. I just assume they are using the regular can opener and not those rolling ones, as “grooves” show on the can lid and they just smoothen the rough edges on the can. Nonetheless, they’ve not only created a “safer” and convenient way to have “coffee to -go”.

Madge also serves turo-turo items as it is also a carinderia during meal times. For snack items, they have puto, ibos and other native delicacies plus instant noodles and pancit canton. Another thing I like is you can also bring some foodstuff (just those that aren’t on their menu). 

A visit to Madge Café is more than just having your coffee fill; it is also reconnecting with the past, getting the vibe of the present and looking forward what the future may bring. It is also like having to travel back in time when everything was quite slow, when everyone almost know everyone else and everything seems to be within reach. And this rate I am going back and forth at Madge Café, I may have my own personal mug soon!