Empire Fashion Café
143 Maginhawa Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City
Contact: 501-2853
Open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Monday to Thursday), 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Friday to Sunday)
(SPOT.ph) Maginhawa is a haven for foodies—from holes-in-the-wall to the quirkiest restos—it’s the street you explore if what you’re looking for is a gastronomic adventure. Look to the left and there’s a busy food park, to the right, there’s an unassuming coffee shop. But over the years, Maginhawa has grown to offer more than just food. Case in point: Empire Fashion Café.
The name is already a dead giveaway to what’s in store (pun intended!) for you. Step inside, you’ll be overwhelmed with rack after rack of clothes, shelves of makeup, and a lot more goodies that you’ll usually find in online shops. Empire is home to over 120 local online shops to help sellers showcase what they offer.
It's every makeup lover's heaven.
Check out the adorable onesies!
At the far end of the Empire is the café. The idea is to create a one-stop shop for groups and families who want to stay away from the crowded malls. The goal is to bring it in a place that's frequently visited by people of all sorts.
Double Cheeseburger
After perusing the shops, you’re going to want to find a seat and indulge in their food. Sink your teeth into the hearty Double Cheeseburger (P235). It’s packed with juicy Australian beef patties, locally sourced cheese, lettuce, and vegetables. The sauces are made by the in-house chef. The Lasagna Roll (P165) is baked specially by the owner. With lip-smacking layers of pasta, meat sauce, and generous amounts of cheese, it’s a delightful treat to the palate.
Lasagna Roll
Beef Nachos
For something to munch on, the Beef Nachos (P135) will do the trick. It’s a hodgepodge of beef, melted cheese, salsa, and pickled jalapeños which add a spicy kick to the crunchy chips. Served with a side of seasoned fries, this snack is also large enough for sharing.
Spam Fries
Empire also recreates quirky dishes, like Spam Fries (P135). The slices are thick, giving every bite more of that salty flavor we can’t get enough of. Their Egg Waffles (P120) is also a crowd-favorite, with the egg-rich batter light and cooked to golden perfection. The chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and Fruit Loops give the waffles a sweet and fruity lift. There’s also the Rainbow Cake (P135), a vanilla-based sponge cake that’s worthy of your Instagram feed.
Egg Waffles
Rainbow Cake
Naughty But Nice
Freak shakes are the café’s best sellers. Have your fill of the Naughty But Nice (P240), a drink that will satisfy any matcha lover. With a green tea base, it’s topped with doughnuts, whipped cream, matcha-flavored chocolate, white chocolate chips, and drizzled with chocolate syrup. The Nutella Salted Caramel (P220) is a milky and creamy mix of cookie crumbles, chocolate doughnuts, pretzels, and whipped cream with a salted caramel base. Finish off with the Choco Dinosaur (P200) a.k.a. every chocolate-lover's dream. It's packed with chocolate doughnuts, chocolate wafers, chocolate chips, and chocolate syrup—all of which are meticulously measured to blend into a drink that’s more malty than sweet.
Nutella Salted Caramel
Choco Dinosaur
Tasty treats are always welcome after a day of shopping. Empire Fashion Café lets you have a bit of both so you can enjoy cool finds and have a side of fries, too.
Photos by Criselda Carreon
Check our ranking of the Best Cafes in Maginhawa.