Baguio City Restaurants: New Cafe On The Block – Il Padrino

Hover, then click on the right arrow or the photo to see the slideshow of Il Padrino Baguio photos by Moe Abellera and Liezl Dunuan.

A new cafe has joined the Session Road block – Il Padrino. Opening in early December, the restaurant/cafe’s location is a prime spot along Session Road, right next to Tea House and only a few steps away for Porta Vaga Mall. Since its opening, the cafe is usually packed with people.

Pilipinas Popcorn checked out this newest restaurant, and here is a rundown of our dining experience.

Il Padrino Baguio: Good For One, Good For Groups

Whether you are dining alone, or with a group of three or more, the cafe can comfortably seat you. The first floor offers small tables for one or two, and bigger tables for up to three people. For bigger groups, the mezzanine level is a better location. The biggest table can seat up to eight people. For convenience, wait staff are stationed at the mezzanine level as well.

Patrons who intend to eat a meal or a snack should find themselves a table upstairs. Those who want a quick cup of coffee usually stay downstairs.

Good Coffee And Cake

Il Padrino originated from Manila. It had its first branch in Commonwealth, Quezon City. It eventually grew and added five more branches: Ayala Fairview Terraces, SM City Clark, SM Pampanga, Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, and Robinsons Galleria. Session Road -Baguio is their seventh branch.

Owner Ervine Pangwi grew up in Sagada so it is not a surprise that he knows his coffee. This knowledge reflects on the quality of the coffee they serve at Il Padrino. Serious coffee drinkers will love their espresso-based drinks here, while casual coffee drinkers will enjoy their range of ice-blended drinks.

The classic Cappuccino is the right blend of espresso, steamed milk and creamy foam. If you like your coffee big, order their large Cappuccino (PhP 109), perfect company while reading or people watching. A perfect pair with coffee is a slice of cake. Highly recommended is their Dulce de Leche cake.

Satisfying Salads And Pasta Dishes

Since this branch is located in Baguio, access to fresh vegetables is a plus. Their salads particularly the Caesar Salad (PhP 169) and the Lemon Chicken Salad (PhP 169) had crisp lettuce leaves. Both salad also had distinct flavors – the Caesar salad dressing tasted good with the bacon bits, while lemony vinaigrette went well with chicken.

Il Padrino’s menu also includes a wide array of pasta dishes. Among them, the best tasting was the Chicken Crema Al Pesto (PhP 189), a creamier version of the classic pesto with a generous amount of parmesan cheese.  Other recommended pasta dishes are the Aglio Olio and the Chicken Parmigiana.

Room For Improvement

Aside from pasta, the cafe also offers thin crust pizza. Their 10-inch Italian Lemon Garlic Chicken pizza however had too crispy a crust, although flavorwise it was fine. Their Italian pannini sandwiches were also on the dry side, with the pork a little overcooked.

For more information about this new kid on the block, check out their website: ilpadrinocoffee.com, where they share some of the cafe’s history and its menu. They also have an official Facebook account for their social media marketing.