iDrink Café Mezzanine

Support Binondo’s firefighters

Café Mezzanine is known as 'The Fireman’s Coffee Shop' because all revenue goes to the Binondo Paco Fire Search and Rescue Brigade. The owner Uncle Gerry, who also owns Eng Bee Tin, was one of the very first firefighter volunteers and even lost a finger during a rescue. This is why he started this café.

Chinese-Filipino cuisine

Dishes are a mix of Chinese and Filipino cuisine. Some of its best-selling plates are Lechon Kawali (deep-fried pork belly), Asado with Adobo Egg (sweet pork stew with soy sauce-marinated egg), and Soup No. 5 (try this secret dish!).

About the Volunteer Fire Brigade

In the 1950s, fire outbreaks were rampant in Binondo because the houses were made of wood and the Chinese residents liked burning incense and firecrackers. Response from the government fire services was slow, so the community decided to form their own band of firefighters volunteers. They are still active today. Each area has its own division and you see the bright red trucks parked all over Binondo. Uncle Gerry wants to open a museum in Ongpin Street to tell the many stories related to firefighting in South East Asia.