Check out this dollhouse-styled café in Lucena City

Looking for a new, unique, and picturesque place to safely hang out with your friends, enjoy a hearty meal, or sip a cup of coffee in?

Lucena City’s The Pinkuri just might be your next hangout spot.

Starting out

The Pinkuri’s owners, couple Kurt Bensali and Crish Damian, had long dreamt of building their own cafe in their hometown of Lucena City, Quezon. In 2017, the two began conceptualizing a location that “would stand out through its design and service,” where people could comfortably hang out and feel at home.

After graduating with a degree in Business Management from Far Eastern University a few years later, the couple then decided to finally make their dreams a reality. It was not an easy road – with the pandemic becoming a major obstacle throughout the process – but it was worth it, as The Pinkuri has since grown to be a well-loved restaurant since it opened in October 2020.

What it’s like inside

The Pinkuri, located in Lucena City, is a cafe where “families, friends and young professionals” can comfortably hang out and have fun. Besides offering a wide range of foods and drinks, the cafe is also known for its pastel paradise interiors, photo-worthy decor, neon signages, and fun atmosphere.

“The design of the cafe is meant to give our customers a ‘dollhouse’ vibe while dining in. We came up with this idea so our customers will still feel at home and be comfortable,” the owners said.

The name of the cafe was derived from the Japanese word pinku which means pink. The adorable color serves as the main palette used in the establishment, with light yellow and baby blue as accents. When combined, it gives off a cotton-candy-wonderland vibe, similar to a dollhouse.

In line with the dollhouse theme, The Pinkuri has six “mini-houses” inside with different colorful designs. The mini-house also serves as a privacy nook for friends and family as they eat. Inside these houses, guests sit on the floor. They also have regular tables and chairs available.

A more recent addition to the cafe is their VIP Area with a private movie viewing feature, which can accommodate up to 10 people. The room also has a projector, which allows guests, while dining in, to watch movies via Netflix or Youtube from their laptop. The Pinkuri allows customers to use their 100mbps WiFi connection for free.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, safety measures are in place to ensure a safe dining experience. The Pinkuri only operates at 50% capacity for dine-in customers, who are required to undergo temperature checks and to fill up contract tracing forms upon entry.

Menu, prices

Aside from its memorable ambiance, customers can’t forget about the food!

The Pinkuri offers a nice range of comfort food and drinks to choose from. For first-time visitors, the owners recommend trying out their best sellers: Aglio e Olio (P140), a pasta dish made with olive oil and garlic; Meaty Spaghetti (P150), The Pinkuri’s own twist to the classic bolognese; and Chicken Gratini Pizza (P320) with chicken and bacon bites.

If you love waffles, another must-try is their Nutella Waffle (P155), topped with a generous amount of the chocolate hazelnut spread, chocolate syrup, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For frappe enthusiasts, get their coffee-based Red Velvet (P170) drink that has whipped cream, red sprinkles, and marshmallows on top. Other crowd favorites include their chicken wings (with rice), silogs, and rice meals.

You can check out The Pinkuri’s full menu with prices here.

The Pinkuri is located at 2F Green Bldg. 46 Quezon Avenue, Lucena City and is open daily from 10 am to 9 pm. However, due to the pandemic, business hours are subject to change depending on the curfew in place.

For delivery options, The Pinkuri books deliveries via available local delivery services or freelance riders around Lucena City. For more information and updates, check out their Facebook and Instagram pages. – Rappler.com

Angelica Burlaza is a Rappler intern.