Indulging my Senses at Starbucks Reserve

Admit it! Apart from the coffee, what makes our Starbucks visits a “premium coffee experience” is the look, the smell, the lighting, the ambiance, and the overall feel of it all.

And every Starbucks outlet gives us a unique profile to remember. Unlike other brands where most of their outlets have similar fixtures, paint pallet, marque, and counters, Starbucks stores make it a point to be unique even from each other while consistently delivering a coffee experience that “inspires and nurtures the human spirit — one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time," so says their mission.

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Now a visit to a Starbucks Reserve store elevates this already premium experience into a whole new different dimension.
Starbucks Reserve locations are no longer just Starbucks outlets. They are actually premium Roasteries that promise an extraordinary coffee journey in customer experience, from Roasteries designed with modern contemporary strokes, and complemented with unique and exclusive menu options for both food and coffee.

Modern Contemporary

The wooden and stone tile finish of every nook and cranny of Cebu’s roastery immediately caught my attention during my first visit. I remember thinking how perfectly the place expressed the homey and cozy vibe of Cebuanos, best captured by the store’s vibrant blue paint profile.

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My favorite corner of course is the Reserve Bar, where I encounter firsthand how my “coffee master” (Reserve’s Barista) prepares manually and right in front of me my preferred roast of coffee. The bar itself has curves with gold trimmings that gave the illusion of waves when seen from a distance. I just felt posh and fab as I sat there waiting for my brew.

Unlike most Starbucks stores with almost monochromatic living-room-like lighting and fixtures, Cebu’s Starbucks Reserve roastery is actually a mix of vibrant and mellow. At daytime, there’s just enough natural light that bounces through the blueish stone tiled corners. While at sun-down, its non-descript lighting fixtures makes it a perfect place for a quick after dinner coffee.

Exclusive Reserve Menu

The concept of a Reserve Roastery is actually designed as a tribute to the heritage and coffee movement that Starbucks has created since its inception in Pike Place Market in Seattle way back March of 1971. This homage to the Starbucks experience is best showcased in the seasonal and exclusive profiles of the brews and dishes that are offered on Reserve Menus.

At the Reserve Bar, Mari Anthony, my coffee master, always takes time to explain to me what to look forward to for the day, what featured exotic beans must I choose, and what comfy pastry I should pick to go with my brew. No other Starbuck stores (other than a Reserve one) offers, for a limited-time only, certain options for small-lot coffee beans roasted in various style. This is how I know that I have something new to look forward to every time I visit a Reserve Roastery.

For those craving savory and sweet, a new line of sweets and pastries are also exclusively available in Reserve stores. Only in Reserve Roasteries can you order Ice-cream from Starbucks. You can either have it with two shots of Reserve espresso (Classic Affogato) or with a drizzle of syrup and cinnamon powder (House Affogato).

Of course, cakes and pastries are non-negotiable must-eats in any Starbucks outlets. Again, Reserve stores offers unique ones that you can’t find anywhere else. There’s Kouign Amann, a flacky French pastry perfectly paired with any dark espresso-based drink. A French butter croissant filled with brie and smoked ham is also available for those looking for a heavier bite.

Alas, there’s now soup in Starbucks! Exclusively in Reserve stores, an Apple pumpkin soup would surely add a hearty profile to your Starbucks experience.

Other sweet options include Bombolone (a chocolate-cream filled doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar), Blueberry Cheese Pocket (a pocket pie made of cookie crust filled with cream cheese and berry), and lastly a cozy Peach Mango Cobbler that’s a perfect pair to my favorite dark hot brew. Worry not though, you can also enjoy your favourite regular coffee at Starbucks Reserve.

Overall, a Starbucks Reserve experience is a feast to the senses. It indulges every smell, every bite, every sight, and every feeling for warmth that I crave. Gosh this makes me miss Starbucks Reserve all the more! Visit it yourself and tell me what you think!

Location: Central Bloc Ground Flour Ayala Malls, IT Park, Apas, Cebu City, Philippines

Previous Blog:

Levelling Up my Coffee Ritual here at IT Park’s Starbucks Reservee

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