Salcedo Auctions continues to spring surprises for Manila’s collecting audience as its celebrates its 15th year. Their latest novel event is a pop-up cafe in collaboration with premium coffee brand Illy, conceptualized by the sons of Salcedo Auctions’ power couple, Richie and Karen Lerma. The eldest, Joaquin, a recent graduate of NYU Stern School of Business, and his younger brother, incoming Dartmouth freshman Diego, teamed up with Manila-based hospitality expert Remy Gallo to craft coffee drinks inspired by a selection of art highlights from the auction house’s forthcoming marquee sale.

The one-day event opens at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 8, with a refined menu that features familiar brews alongside exciting new concoctions like Mocha Obra, a nod to National Artist Vicente Manansala’s untitled painting of carabaos. Infused with Mayon Gold chocolate, the drink echoes the painting’s warmth and depth, grounding rich cacao and espresso in a smooth blend.

Roasted pili nut milk is the star ingredient in the pop-up’s buttery latte called Erenos Roast. It is a gustatory imagination of Fernando Zobel’s “Erenos” from 1959, a drink that runs parallel to the complexity of the artist’s Saeta series. Using asin sa buy-o from Zambales and panocha sugar, the Salted Caramel Flight is as vibrant as the dynamic swirls of ochre, sienna and gold in National Artist Jose Joya’s celebrated work from 1962 titled “Flight.”

Cafe Salcedo encapsulates the auction’s focus on the artists that have defined the Philippines’ cultural identity on the world stage. Joaquin brings his New York-honed palate and an entrepreneurial eye for concept-driven hospitality, while Diego, contributes hands-on experience from modern Australian fast-casual kitchens. Having worked at ABC Kitchen in New York, Remy’s creative direction informs the pop up café’s flavor identity, anchoring the concept in both substance and style.

Their combined efforts redefine the coffee experience, infused with a distinctively Filipino flourish.