The Vision Behind the Vines
PIÑA Kitchen & Coffee was born from a collaboration between two individuals who believed that great food deserves an equally great setting. Designer Andreas Lundin brought his eye for tropical aesthetics and architectural beauty, while restaurateur April Santos brought the management expertise and passion for Philippine culinary heritage. Together, they created something neither could have achieved alone.
Opening in December 2023 as a sister restaurant to an existing local favourite, PIÑA was conceived as a destination — not just a place to eat, but an experience that begins the moment you turn off the highway and wind up into the hills of Sapang Bato. The name itself, "Piña," is the Filipino word for pineapple — a fruit deeply embedded in Philippine culture and the central motif of the restaurant's identity.
The founders chose Sapang Bato deliberately: a barangay known for its natural forests and the indigenous Aeta communities who have tended these hills for generations. Building relationships with local Aeta farmers for fresh produce was not an afterthought — it was foundational to the concept, giving PIÑA a farm-to-table story rooted in respect and reciprocity.
