Cinema ’76 Café offers new food, experiences in Tomas Morato branch

Foodies and movie lovers, Cinema ’76 Café is back, and it now has a new home in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

Cinema ’76 Café first opened in Anonas in June 2021—a year into the pandemic when all cinemas closed indefinitely. While the original branch has permanently closed, the new location in Tomas Morato makes it even more accessible for film enthusiasts and foodies alike. The new space features a fresher, more contemporary feel, with options for both indoor and outdoor dining.

The movie-themed café gets an upgrade with a brand new menu by the renowned chefs of Center for Asian Culinary Studies led by Chefs Gene and Gino Gonzalez.

Chef Gene describes the direction of the menu as very intentional and “always keeping in mind the cinema and theater attitude.” They made sure that a good portion of the menu can be taken inside and enjoyed in the adjacent Cinema ’76 Film Society micro-cinema.

This includes items like Truffle Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, Chorizo Chisu Croquettes, and Nachos made from premium stone ground chips with sour cream, salsa cruda, cheese sauce & ground beef. Even the popcorn at Cinema ’76 Café is not your run-of-the-mill movie snack; it’s offered with distinctive flavors like Truffle Caramel, Smoked Ribs, and Cheddar—made fresh daily.

For something more filling, Chef Gene recommends the sandwich selection inspired by some of TBA Studios’ beloved historical films: Luna (chicken tocino with salted egg relish, and tomatoes), Del Pilar (adobo flakes, cream cheese, with pickled onion), and Quezon (chicken inasal, tomatoes with creamy béchamel sauce).

As for the rest of the dishes, Chef Gino believes that it’s “a good mix of new and familiar flavors.” These include the Margherita Soup, Steak and Fries, Seared Salmon served with thick-cut fries, and the TBA Studios Box-Office Pasta, an extra virgin olive oil-based chorizo pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, toasted bell peppers, and shimeji mushrooms.

Located at 2/F Terraces Building, Tomas Morato Ave. cor. Scout Borromeo, Quezon City, Cinema ’76 Café’s operating hours is from Sunday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12mn, and Friday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.

It will officially open its doors on March 18.