A Taste of Malabon: The city’s finest restaurants and food stores

In town and feeling a bit lost on where to start? Get inspired by this collection of must-visit food places in the area!

In the northern part of Metro Manila lies the city of Malabon, a culinary haven with a wide variety of restaurants and food establishments that is sometimes overlooked. If you ever find yourself in this city, you won’t have to worry about finding something that won’t please your taste buds.

There are a plethora of food outlets sure to whet your appetite in the bustling streets of Malabon. From the savory and crunchy bite of a crispy pata, to a hearty plate of pancit, to the sweet tastes of kakanin—the city’s got you covered, and at costs that won’t break the bank!

Restaurants perfect for that distinct taste of home

Malabon has restaurants for miles and each offers different cuisines but they have one thing in common: they’re ideal for the Filipino palate.

• Master Garden

Location: Location: 7 General Luna St., Brgy. San Agustin, Malabon, Metro Manila

A high-end restaurant specializing in Filipino cuisines, Master Garden was established to help elevate the city of Malabon as a top culinary spot. With its wooden tables and chairs, the restaurant is reminiscent of a typical Filipino interior, creating a familiar environment. Their rendition of pinakbet, consisting of mixed vegetables cooked in the restaurant’s own bagoong and topped with crispy pork belly slices, is a huge hit. There’s also Adobong Kambing ni Master (seasoned dry-type of adobo using goat meat; P400), Seafood Sinigang (a tamarind-based soup dish consisting of various seafoods like shrimps, fish, and mussels served in a traditional clay pot; P550), and Binagoongan ala Malabon (crispy pork belly cooked using the restaurant’s own bagoong alamang with eggplants as a side; P255). Their menu offers so much more Filipino cuisines with the restaurant’s unique touch.

Customers can contact Master Garden for inquiries through the following:

+63 927 765 8655Or visit the restaurant’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MasterGardenResto

• Jamicos Restaurant

Location: 201 General Luna St., Malabon, Metro Manila

Home of the famed Judy Ann’s Crispy Pata, this restaurant has been serving Malabonians with Filipino and other Asian cuisine since 1972. At its core, crispy pata is just deep-fried pig knuckles with a soy sauce and vinegar dipping sauce, but Jamicos elevates theirs a whole new level. The meat is tender, moist and flavorful, while the skin is golden brown and crunchy. It’s salty and savory with a tinge of sweetness, served with pickles on top and cucumbers on the side. The restaurant’s lauded dish has landed on several food rankings—once placing 5th on Spot.ph’s Top 10 Crispy Pata in Manila and joining 13 of the best spots for crispy pata according to WhenInManila.com. Prices for the esteemed Judy Ann’s Crispy Pata runs from P750.00 to P850.00. Aside from their famed dish, Jamicos also offers Filipino classics such as kare-kare, sinigang na baboy, and chicharong bulaklak.

Customers can contact Jamicos Restaurant for inquiries through the following:

(02) 8 281 4193

+63 916 628 3215

+63 908 146 4015

+63 915 544 4322

Or visit the restaurant’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jamicosrestaurant 

• Balsa sa Niugan

Location: #3 M. Aquino St., Brgy. Niugan, Tonsuya, Malabon, Metro Manila

If you’re around the town and looking for a one-of-a-kind experience then look no further than Balsa sa Niugan. The restaurant is known for the unique experience they offer patrons: dining on floating bamboo rafts. But that’s not their only appeal. The restaurant carries meals ranging from snacks to full-course meals. Their sizzling pork sisig (P270.00) is a particular favorite among patrons. The restaurant also serves Japanese cuisine including sashimi, sushi, and tempura, in addition to Filipino cuisine. It’s the perfect place for get-togethers or a night of drinking. Most of its patrons flock to the restaurant to celebrate birthdays, catch up with friends, or just have a fun night out. Balsa sa Niugan has been featured on television shows like Umagang Kay Ganda and Unang Hirit as a sign of its success. 

Customers can contact Balsa sa Niugan for inquiries through the following:

+63 945 852 1100

Or visit the restaurant’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/balsasaniuganofficial

If you prefer a homier and humbler feel

Nothing beats a hearty bowl of homecooked meals so be sure to check out the following food establishments

• Nanay’s Pancit Malabon

Location: 37 Gov. Pascual Ave, Malabon, Metro Manila

Malabon’s most well-known dish is, without a doubt, the city’s take on pancit. As you go around the citym you will find a lot of vendors selling their own variations of the noodle dish, but no one does it better than Nanay’s Pancit Malabon, which is popular with both locals and tourists. The noodles are served in bilaos with plenty of shrimp and vegetables, as well as the traditional boiled egg slices on top. Aside from the signature pancit, they also offer puto, pichi pichi,and leche flan. The establishment has become one of Malabon’s staple food places and has been featured on local television. Prices for a bilao of pancit starts at P150.00.

Customers can contact Nanay’s Pancit Malabon through the following:

+63 946 322 9758

Or visit the store’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nanayspancitmalabon 

• Aling Mely’s Carinderia

Location: 10 A. Bonifacio St., Brgy. Flores, Malabon, Metro Manila

Nestled along the road of Barangay Flores is a humble eatery that packs big flavors. Aling Mely’s Carinderia has been serving its local patrons since 1966, making it one of the oldest eateries in the country. The eatery serves up to 12 different dishes but their best-selling dish is the Beef Mechado (P105.00) with a recipe that’s been passed down three generations. It’s been said that the eatery prepares 10 kg. of beef mechado per day because of its popularity. The food at Aling Mely’s is so good that it’s been featured on an episode of Pinas Sarap with Kara David.

Customers can contact Aling Mely’s Carinderia for inquiries through the following:

8-2816316

After all those hefty meals, you deserve something sweet

Desserts, anyone? You’ll be sure to fix those cravings in these places!

• Dolor’s Kakanin

Location: Gov. Pascual Ave, Arellano Side, Malabon, Metro Manila

Founded in the 1930s by Dolores Santos, the kakanin (sweets usually made of glutinous rice and coconut milk) establishment has since become a local favorite. Dolor’s Kakanin is renowned for its colorful kakanin bilao that includes six flavors, including the best-selling Sapin-Sapin, Kalamay Ube, Kalamay Kutsinta, Kamoteng Kahoy and Biko, which you can get for P70.00 or P155.00. Also available are several varieties of puto, kutsinta, and ube halaya. 

Customers can contact Dolor’s Kakanin for inquiries through the following:

0968 8365677

7910-0909 (Main—Malabon)

7149 9791 (Congressional)

Or visit the store’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/originaldolors/ Or check their website at https://originaldolors.com/

• Arny Dading’s Peachy-Peachy

Location: Location: 254 C. Arellano St., Malabon, Metro Manila

Another local favorite is Arny-Dading’s Peachy Peachy. It’s a Filipino treat comprised of steamed cassava flour balls combined with sugar and lye, topped with grated coconut, pandan, or cheese. The common spelling is actually pichi pichi or pitsi pitsi but the owners decided to change it that they stand out. It’s good that they opted for a different spelling as it has become that distinct style that Malabonians came to love. Their pichi pichi comes topped with cheese, which perhaps is one of the reasons why it became so popular; it’s sweet and blends well with the cassava. Their prices start at P80.00 for 10 pieces.

Customers can contact Dolor’s Kakanin for inquiries through the following:

+63 9178 412 368 (Main – Malabon)

+63 9777 808 725 (Main – Malabon)

82819758 (Gov. Pascual)

+63 9178 546 715 (Congressional)Or visit the store’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/arnydadingpeachypeachy/

• Betsy’s Cake Center

Location: 10 Rizal Ave Ext, Malabon, Metro Manila

One of Malabon’s most popular bakeries is Betsy’s Cake Center, established in 1962 as a small shop. They are most renowned for their variation of broas (ladyfingers) that is light and airy, unlike the conventional ones. Other delicious treats available at the bakeshop include cupcakes, cream puffs, butter mamon, and pies, to name a few. They are also renowned for their customized cakes for just about any occasion. They’ve also ventured into Filipino and Chinese cuisines so even if sweets aren’t your thing, there might still be something for you!

Customers can contact Betsy’s Cake Center for inquiries through the following:

(02) 281 1127

Or visit the store’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Betsys-Cake-Center-132808853462746 

With this many establishments to explore (which is still just a fraction of what the city really has to offer), there’s no way you won’t find something to like! The city of Malabon is a foodie’s dream come true, and you can see that for yourself by checking out the links provided.