Café Lago: The Café by the Lake

* all green inside Café Lago

Found below the hill on which the Doña Leonila Park is found is a café known for its cozy atmosphere, ideal for intimate meetings and reflection – Café Lago. Armando “Mandy” Mariño was the one who opened the café. Café Lago can be seen as part of the larger context related to Sampaloc Lake: the desire to introduce Sampaloc Lake as an ideal tourist spot and a more subtle desire to bring people closer to nature. As the café is literally just beside the lake, it can only be expected that its owner/s is/are the prime advocates of such thrusts.

* a survey of Café Lago’s surroundings

* banga – a jar inside Café Lago

One trivia about the place is that the First San Pablo Comics Festival held on December 7, 2003 was held on the grounds on which Café Lago is now found. See the photos of the said event here.

Food wise, the menu is relatively cheap and the workers are hospitable as well. I heard from one acquaintance that the suman produced by Café Lago is exceptionally delicious, and so I better avail myself of that food the next time I come to visit the place.

* orgmates during a meeting inside Café Lago

* org members pose for a shot outside Café Lago; Sampaloc Lake is on the background

Again, I say that the place is very conducive for reflection. Bring a book, or a notebook and the ambience would definitely put you into a relaxing mood. If any chance reader would want to visit the place, just send me an e-mail so that I can bring you to the place.

[How to go to Café Lago, San Pablo City, Laguna: From Manila, board a bus bound for Lucena, Quezon Province. Drop off at San Pablo Medical Center (buses only enter the city proper at 8pm onwards). Then board a jeep bound for the city proper and drop off at San Pablo Central School. A landmark would be the overpass just in front of this school. Then hail a tricycle and say to the driver to bring you to Café Lago in Sampaloc Lake. The Café is generally known to San Pableños.]