Apart from its distinction as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art, Baguio is also a food haven with its many eateries, restaurants and cafés offering dishes and food items ranging from the traditional Cordilleran to modern.

The city’s culinary culture continues to evolve over time, attracting locals and throngs of tourists visiting the country’s so-called summer capital every day.

One of the newest dining establishments offering artisanal breads, hearty meals, quality drinks and good service is James Wright Café, a business born out of the well-known Benguet institution, Valley Bread.

Tucked along the city’s historic and most famous road, Session Road, the size of café is small typical of stores in this area in the city proper. It has a branch at a nearby mall. James Wright Café was nominated by the Baguio Midland Courier in the Best Bakeshop of the Year category in 2023, just a year after it was founded.

The café is named after James Wright (now Buyagan) Street in Poblacion, La Trinidad, the place where Valley Bread started and still is headquartered. Wright was an American-era education superintendent and former principal of the Trinidad Agricultural High School (now Benguet State University).

James Wright Café offers an ample selection of artisanal breads, pastries, coffee and other items, meticulously curated using locally sourced ingredients. Its delectable meals and dishes take inspiration from Philippine culinary heritage and, sometimes, fused with Western fares. In short, it is a blend of Filipino, Asian, French, Italian and American with a local twist.

As it “prides itself in baking and preparing fresh products daily, using only the healthiest, most-natural, locally sourced ingredients” and preparing bespoke meals, the café offers another fresh option in Baguio’s already interesting culinary landscape. Its selection combines the comfort of home and plated elegance. Every meal is perhaps a sophisticated treat.