Lorenzo Cruz didn’t plan to become a restaurateur. A chance encounter with a foreigner changed everything.
Long before Café Adriatico became a cultural and culinary institution in Malate, its founder, Lorenzo “Larry” Cruz, was nowhere near the food business. In fact, his world revolved around newsrooms, press briefings, and editorial deadlines.
“My dad never really intended to do this,” shares Lorna Cruz-Ambas, now CEO of the LJC Group, the company her father unknowingly sparked into existence. “He was working with the government. He was with the Marcos administration as an Assistant Press Secretary under Kit Tatad. Prior to that, his line was journalism.”
Lorenzo’s first love was writing. He worked in radio with DZHP, contributed to magazines through Editorial Associates, and immersed himself in media work for years. But behind the headlines, he nurtured another passion—antiques. With his father, painter Emilio Cruz, Lorenzo spent weekends searching for vintage furniture, old Filipino art, and historical curiosities.
The collection grew so large that it needed a space of its own. So, he rented a property in Malate, initially to house his finds. That space became Collection K.O., a charming antique store filled with items that told stories of the past.
That’s where fate stepped in.
“One day, there was a guy, a foreigner, who approached him when he was there in the store and asked him why don’t we put up something here like a coffee shop?” Lorna recounts. Her father was caught off guard. “He said, ‘I don’t know the first thing about the restaurant,’” she recalls.
But the foreigner—David—was persistent. He offered his help, promising to guide the setup and even become a partner. “He said, ‘I’ll take care of everything, we will set up, I’ll help you with it and we will be partners.’”
That simple conversation changed the course of Lorenzo’s life—and the landscape of Manila dining.
In 1979, Café Adriatico was born in that very same antique-filled space. What started as a coffee shop quickly transformed into a full-service restaurant known for its nostalgic ambiance, curated interiors, and classic Filipino-Spanish comfort food. Its success was instant and organic, attracting Manila’s creatives, professionals, and expats alike.
Café Adriatico became the flagship for what would eventually be known as the LJC Group, now a leading restaurant group in the Philippines with concepts like Abe, Bistro Remedios, and Larry’s Café & Bar.
Lorenzo Cruz didn’t set out to be a restaurateur. But with a spark of curiosity and a little nudge from a stranger, he created a legacy that blended food, culture, and heritage in a way no one expected.
