What Manila’s Best Bartenders Drink on Their Days Off

Mixing drinks all night and being surrounded by endless bottles of booze is just part of the job when you’re a bartender.

But how do the folks behind Manila’s top bars quench their thirst outside the job? Some continue to turn to alcohol, either at their own bars or elsewhere. Others turn to more sober options. Here, our friends in the local community share their go-to drinks on their days off.

Ron Cruz (Fat Cat and El Gato)

“Corny answer—orange juice using the leftover oranges from service.”

Royce Pua (Always Welcome and Some Young)

“Amaro highballs are my go to for now. It’s low ABV but still exciting. I make them at Always Welcome, [or get them at] any bar that has a decent amaro selection. (Not that much)”

Kate Osmillo (Raion and Kona)

“On my days off, I usually lean toward something simple and refreshing: A whisky highball or a tequila soda. After spending long hours behind the bar, tasting cocktails and working with layered flavors, I tend to crave drinks that are clean, crisp, and uncomplicated. A well-made highball is incredibly refreshing, while a tequila soda lets the spirit shine without being too heavy. They’re the kinds of drinks I can enjoy casually, whether I’m unwinding after a busy week or catching up with friends.”

David Ong (The Curator, Oto, Gaea, EDSA BDG, YKW, Pour House, and Po & Pilar)

“So, I normally don’t drink when I’m not working! Even if I am, there are times that I just drink coffee then maybe a shot or two with the team and our guests. If I do drink, it’s either I go for a mizuwari (whisky and water) or natural wine! It depends on how I’m feeling.”

Jericson Co (The Curator, Gaea, EDSA BDG, YKW, Pour House, and Po & Pilar)

“For me, it’s bitters and soda water. It helps digestion. It replicates the feeling of beer or a highball without the additional alcohol. It’s something to sip over a nice period of time.

So I’ll do Singha because they bottle at a higher carbonation… ice then soda then 10 dashes of Angostura bitters. It has to be in that order, otherwise either the soda gets messy with the ice or the bitters will trigger an overflow of the soda if the bitters are in the glass before the soda. [I’ll do] one push down and then a twist of lemon if I’m feeling fancy (or if i haven’t forgotten to buy some for my house).”

Bernice Tiu (The Curator, Po & Pilar, and Pour House)

“Water hahaha. Really, if it isn’t coffee, it’s a chrysanthemum goji berry cassia seed iced soda. If i’m not tamad, I’ll put a lemon wedge. Sometimes, I like iced oolong tea with tangerine peel and chia seeds. If you leave the chia seeds in there long enough, I feel like I’m drinking bubble tea pero obviously hindi. Hahahaha.”

Lester Ligon (Grasshopper, The Spirits Library, and Book the Black Box)

“On my days off, I usually make horchata at home. I’ve always been a sucker for a dirty horchata (the Dirty Horchata from Habagat in Kapitolyo has become my go-to since it’s close to my condo) which is probably why I eventually started making it myself. I like drinks that are refreshing but still comforting, and horchata hits that balance for me. It’s cold, lightly spiced, creamy, and rich without feeling too heavy.”

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio

Frequently Asked Questions

What do bartenders usually drink after work?

Many bartenders prefer simple drinks after a long shift, such as whisky highballs, beer, natural wine, coffee, tea, soda water with bitters, or even plain water instead of elaborate cocktails.

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio

Do bartenders drink cocktails on their days off?

Not necessarily. While some enjoy classic cocktails or low-ABV serves, many opt for lighter, more refreshing drinks or avoid alcohol altogether when they’re off the clock.

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio

What are the most popular alcoholic drinks among bartenders?

In this roundup, favorites included whisky highballs, tequila soda, amaro highballs, natural wine, mizuwari (Japanese whisky and water), and beer.

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio

What non-alcoholic drinks do bartenders enjoy?

Coffee was a popular answer, alongside orange juice, horchata, herbal teas, soda water with bitters, homemade iced drinks, and plain water.

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio

What is a whisky highball?

A whisky highball is a simple cocktail made with whisky and carbonated water, served over ice. It’s known for being light, refreshing, and easy to sip.

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio

What is an amaro highball?

An amaro highball combines an Italian herbal liqueur (amaro) with sparkling water or soda, creating a bittersweet, low-alcohol drink that’s especially refreshing.

Patricia Baes

Trish thinks too much about everything—truth, existence, and what to have for dinner. Her early love of experimenting in the kitchen, coupled with a desire to better her relationship with food, led her down the rabbit hole of food media and writing. After graduating with a Psychology degree from UP Diliman, she sharpened her writing skills (and expanded her appetite) at a couple of food websites, where she covered cooking, restaurants, food history, and culture, and ate her way through Manila’s pulsating dining scene as staff writer and eventually as the publication’s food editor. Food, for Trish, is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium through which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others. And putting her musings into words lets her narrow the gap between her food geekery and background in the social sciences.

See Full Bio