Koffee Paradise’s coffee flight is available at their High Street location. Credit: Courtesy of Fidas Timbuleng

Koffee Paradise’s new High Street storefront marks the third location for the Filipino-inspired coffee business opened Sept. 5, bringing its signature ube drinks and community-focused approach to the Ohio State community.?

Located at 1333 N. High St., the university district coffee shop marks its third Columbus-area opening, following other storefronts in Reynoldsburg and Linworth. Owner Fidas Timbuleng said the expansion was driven by customers who wanted the business closer to campus, and the shop is now reaching a large student customer base.?

The idea to open Koffee Paradise began with an idea Timbuleng shared with her husband, Erick. When the couple began discussing opening a business, he suggested a coffee shop, but told her it would need something unique to set it apart.?

“There’s no Filipino coffee shop in Columbus,” Timbuleng said. “So I was like, ‘Let me open a Filipino coffee shop.’ ”

For Timbuleng, opening a third location represents an achievement in the life she and her husband have worked toward building since immigrating to the United States.

“I think it’s what you call ‘The American dream,’ ” Timbuleng said.?

Koffee Paradise’s High Street location opened at 1333 N. High St. Credit: Mia Yoshimura

The couple opened Koffee Paradise’s first location in Reynoldsburg in 2023. Timbuleng said they poured their savings into the business and chose Reynoldsburg because the area had few coffee shops at the time.

She said support from the surrounding community helped turn the first location into a success, with the shop developing a steady group of regular customers within several months.?

“It’s all thanks to the community,” Timbuleng said. “It’s not just us. It’s really the people.”

Randly Sepang, a barista and co-owner, said he estimates roughly 85 to 90 percent of customers who have visited the High Street location he has spoken with so far are Ohio State students.?

For newcomers, one of the shop’s recommended signature drinks is its ube latte. Ube — a purple yam commonly used in Filipino desserts — gives several of Koffee Paradise’s drinks their distinctive purple color and sweet flavor.?

Timbuleng described the flavor as “sweet, creamy [and] a little bit nutty with hints of vanilla.”?

Sepang said the ube latte has been one of the most popular drinks so far, along with the tiramisu, brown sugar and dalgona drinks. Coffee flights, which allow customers to sample multiple flavors, have also become popular.?

Timbuleng and Sepang said they want Koffee Paradise to stand out for more than just its menu, emphasizing its customer service and building relationships with its regulars.?

“We try to get to know the customer and try to remember what they drink,” Sepang said.?

Timbuleng said their approach to service reflects the Filipino hospitality she hopes customers experience when they enter the shop.?

“I want them to feel like they’re welcome,” Timbuleng said. “I want them to experience what it’s like if you’re getting a drink in the Philippines.”

Once work on the storefront’s kitchen is finished, Timbuleng said Koffee Paradise plans to introduce more Filipino pastries and desserts, including ube cake, puto and bibingka — two rice cake desserts.?

For Timbuleng, introducing these items is another way of sharing her Filipino culture with Columbus.

“It’s not just a coffee shop,” Timbuleng said. “It’s a representation of Filipino coffee culture [and] hospitality, and we want to introduce the rich and bold flavors of Philippine cuisine.”

As Koffee Paradise expands from one storefront to three, Timbuleng said she continues to view community support as being central to the business.

“I think Koffee Paradise is a symbol of community,” Timbuleng said. “Our coffee is made with love, because it really is part of our family’s growth.”