Can’t decide whether to get fruit juice or iced tea? Try this! Made with real guava juice and brewed herbal tea, this drink will simultaneously quench your thirst and nourish your body.
Served with a big blob of Nutella on top, one look and one sip is all that you will need to realize that you will keep coming back to Lunchbox Cafe for this yummy, yummy drink!
This unique creation is an idea that Lunchbox Cafe owner Gen turned into reality. It matches perfectly with either coffee or tea.
Nomnomnom. This large cookie is surprisingly flourless. Made with egg whites and packed with protein, this chocolate-y treat is a dessert you can guiltlessly enjoy!
Amazingly, all of the ingredients used in preparing these meals, from the noodles down to condiments, were made from scratch. Although Lunchbox Cafe does not advertise itself as a place for the health-conscious, the meals they serve are surprisingly healthy. Every meal they serve is a balanced meal – and you will get generous proportions at that. (Meals are all good for 2-3 persons.)
The dishes’ recipes were mostly derived from Genevieve’s mom’s original home-cooked meals. Genevieve Oliva, an Enderun Colleges graduate and the founding owner of Lunchbox Cafe, also added her own personal touches to the dishes, though.
While only having been in the business for 2 years thus far, this cafe has managed to attract people from different backgrounds and demographics, a lot of which have turned from customers into regulars: senior citizens, basketball players, artists, students, and professionals. Families and children from nearby neighborhoods also come in to dine on a regular basis.
Another very distinct feature of this cafe is the long wooden table situated inside. Instead of seating different tables, guests share this single long table, which is only partitioned by several condiment trays. According to Gen, without intending to do so, this table has formed friendships. Sometimes, they begin with the curiosity of what the other group is having to eat!
When in Manila, “lunchbox” isn’t just a container for your food. More than that, as Gen herself pointed out, Lunchbox Cafe is an extension of one’s home – a place where you can celebrate life, community, and enjoy generous amounts of good food all at the same time.
Lunchbox Cafe
424 Ortigas Avenue (Ronac Art Center Bldg), North Greenhills, San Juan
(02) 477 4079 / 0917-817-1026
givemeyourlunchbox@gmail.com
Photographs by Charlie Ledesma