- Attraction: Ayala Coffee
- Location: 946 Stuyvesant Ave, Union, NJ 07083
- Industry: Coffee Shop
- Website: https://www.ayalacoffee.com/
Picture this:
You walk into a café where purple ube lattes swirl in cups and the scent of fresh-baked pandan croissants fills the air.
At Ayala Coffee in Union, first-generation Filipino-Americans Matt Reyes and Trixie Jose have transformed their passion for coffee and culture into New Jersey’s premier Filipino specialty coffee destination.
Founded in 2021 as a humble pop-up cart and named after Trixie’s family neighborhood in the Philippines, Ayala has blossomed into a full-service café that’s turning heads across the tri-state area.
What started as a tribute to Trixie’s grandmother who survived COVID has evolved into a cultural celebration. You’ll discover Philippine specialty beans roasted right here in New Jersey, house-made syrups crafted in small batches, and Filipino-American chefs creating dishes that bridge two worlds.
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Keep Exploring →The December 2024 grand opening of their expanded café brought even more to the table—literally—with a thoughtfully designed space by Filipino architectural firm La Union Studio that honors heritage while welcoming everyone through the doors.
Signature Drinks Worth The Drive
The Ube Latte: This purple beauty reigns as Ayala’s bestseller, and one sip tells you why. The earthy sweetness of ube—Filipino purple yam—creates a flavor profile that’s both familiar and wonderfully exotic. It’s not overly sweet, just perfectly balanced with a subtle nuttiness that pairs beautifully with their Philippine coffee beans.
Leche Flan Latte: Running neck-and-neck with the ube in popularity, this drink captures the essence of the beloved Filipino custard dessert. Imagine the caramelized richness of condensed milk transformed into liquid form. It’s indulgent without being cloying, offering that same silky sweetness you’d expect from the traditional dessert itself.
Pandan Latte: Made with real pandan leaves and coconut milk, this drink evokes powerful nostalgia while introducing younger drinkers to Filipino cultural flavors. The fragrant, vanilla-like aroma combined with subtle coconut notes creates something you won’t find at your typical coffee chain. Each sip transports you straight to the Philippines.
Cassava Latte: Inspired by cassava cake—a Filipino dessert favorite—this drink features flavors reminiscent of homemade Filipino sweets. The subtle tropical sweetness and unique texture make it a standout choice that repeatedly draws visitors back.
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Discover MoreSpecialty Seasonal Creations: Keep an eye out for rotating specials like the Ube Matcha Latte (purple meets green in the most delicious way), the Fig Cardamom Latte with its complex spice notes, and the Apple Pie Matcha that captures fall in a cup.
There’s also the Jasmine Vanilla Latte made with actual jasmine petals and Madagascar vanilla beans, offering authentic floral notes without any artificial aftertaste.
Filipino-Inspired Breakfast & Pastries
Tocino Breakfast Sandwich: This top seller features Ayala’s house-made tocino-flavored pork sausage patty paired with atchara (pickled papaya), crispy hashbrown, and cheese, all nestled in a fluffy ube potato roll. The sweet-savory pork combined with the tangy atchara creates a flavor explosion that’ll have you planning your next visit.
Spamganisa Breakfast Sandwich: A clever Filipino twist featuring house-made longanisa-flavored pork spam with atchara, crispy hashbrown, and cheese in that same distinctive ube roll. It’s comfort food reimagined, offering familiar breakfast flavors with an unmistakably Filipino identity.
Ube Champorado Croissant: The café’s pastry crown jewel. Executive Chef Alex Ruperto created this masterpiece with an ube-forward flavor and the actual texture of champorado—complete with rice bits baked right into the flaky croissant layers. It’s Instagram-worthy and taste-bud amazing all at once.
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Keep Exploring →Pandan Croissant: Stuffed with pandan-flavored pastry cream and inspired by Kaya toast, this laminated beauty delivers tropical flavors in every buttery bite. The croissant’s flakiness provides the perfect vehicle for the aromatic pandan cream filling.
Ensaymada Cruffin: A hybrid pastry combining a cruffin (croissant-muffin) topped with butter, cheese, and sugar in the traditional Filipino ensaymada style. It’s sweet, salty, and impossibly good.
Other Sweet Treats: Don’t miss the Mango Cruffin, the honey butter toast made with in-house Japanese milk bread caramelized with brown sugar and topped with ube halaya and whipped kesong puti, or the chocolate chip cookies that incorporate Ayala’s own ground coffee and Filipino Auro chocolate.
Avocado Toast: Even the savory options get the Filipino treatment with house-made pan de cristal bread, whipped kesong puti (Filipino-style ricotta), vegan bagoong (fermented black bean), fresh avocado, and chives. It’s a unique take that brings Filipino flavors to a brunch staple.
Atmosphere & Space
The Design: Ayala’s full café space opened in December 2024 and immediately captured attention with its beautiful Filipino-influenced aesthetic.
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Discover MoreWorking with La Union Studio, the same Seattle-based Filipino architects behind Hood Famous, the café features thoughtfully chosen décor that celebrates heritage. Natural sunlight streams through large windows, creating a bright and airy environment that feels both modern and culturally grounded.
Seating Options: You’ll find various seating arrangements including bar seating, cozy couches, and traditional tables. The space feels spacious compared to their previous to-go location, making it conducive for everything from catching up with friends to getting work done on your laptop. Free WiFi and outlets make it study-friendly, though peak weekend hours can get busy.
The Vibe: Clean, inviting, and Instagram-ready without trying too hard. The atmosphere strikes that perfect balance between cozy neighborhood café and destination coffee shop. Plants add warmth, and the lighting creates an ambiance that’s equally suited for morning caffeine runs or afternoon work sessions.
Instagram-Worthy Moments: From the vibrant purple ube drinks to the beautifully plated pastries and the aesthetic interior design, Ayala offers plenty of opportunities for that perfect food photo. But it’s not just for show—the quality backs up the presentation every single time.
Practical Considerations
Pricing & Value: Expect pricing that’s reasonable for specialty coffee—think similar to upscale coffee shops rather than chain prices. The quality and uniqueness of offerings make it well worth the cost. The portions are generous, the ingredients are premium (everything’s made in-house), and you’re getting flavors you truly can’t find elsewhere in the area.
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Keep Exploring →Parking Situation: Free street parking is available, and there are public parking lots within walking distance. During peak hours, especially weekends, you might need to circle for a spot, but it’s worth the minor inconvenience. Some lucky visitors score street parking right by the door.
Best Times to Visit: Weekday mornings tend to be less crowded if you’re looking for a quieter experience or prime seating for work. Weekend mornings can see lines, especially after their grand opening buzz, but the wait moves steadily. The kitchen closes at 3pm daily while drinks are served until 4pm.
Who It’s For: Ayala welcomes everyone, not just the Filipino community. Older Filipino visitors experience deep nostalgia and younger Filipino-Americans connect with their heritage, while the café has built a diverse, open-minded following.
It’s perfect for adventurous coffee lovers, brunch enthusiasts, anyone seeking unique flavors, or those simply wanting to support a community-centered small business.
Pet-Friendly: Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome inside, making it a great stop for pet parents looking for their caffeine fix.
Special Events: Keep an eye on their Instagram for “Ayala After Hours” events and other special programming that builds on their mission of creating community gathering spaces.
What Sets Them Apart: Unlike most coffee shops, Ayala creates all their syrups and milks in-house using original recipes.
They source directly from Philippine coffee farms through partnerships with Kalsada Coffee, ensuring quality beans while supporting Filipino farmers. Every pastry component, breakfast item, and brunch dish is made from scratch by their Culinary Institute-trained chefs.
Ayala Coffee
📍 946 Stuyvesant Ave, Union, NJ 07083
