Maria Katrina Paras

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Siesta Horchata BF Homes Paola Huyong

<div><strong>Need to Know</strong></div><p><strong>Location: </strong>Siesta Bodega, G/F President’s Grove, President’s Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque (Right beside the Tahanan Village entrance)</p><p><strong>Cuisine:</strong> Specialty horchata, cafe bites and snacks</p><p><strong>Best for: </strong>Daytime hangouts with friends, or a nightcap on the weekends</p><p><strong>Must-try:</strong> Dirty Horchata, Chamoy, and Carnitas</p><p><strong>Pro tip: </strong>Buy a bottle of Siesta Horchata to bring home in case you start craving after your visit!<strong></strong></p><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768985937683Siesta Horchata 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Siesta Horchata | Photography by Kieffer Carrascal</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Humble Horchata <br/></strong></div><p>Once upon a time, a horchata brand was born out of the pandemic from the home of a young woman who adored the sweet Mexican drink. That young woman is none other than <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paohuyong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Paola Huyong</strong></a>, an entrepreneur/athlete/creative whose passion has propelled her to take this hobby to where it is today.</p><p>“I love taking naps, hence siesta”, Paola shares one afternoon at Siesta Bodega, the brand’s new HQ in BF Homes, Parañaque. She recalls developing her horchata recipe which a friend gladly shared with her back then. “I love the drink so much I decided to make my own at home. I’d order cookies and have horchata with it as a break from work in the afternoons,” Paola recalls. Five years later, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/siestahorchata" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Siesta Horchata</strong></a> has amassed quite a following, with cafe goers frequenting the brand’s former home in Quezon City.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768985995226Paola Huyong.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Paola Huyong | Photography by Kieffer Carrascal</span></span></span></div><p>For horchata newbies, the drink hails from Mexico, and is a sweet, milky drink that is typically made by soaking rice or almonds, and adding ingredients like cinnamon and vanilla. “Our horchata is made with special ingredients like coco sugar. We also soak our rice for eight hours. It really took a village to develop Siesta Horchata into what it is today,” Paola shares of the unique recipe her brand has.</p><p>Not typical for the cafe scene, Siesta is proud to be the first horchata cafe in Manila, offering specialty drinks made with the base horchata, and even supplying horchata to other cafes. Their current lineup includes the likes of <strong>Matcha Horchata</strong>, <strong>Dirty Horchata</strong> (with coffee), <strong>Chaichata</strong>, and <strong>Burnt Horchata</strong> (I tried this and I liked the smoky touch!)</p><div><br/><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768986413509Siesta Horchata Chaichata.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">The Siesta Horchata Chaichata | Photography by Kieffer Carrascal</span></span></span>From selling bottled horchata to serving aesthetically-pleasing (and equally palate-satisfying) specialty drinks and snacks in its own cafe, Siesta Horchata is quickly becoming a brand to reckon with. </div><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>New beginnings</strong></div><p><strong></strong>As mentioned earlier, fans of the brand would frequent Siesta Horchata in its previous home in QC. Once located in Sct. Santiago in Diliman, the brand now resides at the President’s Grove at BF Homes in the south, where its CEO hails from and grew in. “This is a horchata lab. This is where we learn and unlearn all things horchata,” Paola happily shares. </p><p>Designed to be a warm, cozy, inviting space, Paola shares that the design inspiration was a “bodega”—simply because the furniture in their QC cafe was all transferred to the south. Paola fused Mexican and mid-century inspiration, with a touch of Yayoi Kusama, “who is very stubborn with her art,” Paola quips. The results is a mishmash of elements that make for a cafe that’s inviting and at the same time, as we often say, Insta-worthy.</p><div><br/><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768987390065Siesta Horchata BF Homes.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Siesta Bodega | Photo by Kate Paras-Santiago</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Siesta Bites</strong></div><p>The cafe is a great place for friends and family to catch up, and to enjoy light yet satisfying bites. We were able to try their <strong>Chamoy</strong>, a Mexican-inspired fruit salad with Siesta’s special chili powder. Paola tells us , “It’s a great pick for those who are on a diet!” We can definitely see why. The fruity, tangy flavors of mango, watermelon, and pineapple sprinkled with an undecipherable type of chili powder was a new adventure for my tastebuds; I can definitely see myself having this more and more as the summer approaches. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768987687088Chamoy.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Siesta’s Chamoy | Photo by Kate Paras-Santiago</span></span></span></div><div>Apart from the fruit salad, we also got to try Siesta’s Carnitas which consists of pulled pork on flat bread, topped with cilantro and lime. It’s the quintessential Mexican snack, and a great snack when drinking horchata. The only thing missing is the beach and some vibe-y music and we’re all good!<br/><br/><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768987998408Siesta Carnitas_ 3530.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Siesta Carnitas | Photography by Kieffer Carrascal</span></span></span>Siesta is not strictly Mexican though, and just like its interiors, their menu is a mishmash, with a lineup that offers other mouthwatering picks like the Siesta Cheesy Katsu, a sandwich that can satisfy for lunch or a light dinner. There’s also the classic Ham &amp; Cheese Croissant, a crowd favorite.</div><div><br/><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768988386967Cheesy Katsu Siesta_3575.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Siesta Cheesy Katsu | Photography by Kieffer Carrascal</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>With a new home, a new neighborhood to delight, and new offerings to boot, Siesta is well on its way to a great start for 2026. Paola is equally excited for what’s ahead. Heeding the advice of her father, she turned this hobby into a full-blown brand and business, nurturing it like her very own child, seeing it grow into a unique, multi-faceted creation that keeps her on her toes. The brand’s move to the south is a pivotal milestone for Siesta, and a rebirth for both the humble horchata brand and its wide-eyed owner. </p><div><br/></div><p>Follow Siesta Horchata on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/siestahorchata" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@siestahorchata</a></p>

Manila's First Horchata Cafe Siesta Finds Its New Home in the South

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Manila's First Horchata Cafe Siesta Finds Its New Home in the South

Kate Paras-Santiago

Published Jan 21, 2026 05:00 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 21, 2026 05:50 PM PHT

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2026

Siesta Horchata

Siesta Bodega

Paola Huyong

Horchata

BF Homes Cafes

Horchata Manila

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