Sourdough Cafe On QC's Tomas Morato Avenue Puts A Twist On Pandesal

Artisanal pandesal

Pandesal is a staple breakfast food for most Filipino households. It’s such a classic that the recipe rarely changes from bakeshop to bakeshop. Sourdough Cafe on Quezon City’s Tomas Morato Avenue, however, dares to be different.

The cafe takes pride in its pandesour, or pandesal leavened using sourdough starter instead of dry yeast, giving it a slightly tangy flavor. This leveled-up pandesal retails at P140 (~USD2.81) for half a dozen. There’s also an ube pandesour variant which costs P250 (~USD5.01) for half a dozen.

Other bread varieties

Sourdough Cafe - croissants
The cafe’s rich, buttery croissants pair perfectly with morning coffee.
Image credit: @sourdoughcafedeli

The cafe also carries French favorites, such as croissants for P110 (~USD2.20) apiece and baguettes for P150 (~USD3.01) apiece. For the sweet-toothed, they have Italian donuts called bomboloni which cost P365 (~USD7.32) for a box of nine.

The brains behind the cafe constantly come up with other Filipino fusion bread to offer customers besides the pandesour. These include the pan de spaniards, a Spanish bread and sourdough hybrid, and the kwah-saimada, a cross between the French croissant and the Filipino ensaymada.

They put out these limited-time offerings from time to time, so be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

A cafe, restaurant, and deli

Sourdough Cafe - vongole pasta
Vongole is just one of the hand-rolled pasta dishes you can get from the cafe
Image credit: @sourdoughcafedeli

Besides selling fancy bread for breakfast or merienda, Sourdough Cafe is also a restaurant that serves hearty meals.

They have a selection of appetizers and main course offerings, as well as a wide variety of hand-rolled pasta and artisanal pizza, making them the perfect place for a dinner date.

If you’d rather stay at home, you can also get cheeses, cold cuts, or a grazing box from their deli. With their impressive wine library, Sourdough Cafe has got your Friday wine night perfectly covered.

European-inspired interior

Sourdough Cafe - European interior
Sourdough Cafe’s clean, minimalist interior
Image adapted from: MV Soriano

If the cafe’s myriad of offerings isn’t enough to convince you to go, the place also deserves a spot on your Instagram feed.

Their dark wood and white furniture and marble tabletops provide the perfect background for your next foodstagram pics. Plus, the storefront, with its wide, arch-type glass windows, makes a great place to take a snap of your OOTD!

Filipino fusion at Sourdough Cafe

Fusion food often gets flak for straying away from what is considered authentic. However, we Filipinos often forget that many types of Filipino food are fusion in itself.

Sourdough Cafe’s pandesour and other Filipino fusion cuisine are all thanks to chefs and bakers who push the boundaries of food. Filipino food is already amazing, but it’s always interesting to see the new ways in which they present our local cuisine.

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Cover image adapted from @sourdoughcafedeli and @sourdoughcafedeli