Ballast Coffee

Ballast Coffee is a quiet, airy cafe in West Portal that makes great iced and hot drinks (plus ube and calamansi-infused coffee). They also serve pastries and mochi muffins from Third Culture and Starter bakeries. This spot has reliable internet and plenty of tables for a morning of work, or quick catch ups with friends you haven’t seen since chunky dad sneakers became a thing. There’s a sun-filled patio, back room with a garden view, and a communal table up front. If you are here to start penning your magnum opus, just make sure you come with any tech fully charged. There aren’t many outlets. 

photo credit: Melissa Zink