PALABOK Espesyal.That we Filipinos love to eat and enjoy bonding with family and friends over food is already a given.

We love food so much that our culinary traditions do not start and end with breakfast, lunch and dinner but merienda, too, between the main meals. So we have kakanins; hot bowls of lugaw, goto and arroz caldo; crunchy bites like turon and banana cue; and noodles such as pancit palabok and breads such as pandesal and monay; to solve hunger pangs between meals.

Knowing this fully well, Pan de Manila, the hub for the Filipino’s favorite pandesal and other freshly baked breads, decided to venture into the restaurant café business a few years ago. Going beyond pandesal and sandwiches, the new line, which is called Merienda by Pan de Manila, caters to the merienda yearnings of the dining public. 

Created for families desiring a shared feast reminiscent of home-cooked meals back in the days when things were simpler and the environment was more laidback and relaxed, the brand presents timeless classics like Crispy Beef Tapa and Palabok Espesyal alongside culinary innovations like Lumpiang Embutido and Lechon Belly Batchoy. You can have them for breakfast, merienda or main meals whenever you crave for them.

To make sure that diners feel at home and enjoy their food like they would when eating at home, the brand creates a comfortable atmosphere where the scents and flavors of the food stir memories of heartfelt conversations at your grandparents’ homes during merienda back when you were young. This, while savoring classic Filipino meals and treats, elegantly served in a warm and cozy Pinoy setting that is radiantly illuminated, adorned with classic wood moldings and featuring the iconic capiz of traditional Filipino homes. 

And now that the Paskong Pilipino season is unfolding, there is no better time of the year to enjoy Filipino merienda fares that evoke the nostalgic essence of a true Pinoy Christmas. The brand serves two meriendas that are closely associated with the Filipino Christmas — freshly cooked Bibingka topped with freshly grated coconut and muscovado sugar and Puto Bumbong with the enticing aroma of melted butter, freshly grated coconut and a sprinkling of sugar. Wash them down with a steaming mug of Chocolate con Leche or Café con Leche, and nothing beats the experience. Ah, memories of Simbang Gabi dawns back in the province with Lolo and Lola!

It also serves dishes from different provinces around the country, making them accessible and available in the metro. Familiar aromas of various Filipino dishes being cooked transport you to afternoons eagerly awaited, including Lucban, Quezon’s garlicky Longganisa; Ginataan prepared in a traditional palayok; Suman with coco jam and muscovado sugar; or Tablea Tsokolate made from freshly ground cacao using a batirol. They stir in you the warmth of fond childhood memories.

With so, merienda becomes not just a “meal in between meals,” but a time to share stories and strengthen bonds of family and friendship.