AND I say what about breakfast at Tiffany’s…” goes the lyrics of a song inspired by the 1961 film starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. This was also my inspiration for that early Saturday morning recently. I usually love sleeping in on Saturdays but that day was different. I woke up extremely early looking for something to do. Perhaps, my itchy adventure-loving feet was talking to me. My husband asked me out on a road trip and we decided to make a date out of it. At 7 in the morning, we drove to Tagaytay and decided to do Breakfast at Antonio’s for our dose of adventure.
The drive up to Tagaytay was pleasant, although the roads leading to our destination that morning have become much commercialized. What was once a rural path is now an artery usually crowded with cars, so much so that new highway exits have been built just to accommodate the high volume of cars going up to Tagaytay and its neighboring towns. That said, a drive up early in the morning still provides good views and a good drive. (An hour-and-a-half is actually a good time to get in a good conversation and catch up with the hubby.)
At 8:30 am, we were seated at a table with a view of Taal Volcano enjoying the cool breeze and the fresh air. It had been a while since I last visited the restaurant and a first for my husband, and he was pleasantly surprised by how quaint and homey it was. Breakfast at Antonio’s is the sister restaurant of the famous date place Antonio’s. The former’s ambiance is more casual and laid-back but the food is still impeccable, while the
latter is for special occasions, such as anniversaries, birthday celebrations and the like. Both, however, have comfortingly good, heartwarming food and a great ambiance to boot. Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed a quaint bakery which gave off that impossibly delicious smell of freshly baked bread. This small country store is where they sell homemade jams, charcuterie and even herbs and vegetables.
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and this is probably why the people behind Antonio’s chose to dedicate a place that serves breakfast the entire day. Glancing at the list of choices, for breakfast was enough to already make my mouth water.
They had all kinds of breakfast favorites that spanned continents, from European choices, such as homemade jams, deli treats, curds, yogurt, crepes and roestis, to Filipino classics, including tapa and sautéed corned beef. You name it, they have it.
The best place to enjoy a meal at Breakfast at Antonio’s is by the windows that allow you to take in such glorious views. Looking at the interior space, I love how the restaurant has been done in an aesthetic that’s simple and classic but still modern, rendered in black and white that makes the whole space airy, bright and fresh. The rustic charm of the entire house fits Tagaytay like a favorite glove. The windows are huge, which is apt for our tropical climate, but with wide overhangs to allow the wind to come in while effectively blocking off the sun and the rain. In fact, the restaurant is flanked by windows on all sides, which makes it possible for the wind to enter the space, circulate inside and exit through the opposite side—a simple solution to achieve cross-ventilation. Big fans whir about helping circulate the air inside the space, and the huge windows also bathe the entire space in beautiful daylight.
Tagaytay is still a great choice to go on short road trips. The town’s rustic charm coupled with the cool weather still makes it a popular place for leisure and relaxation despite increasing commercialization.
Breakfast at Antonio’s is one of those places that have kept Tagaytay’s rustic flavor alive.
The restaurant has gone through a number of changes, but it has managed to preserve the identity of that lovely pocket of temperate climate and lush views which help make one feel far from the madding crowd.
Image credits: Jason Buensalido