My drink of choice whenever I visit Baguio City has always been a steaming cup of coffee. Not the expensive café types, but the cheap ones being hawked by vendors along its street corners and parks. There are a lot of these around but there’s nothing like having it served by one of Baguio City’s most curious and original characters, Mr. Hot.

I chanced upon this old school butler-wearing coffee vendor in Burnham Park years before. Daftly dressed in black and white attire, he juggles a concoction of instant coffee like it was an exquisite brew.

I quickly took a liking to Burnham Park’s quirky coffee master and often swapped stories with him to while away the time.

Mr. Hot used to work as a barista in one of Baguio City’s biggest hotels before deciding to be his own boss. His real name is Carlito Roazol and he took on the Mr. Hot moniker since he always has a ready cup of hot coffee for shivering tourists frequenting the area.

I used to see him at one of the corners of the park’s lagoon with a small but neat cart bearing the name Star Patrol. I guess business has been growing as he has now upgraded to a larger cart. His roving stall is accredited not only by the city government but also by the Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry.

In keeping with the annual Panagbenga Festival, Mr. Hot dressed the part complete with traditionally-weaved fabric and head gear. His cart was also decorated with flags, wine glass and what else, coffee fruits. Neat eh?

Mr. Hot is steadily establishing himself as an equal to many of Burnham Park’s colorful attractions. His brew may be a few pesos more expensive than the usual vendor price (Php15.00 compared to Php12.00), but instant coffee has definitely taken a whole new perspective with him serving it. It’s instant coffee with style.

Mr. Hot’s Star Patrol Coffee
Address: Burnham Park, Baguio City
Open Hours: 7:00AM – 5:00PM (or thereabouts)

GPS Coordinates: 16.412135,120.594346
Click to View Location on Google Maps