San, Juan, La Union, Philippines — What could be one common denominator between cafes and our own neighborhood? Probably, connection. Both cafes and our neighborhood are social places.

As such, these are places where we meet people – friends, families, even strangers. We make connections by smiling or by looking. Sometimes, we don’t even have to talk. And this sense of connection is evident during a dine in experience at Karruba Cafe.

Karruba – such a beautiful Ilocano word to say. It means “neighbor” — a person or thing located near another in English. And in surftown San Juan in La Union, Karruba is a relatively new cafe and bakery. Since it opened its door last April 2022, this homey, pretty food nook is slowly carving a name of its own in the bustling San Juan food scene.

Impressions. Karruba is definitely one of those local cafes that exudes a pleasant and relaxed ambiance for a hang out with friends, or a me-time over a cup of coffee and a good book. I am a sucker for wooden tables and chairs and accessories and Karruba have these aesthetics.

Food and Drinks: Upon entering the cafe, one’s olfactory nerves would be so much delighted. The aroma of the newly baked bread and pastries plus the coffee they brew will make you feel “kilig* (dopamine spikes). In short, you already know that your sweet tooth is up for a satiating, tummy filling experience. From their croissants to to their doughnuts and their oh-sooooooo-good lemon tarts, this cafe-bakery- restaurant in La Union has a saccharine treat to all kinds of people.

They also have a wide selection of coffee and non-caffeinated drinks. The ‘Karruba Sunrise’ – a peach-mango drink is such a refreshing one! And just when you thought they only serve bread and pastries, the epicure in you would be happy to know they also have local and fusion dishes.

Some of the dishes we’ve tried are the Crispy Bagnet Kare-kare, chicken cordon bleu, and the super Palatine-satisfying honey lemon chicken. I swear one must try this chicken dish.

Well my Karruba experience didn’t end there, I had to takeaway some of their bread/pastries since my stomach was already full and I couldn’t resist to try their ube Spanish bread, strawberry croissant, and garlic bombs. I even had to buy a box of their lemon tarts because they were so so good. I think I said that earlier haha. Basta super good talaga.

So the next time you find yourself food tripping in San Juan La Union, go and check out this coffee/pastry spot aaaand you might just end up finding a new gem of a cafe… and an outright spark and connection.

Karruba Cafe
Address: Urbiztondo Rd, San Juan
Contact Number: 09165037354 Social