Bar Pocofino in Salcedo Park embodies Italian slow living with artisanal coffees and signature cocktails. In 2018, Tuesday Angliongto was studying arts management at SDA Bocconi in Milan. For two years, she was surrounded by cafes, art museums, and people who enjoyed the little things in life.
When she returned to Manila, this served as inspiration when she built the brand Pocofino. “We created the brand to express our philosophy of enjoying ‘the small, fine things’ such as a cup of coffee, which is like a small everyday luxury,” she says. “The essence is a translation of the warmth and intimacy that pockets of Italy had in their cafes, restaurants, and streets.
” For Angliongto, an ideal sunrise-to-sunset day at Bar Pocofino starts with brunch. “I’d get a sweet drink like the Pocofino Latte and a panini. After, maybe leaving to take a walk with my dog and read a book in the park,” she adds casually, “if the weather permits, of course!” Drawn to the quintessential Wes Anderson art direction of Milan’s Fondazione Prada and its cafe, Angliongto began to envision how Pocofino would capture a similar atmosphere.
She picked Salcedo Park, and opened at The Ellis Makati. “It’s different from other places in the metro. You could actually walk around the area, for one, and enjoy the little bubble it seems to have,” she says.
“When the sun begins to dip, [I’ll] head back to the Bar and meet up with friends. Share food and stories over an Il Signore or T.