A cozy Filipino cafe serving creamy Ube lattes and honey-calamansi chicken poppers just opened in Elmhurst in the space where Pata Cafe, a local Thai gem, stood for a decade before permanently closing.
Bukas Cafe, located at 56-14 Van Horn St., has transformed from a no-frills Thai restaurant with authentic dishes to an intimate cafe that feels like visiting family for coffee and good conversation, filled with books, lush plants, and serene jade walls. As customers walk in, they’re greeted warmly by owners Anna Javier and Angel Carreon, despite the morning rush, as they take orders, prepare drinks, and dishes inspired by Filipino recipes with a modern twist, letting everyone in on the delicious flavors they have to offer.
“The menu is based on what we love to eat, so the food is very Filipino, but progressive,” said Carreon. “The pimiento is something that my aunt would serve us, so it’s based on our childhood; what we grew up with, what we love eating and making it more modern for everyone to experience.”
The cafe had its soft opening less than a month ago, but from the number of customers settled in at their tables enjoying breakfast, along with those waiting in line to order, it would seem the space is already a neighborhood favorite among locals. Javier and Carreon, who’ve been together for 11 years and have lived in Elmhurst for over 5 of them, had a vision for a while to open their own cafe. The couple has had a knack for trying different recipes, Carreon from growing up in a household that loved cooking and spending time together in the kitchen, and Javier from working in hospitality for over 10 years.
The pair had previously lived in the Philippines and planned to move back there and open a cafe, but the opportunity to open one here came up when Pata Cafe closed, and it seemed like the right decision to open in Queens. Together, the couple have always loved creating new recipes to share with one another and finding recipes online that seem unique and fun to try. They named the cafe ‘Bukas,’ which has two meanings in Filipino, “tomorrow” and “open.”
“Anna is the one who thought of it,” said Carreon. “For her, it means a new beginning and opening for new opportunities.”
The menu features an extensive drink selection, including Bukas Na, prepared with Bukas syrup, salted cream, and tultul salt, based on a childhood candy called Butterball, one of Anna’s favorites when she grew up in the Philippines.
“I really like sweet and salty together, and I love foams,” said Javier. “That’s why all the creams here are made in-house.”
Other drinks include the Ube Eclipse, made with an Ube blend and Ube cream, making the coffee drink fluffy and just sweet enough to enjoy without feeling like an overindulgence, with an espresso boost for the day. They also offer a non-caffeinated version of the drink along with others, for kids and adults to enjoy, especially as the cafe is just down the street from a local school.
“Since we’re near the school, there are non-caffeine drinks; it’s all trying to be very playful with the names,” said Carreon. “Iskrambol is like an ice snack in the Philippines, and it’s a very popular drink.”
Aside from their signature offerings, they have a menu section that offers an espresso-based ode to Manila, with selections like the Tsoko Morning and Sweet and Salty You, made of espresso rimmed with honey, kalamansi syrup and asin tibuok salt. Other choices include matcha drinks, with matcha made in Japan that was milled in the Philippines, like the Presa, made with in-house strawberry jam, and the Kala, made with jasmine green tea, honey, and Kalamansi. The cafe has already been attracting regulars because customers are eager to try all the delicious, unique drinks Bukas has to offer.
“It’s based on what you like; some people always go to the signatures, who like their daily lattes,” said Carreon. “The Clouds over Manila [selection] is basically for people who would love to have a more espresso-forward drink.”
Presently, the cafe has a small food menu with selections like Poprito, chicken poppers with adobo aioli dip, or tossed with honey calamansi or Filipino-style buffalo, as well as the Adobo Jalapeno Melt, made with a choice of chicken or pork adobo flakes, mozzarella, pickled onion and jalapeno on sourdough with adobo aioli dip. The Pimiento Melt is another option: a house-made pimiento spread with a five-cheese blend on sourdough, served with a condensed milk dip on the side.
“My Aunt would grate the cheese and roast the bell peppers, cut them up really small, mix it with condensed milk, and put it on Pandesal, a bread in the Philippines,” said Carreon. “We put the condensed milk separately because not everyone likes salty and sweet together.”
Presently, the cafe is open Wednesday through Sunday until 4 or 5 p.m., but eventually, they would like to expand to late-night hours and offer a dinner menu with food and drink for a low-lit, cozy space to get dinner and meet with friends.
“We want people to truly experience Bukas, not only in the morning,” said Carreon.
Bukas Cafe is open Wednesdays 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, follow them at @bukas.cafe.
