Catching Up Over Coffee at Paik’s Coffee and Bakery

It was the weekend, and out of our circle of eight friends, only two were free and had the time to watch a movie with me. Matching schedules is hard, so I was just happy we made it happen.

The three of us, Bree, Addie, and me, met up at Glorietta to watch a movie. It was nice to finally see each other again and just hang out like we used to. The movie ended around 8:00 PM and we were already thinking about where to eat dinner but we realized none of us were actually hungry anymore.

We had already eaten before the movie and bought snacks while watching, so we were all pretty full. Instead of forcing a meal, we decided to just grab coffee. That’s when we ended up trying Paik’s Coffee and Bakery for the first time.

Paik’s Coffee and Bakery is a Korean coffee shop owned by celebrity chef Paik Jong-won. Since it’s located near the cinemas, it was a very convenient choice. When we walked in, we were surprised because the place was packed. Even though it was already evening, there were still a lot of people inside.

Some nearby shops were already closing so we didn’t want to waste time. I told Addie to line up since there was already a queue, while Bree and I looked for seats. The place is actually spacious with lots of tables and chairs, but because it was crowded, it took a bit of effort to find an empty table.

Inside, the vibe was lively but still cozy. Some people were in groups, probably catching up like us. Others had laptops with them and looked like they were studying or working. It felt like one of those cafés where you can either stay for a quick drink or hang out for hours.

Their menu is pretty wide, which I loved. They have all the usual coffee drinks, from lattes to macchiatos, plus teas, juices, and even yogurts. I also noticed they serve ice cream, which seems like a good option if you’re craving something sweet besides drinks. They had pastries on display too, but since it was already late in the evening, there weren’t many options left.

Good thing Bree and I eventually spotted a vacant table for three. We waited there until Addie came back with our drinks. The orders arrived pretty fast, which was a nice given how busy the place was.

Bree ordered the Strawberry Paiksccinno, Addie got the Green Tea Latte, and I ordered the Caramel Macchiato, which is one of their best sellers. My drink was just right. Not too sweet and very comforting. Perfect for a late-night coffee. I ordered the iced caramel macchiato, different from my usual hot drink because of the weather. It was pretty hot that night.

We hadn’t seen each other for months before that night, so we had a lot to talk about. Life updates, random stories and everything in between. I was really thankful that Bree and Addie were free that day.

We also joked about how we’re the Scorpio trio in our friend group. Bree and Addie are both November Scorpios and their birthdays are super close to each other. I love how coffee somehow always brings us together.