Cover Carlos Mangcupang, founder of Gay Drinking with Carlos, speaks to Tatler about the significance of Pride (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
Carlos Mangcupang, founder of Gay Drinking with Carlos, speaks to Tatler about the significance of Pride (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
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This Pride month, Tatler speaks with Butterboy Bakehouse and Gay Drinking with Carlos on “celebrating queerness is important in a world that does not”
The most memorable restaurants and bars—those that strike a chord and resonate with you long after you’ve walked out the door—have a soul and purpose that go beyond the plate or glass.
This Pride month, we speak with two queer creatives in the Philippine F&B scene who have done just that, fostering a safe space and vibrant community with food and beverage as a shared language: Butterboy Bakehouse co-founder and head baker Hilder Demeterio, and Carlos Mangcupang, the mixologist behind bar and pop-up concept Gay Drinking with Carlos.
Best known for their delicious croissants and fabulous drag brunches, Butterboy Bakehouse has become a beacon of queer joy, a neighbourhood haunt that champions inclusivity and radical self-expression. Here, their viennoiserie is imbued with a dose of fearless defiance. “Queerness is celebrated through everything we do—from our food offerings to our events,” says Demeterio. “Visibility is important to inspire other queer people,” he continues. “It’s important to show them how our unique perspective in life can be a superpower to create something enriching for ourselves and for our community.”
Related: At Butterboy Bakehouse, consider yourself served... with queer joy and croissants
Above Hana Beshie, OV Cunt, O-A and NAIA at the opening of Butterboy Bakehouse in Mall of Asia (Photo: courtesy of Butterboy Bakehouse)
Hana Beshie, OV Cunt, O-A and NAIA at the opening of Butterboy Bakehouse in Mall of Asia (Photo: courtesy of Butterboy Bakehouse)
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For Mangcupang, Pride is the spirit behind every cocktail he stirs. Hailing from Davao City, he’s steadily climbed the ranks as one to watch and became the first ever Diageo World Class Philippines finalist from Mindanao this 2025. “Pride, to me, is about owning your story and celebrating your imperfections,” reveals the so-called Tanquereyna. “I celebrate it by creating a safe space where I can completely be myself, and that became true for my guests as well. I always hear different stories behind the bar, about life, love and everything in between, and I think that’s because they feel seen.”
Below, we hear from Demeterio and Mangcupang on celebrating queerness, what allyship looks like in action and their messages to their younger selves.
Read more: 8 LGBTQIA-owned businesses to support year-round: Glorious Dias, Butterboy Bakehouse, and more
Hilder Demeterio
Above Hilder Demeterio, Co-founder and head baker of Butterboy Bakehouse (Photo: courtesy of Butterboy Bakehouse)
Hilder Demeterio, Co-founder and head baker of Butterboy Bakehouse (Photo: courtesy of Butterboy Bakehouse)
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Co-founder and head baker, Butterboy Bakehouse
Tell us about your business, Butterboy Bakehouse. What are your primary offerings, and what is the ethos driving your brand?
Butterboy is a bakeshop specialising in croissants and other café pastries. We do wholesale and retail, and we are driven by the philosophy that the local market deserves affordable baked goods that are of global quality.
How do you celebrate queerness at Butterboy?
Queerness is celebrated through everything we do—from our food offerings to our events. This is because we are queer-owned and queer-run, so everything we do has a touch of queerness to it. We also celebrate it by making it as relatable as daily bread.
Why was it important for you to build your brand as a celebration or extension of your queer identity?
It was important because I think visibility is important to inspire other queer people. It’s important to show them how our unique perspective in life can be a superpower to create something enriching for ourselves and for our community.
See also: Pride on air: 5 LGBTQIA+ podcasts you should listen to this 2025
Butterboy Bakehouse’s pain au chocolat (Photo: courtesy of Butterboy Bakehouse)
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Why is it important to foster these safe spaces that celebrate queerness?
Celebrating queerness is important in a world that normally does not.
How can we better support our queer community?
We can better support our queer community by showing up and supporting our safe spaces.
What advice would you share with your younger self?
To second-guess all your biases, even if you already think you have an open mind.
Related: Where the queens reign supreme: a night of drag excellence at O Bar
Carlos Mangcupang
Above Carlos Mangcupang, the brains behind Gay Drinking with Carlos (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
Above A cocktail by Carlos Mangcupang (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
Carlos Mangcupang, the brains behind Gay Drinking with Carlos (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
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Founder, Gay Drinking with Carlos
Tell us about your business, Gay Drinking with Carlos. What are your primary offerings, and what is the ethos driving your brand?
Gay Drinking with Carlos is a natural extension of who I am. Art is always central to everything I do—I grew up loving art, and it has been a tool for me to express my queerness through my creativity and let people see me through different points of view. I want my brand to celebrate these differences, so making food and crafting cocktails just became another way to express my art. My goal is to tell our story in every glass we serve.
How do you celebrate queerness at Gay Drinking with Carlos?
I celebrate it by creating a safe space where I can completely be myself, and that became true for my guests as well. I always hear different stories behind the bar, about life, love and everything in between, and I think that’s because they feel seen.
More from Tatler: Beyond the familiar: Hapag’s Western Mindanao menu uncovers a richer Filipino story
Above Carlos Mangcupang at the Diageo World Class Philippines Championship, where he snagged a spot in the top four (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
Carlos Mangcupang at the Diageo World Class Philippines Championship, where he snagged a spot in the top four (Photo: courtesy of Carlos Mangcupang)
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What does Pride mean to you personally, and how does this manifest in your business philosophy?
Pride, to me, is about owning your story and celebrating your imperfections. A business strives because of the collective efforts of the people supporting it. Gay Drinking with Carlos is built by a community that believes in me and made me feel seen.
Why is it important to foster these safe spaces that celebrate queerness?
Everyone deserves a seat at every table, and that very seat establishes connections which foster a safe space. That is what Gay Drinking With Carlos is all about—giving a seat to everyone, over a glass of their favourite cocktail.
How has being part of the queer community shaped your perspective in the F&B and hospitality industry?
The queer community understands what it means to find your chosen family. It’s normal for us to create homes in unexpected places, and this feels more like my calling than my job. It is more of a representation of how I want to be accepted.
What advice would you share with your younger self?
Be kind to yourself, never settle for mediocrity, and trust your instincts.
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About
Lauren’s love for food came much later in life than one would expect— an obsession awakened in the streets of Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene. Armed with this newfound passion, she returned to the Philippines determined to discover the best eats in her home country, with a personal advocacy to champion local cuisines and homegrown talent. Nothing is off-limits; if it’s delicious, it’s worth celebrating.
Work
As Tatler Dining associate editor, Lauren covers all things food and drink, from listing the latest openings in our monthly Dining Radar to interviewing chefs and bartenders about the biggest obstacles crippling the industry today. Beyond the digital space, she also organises Tatler Dining’s tentpole events, including Off Menu and Tatler Dining Kitchen, as well as the annual Tatler Best Philippines awards night and guide launch, detailing the best restaurants in the country.
For leads and event invites, contact her via lauren@tatlerphilippines.com or follow her on Instagram at @laurengolangco.
Photo: Ralph Mendo
