CAFE NICASIO: Dipolog History In A Cup of the Best Homebrewed Coffee

Coffee shops in Dipolog City are emerging so fast that it makes me really proud to be living in such a wonderful and progressing city. Being someone who loves coffee and as a digital nomad myself that needs to work from anywhere else makes these coffice even more convenient.

Coffee becomes a huge part of my daily life even though to some, it’s just a morning staple. So, I took some time to roam around Dipolog City to explore and discover coffee shops that serves the best homebrewed and specialty coffee with delicious food meals. That’s when I found Cafe Nicasio, the home of the best coffee in town with a great history to tell and can also be enjoyed by people who loves coffee a little less.

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About Cafe Nicasio

Before we get into the nitty gritty about the place, Café Nicasio is beyond the business stuff because it is deeply rich with amazing history that is worth sharing to everyone. 

Cafe Nicasio is named after the first Filipino Diocesan priest of Mindanao– Rev. Fr. Nicasio Yebes Patangan, a native Dipolognon. 

AS A YOUNG PRIEST IN THE 1920’S AND THE DIOCESE OF ZAMBOANGA BEING NEWLY ESTABLISHED (ERECTED APRIL 1910) PADRE NICASIO EMBARKED ON SEVERAL MISSIONARY JOURNEYS TO DIFFERENT PLACES IN MINDANAO, PARTICULARLY IN THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN PROVINCES, WHICH BROUGHT HIM TO THE MISAMIS PROVINCES, CAMIGUIN ISLAND, TO AS FAR AS THE DAVAO REGION. SHORTLY BEFORE THE SECOND WORLD WAR, IN THE YEAR 1940, HE WAS APPOINTED AS PARISH PRIEST OF THE OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH IN DIPOLOG BECOMING ITS FIRST FILIPINO PASTOR.

Cafe Nicasio is a great remembrance of him as he served as the spiritual shepherd of Dipolognons until his death in 1967. The late Fr. Nicasio Patangan has then become one of the three prominent leaders of Dipolog City. Together with the first mayor and a farmer, a monument was then built in front of the Dipolog City hall in their honour and recognised as one of the city’s tourist landmark today.

The Feels and Interior Look of Cafe Nicasio

Located within the heart of the city and just in front of the Provincial Capitol, Cafe Nicasio is an easy access for all people from different walks of life. From workers to students, sport enthusiasts and by-passers…name it!

This coffee shop has an interesting interiors of coffee stained woods combined with dark gray ceiling, wooden furnitures and art walls about Fr. Nicasio Patangan with a vintage, yet modernised feel that speaks the historical part of the place. That’s consistent branding for me if you may ask!

The “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam” Wall

This a visual wall of photographs that depicts the  life and works of Fr. Nicasio Yebes Patangan.

To live Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam is to lay claim to a legacy of “other-ness” that sets us apart and puts us at ease with any culture or people. A completely integrated other-ness that seeks to make all things whole that approaches the liminal without hesitation, finds God in all things, and seeks to proclaim His glory in all that we do.

It simply amazed me how they gave life and remember the first diocesan priest that once led the people of Dipolog City to its greatness and introduces him to the generation today through Café Nicasio’s Ad Majorem dei Gloriam wall. Not everyone may have cultural interest like I do, but it’s a wonderful story to know about my home.

What To Eat and Drink in Cafe Nicasio

Now let’s talk about food and drinks! My other most favourite thing about Cafe Nicasio aside from their coffee is the delicious food that they serve. Cafe Nicasio attracts coffee & food enthusiasts and non-coffee addicts with their excellent dining experience.

I tried all their pasta variations but the one that stands our for me would have to be the Lemon Chicken Pasta. I tend to have cravings of it whenever I think about wanting to eat pasta and Cafe Nicasio really satisfies that cravings. Others would say that it’s pricey, but trust me it’s worth the money. And I vow to that!

Cafe Nicasio Food Menu

They have a wide range of food from salads, sandwiches, pasta and their bestseller breakfast dishes that are perfect for our Filipino taste buds. More meals selections such as wraps for health-conscious people and kimbap are highly recommended as well.

Look at that extensive selections of coffee, frappes, smoothies, specialty craft coffee, non-coffee drinks, and fruit iced teas. What more could you ask for?

Wondering what’s my regular order in Cafe Nicasio?

Since I always go here to work, I always have a whole day menu on my mind. I usually start my day with a basic. I would have Coffee Americano and Beef Tapa for breakfast because well, you can never go wrong with a Filipino breakfast. There are times when I skip lunch just so I could order my favorite Lemon Chicken Pasta at around 2pm. Then I will order another cup of hot coffee and this time, it’s going to be latte or the flat white. I’m not that fond of their iced coffee but that’s not gonna make them less of a great homebrewed coffee in Dipolog City.

When I come here, it’s always a gastronomic experience!

Cafe Nicasio Amenities

A great coffee shop means having great amenities as well. The actions they have taken to adapt to the new normal is highly commendable. They set up a hand-washing area on the right side of the café’s facade and it’s almost unnoticeable even in photos.

Just before you enter the café, visitors are welcomed with a cute wooden signboard that says “Please wash your hands before entering” along with other handwritten chalkboard. Even though it’s part of the health protocols during pandemic, they simply make it like it has always been part of their amenities. That’s pretty amazing!

Cafe Nicasio is a homey place. From the perspective of someone who has been working home a lot, it’s nice to be in a different home vibe and I like that I always feel welcome and comfortable in this café with their awesome amenities:

• Wooden tables with free charging outlets (My digital nomad self is happy for this!)
• Free self-service drinking water
• WiFi Internet for 1 hour/voucher
• Comfort room
• Some free books to read

To add up, I love how customers respect others. It isn’t rowdy and you can’t almost hear the chattering from other tables which makes it more work-friendly. It’s like an office extension in a cozy place. Trust me, I’m not exaggerating. This is my actual experience. That’s why it’s one of my top choices coffice in Dipolog City.

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