No surprises here: M. Night praises this iconic Philly coffee shop
“This was a 10,” he said. “The food, the atmosphere, the drinks — amazing."
Philly’s favorite horror filmmaker made a surprise stop in Kensington’s Harrowgate neighborhood Sunday afternoon — but he wasn’t scouting a scene for his next thriller.
Instead, M. Night Shyamalan was sipping hot Vietnamese latte and cà phê sữa with his wife, Bhavna, at Càphê Roasters, Philadelphia’s first Vietnamese coffee roastery.
Inside the airy café on J Street and Kensington Avenue, Shyamalan gave the shop a 10/10 rating in a video posted to Càphê Roasters’ Instagram story.
“This was a 10,” he said. “The food, the atmosphere, the drinks — amazing."
The director, who grew up in Wynnewood, is known for his 16 (and counting) films — from the beloved The Sixth Sense to the, well, less beloved The Last Airbender. Philadelphians have a lot of feelings about Shyamalan, but one thing is clear: His love for the city runs deep, and that includes showing love to local coffee shops.
“@m.night is a 10/10 human being and also has incredible posture,” said the video’s caption.
Shyamalan is no stranger to Càphê’s mission. Through the M. Night Shyamalan Foundation, he’s a longtime supporter of 12 Plus, an education nonprofit by Càphê Roasters’ cofounder Raymond John that helps high school students access college and career opportunities.
When the coffee shop first opened, Pham and John told Shyamalan to stop by — especially since Càphê donates its profits to support 12 Plus. It took a few years, but this week, the director finally made it happen.
According to cafe owner Thu Pham, Shyamalan stopped by with Bhavna and leaders from 12 Plus before a fundraising dinner. Every year, Shyamalan hosts a retreat for nonprofit leaders in Philly — and this time, they carved out room for a caffeine fix.
“They had 35 minutes before they had to head back into the city for their fundraising dinner,” Pham said. “Initially, they weren’t going to order food and just enjoy their pre-ordered drinks because their schedule was so tight. But I was like, ‘he’s got to have [food]’ — we always say if you’re going to come here, grab some food, too."
Pham served Bhavna, who is gluten-free, a bowl of bà ngoại’s (grandma’s) porridge, while Shyamalan went for the fried chicken bánh mì sandwich. The table also shared tamarind fries and mắm ruốc ragù — a Vietnamese spin on beef ragu over linguine. In total, the group ordered 12 drinks, with Shyamalan sticking to a hot Vietnamese latte and Bhavna opting for a cà phê sữa.
“He’s a latte guy,” Pham said.
Pham and John opened the cafe/roastery in 2021, becoming one of the United States’ first Vietnamese roasteries/shops reclaiming Vietnam’s bitter, strong robusta beans and creating a social hub for visitors of all backgrounds, especially Vietnamese and Ethiopian immigrant communities. The shop hires students from 12 Plus, Kensington residents, and Philadelphia public school graduates — and is now planning an expansion after stacking up national honors, including being named a 2025 James Beard semifinalist and earning a nod on the New York Times’ list of best Philly restaurants.
And now, the shop can add a celebrity review to its belt.
“I knew this day [with Shyamalan] would come because I met him before Càphê opened — I worked at 12 Plus at a Kensington high school," Pham said. “[But] seeing him in this other home of mine, still in Kensington was really awesome. I feel very honored that he tried to fit [us] into the schedule and finally visit.”