A Guided Coffee Journey with Yardstick’s Flavour Bar

Still think all coffee tastes the same? Yardstick’s Flavor Bar will change your mind.

Flavor bars offer an elevated coffee experience, a chance to taste something experimental, learn something new, and explore just how wide the world of coffee really is. Yardstick’s version was a sit-down, guided three-course journey featuring local and signature blends, paired beautifully with locally sourced chocolate.

Coffee and chocolate are the ultimate duo. Both start as seeds. Both are fermented, roasted, ground. They grow in the same climates, often side by side. For this experience, Yardstick teamed up with Auro, a proudly Filipino chocolate brand, to craft something truly special.

Our guide was Lou, the head barista at Yardstick’s Legazpi branch. Yardstick has a well-earned reputation for having some of the kindest staff in Manila, and there’s no better way to experience that than in a 30–45 minute session where you get a barista all to yourself. Lou walked us through each course, shared the stories behind them, and gave us space to savor and reflect.

My favorite course? The first: a hot and iced pour over using beans from Bukidnon. Sitio San Roque beans are a favorite among Manila roasters, but each one brings out different notes. This roast featured vanilla, green grapes, and pear notes. When I saw “green grapes,” I expected something sharp, but Lou’s brew was so well-balanced and sweet, we didn’t want it to end. She absolutely nailed it. Bukidnon continues to prove it's home to some of the best coffee in the Philippines.