A lot of desserts are often made to look cute and froofy nowadays, and even if they are — we Manileños do not mess around when it comes to getting a proper serving of sweets. You could say it’s in our blood.
Dessert trends may descend upon our city and spread like wildfire, but that doesn’t mean they’re always as good on the tastebuds as they are on the ‘gram. So, we’ve compiled this list to help our readers find some of the best places in the metro to get a dessert whose deliciousness can be vouched for. They can be found everywhere from good ol’ restaurants to cafes that locals frequent and critics love.
Here we go…
Afters Espresso & Desserts
Located on Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City, Afters was founded by businessman Vincent Fideles, who studied to become a gelato artisan and barista. This acquired knowledge helped him participate in various food bazaars and night markets around the country, and after getting his feet wet in the industry, he opened Afters, which now offers desserts within its brick-and-mortar store, and online.
A regular gelato sells for PHP365 (US$6.81) a pint; this includes flavors such as Chocolate, Salted Caramel, and Stratacciella. Premium flavors such as Strawberry Cheesecake, Gianduja, and Pistachio are worth PHP430 (US$8.03).
Other than their ice cream tubs, you can also indulge in their signature desserts. There’s Afters Signature Affogato (PHP165 or US$3.08) wherein a scoop of gelato is topped with a shot of espresso and the uncomplicated but fantastic Milk and chewy Cookies (PHP170 or US$3.17).
Other options include their Deconstructed Apple Crumble (PHP195 or US$3.64), where apples sauteed in cinnamon sauce are used as toppings to gelato and cookie crumble; and the Molten Lava Cake, priced at PHP250 (US$4.66).
Afters also offers a wide selection of coffees that will please any caffeine aficionado. They also serve pasta dishes and sandwiches, in case you need something on the salty-savory side, too.
Find it:
20 Lansbergh Place, Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City
Phone: (02)4418818
Bizu Patisserie & Bistro
Bizu has long been a favorite of cake fans. What started out as a kiosk in Makati’s Glorietta 4 mall in 2011 now has multiple cafe outlets all over the metro including one in Greenbelt 2 in Makati, Alabang Town Center, and Greenhills Shopping Center.
Check out their velvety cakes such as the Fresh Strawberry Chiboust (PHP2,455 for grande/US$45.84), a classic French-style cheesecake topped with strawberries; the sugarless Naomi (PHP995 for midi/US$18.58), where sugarless milk is combined with dark chocolate mousse that’s spread between layers of cake then sprayed with cocoa liqueur; and the Amour (PHP325 for personal/US$6.06), orange chocolate mousse combined with creme brulee and brownies.
Aside from their cakes, ice cream-based desserts are also available, such as the Banana Split (PHP275/US$5.13), which is composed of banana, various ice cream flavors, whipped cream, and cherries; the Vanilla Balsamico (PHP125/US$2.33), which is composed of warm rum cake, vanilla ice cream, pistachios, and balsamic cream; and the Chocolate a la Mode (PHP125/US$2.33), a combo of warm chocolate brownie, chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate sauce.
Their macarons also have a loyal following — they come in a variety of flavors, from Blueberry to (gasp) Salted Duck Egg. You can buy them per piece for PHP75 (US$1.40) or in boxes of eight (PHP5,955/US$111.35), 14 (PHP1,045/US$19.54) or 28 (PHP2,095/US$39.17).
Check out this link to see all their branches.
Carousel Creamery
This Greenhills ice cream shop offers as many as 101 flavors. Yes — 101.
However, not all of them are available every month (they’re rotated regularly, hence the name Carousel). What they do have on offer at any time often dabbles in the wild — think Bacon and Cheese, Beer and Chicharon (fried pork rinds), the Starbucks-inspired Pumpkin Spice, and Puto (steamed rice cake) and Cheese.
Each is priced based on how many scoops a customer orders. A single scoop is PHP95 (US$1.77), two scoops are PHP160 (US$2.98), and three scoops are PHP225 (US$4.20).
And — the shop says that the milk used in creating their products come from grass-fed cows which were raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Nice! We’re also digging their interiors, which are inspired by old-school ice cream parlors.
Owned by Lincoln Cheong, Carousel Creamery also offers other desserts like the Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich, where a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream is placed between two brownies and is topped with warm homemade caramel sauce; the Caffeine Buzz, which is composed of a scoop of coffee ice cream, homemade hot fudge, whipped cream, chocolate-flavored coffee beans, and a cherry on top; and the Espresso Shake, which is composed of two shots of ice cream, a double shot of espresso, topped with whipped cream and coffee beans.
Find it:
8 Missouri St., Greenhills, San Juan
Phone: (02) 7759092
Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant
Ever since they opened in 1997, this bakeshop has impressed Pinoy diners with their delectable cakes and pastries. A few of their yummy cakes include Almond Choco Sans Rival (PHP155/US$2.95), Banana Dream (PHP135/US$2.57), and Mango Bravo (PHP215/US$4.09). They now have 20 branches all over the metro which makes it easier for many diners to try the yummy stuff they offer.
Check this link to see all their branches.
Farmacy Ice Cream and Soda Fountain
Founded in 2014, Farmacy at BGC, Taguig was inspired by old American ice cream parlors. The artisanal ice creams here are priced at PHP290 (US$5.42) each, and come in several flavors, from Hot Fudge to Black Forest and Rocky Road.
They also have ice cream floats, which combine carbonated soda with creamy ice cream. For PHP270 (US$5.05), you can get an Orange Creamsicle, which pairs vanilla ice cream and soda; Very Berry Float, a combo of strawberry ice cream and blue soda; Black Cow, which is Coke topped with choco ice cream; or a Brown Cow, a marriage of root beer and vanilla ice cream.
For people who had a long day, you can chill by having what they call “Farmacy After Dark,” tempting concoctions made with ice cream and a dash of alcohol. Some of these include: the Rum and Coke Float (a union of vanilla ice cream, rum, and Coke), and the Jack and Coke Float (composed of vanilla ice cream, Jack Daniels, and Coke). At PHP320 (US$5.98), they might just offer the kick you’re looking for.
Find it:
Net Lima, Ground Floor, 4th Avenue corner 26th St., BGC, Taguig
Phone: (02) 8873622
Hobing Korean Dessert Cafe
Bingsu is a Korean snack similar to the Philippines’ halo-halo. Like the latter, it has shaved ice combined with condensed milk, syrup, jelly, and sometimes topped with ice cream. What makes it different is that it also includes fruits, as well as rice cake, cereal flakes, and sometimes even bits of cheesecake.
Now that Manila has seen a lot of Korean restaurants opening shop, it’s not surprising that there would also be a handful of dessert places offering bingsu to Pinoys and tourists.
One of the most well-received dining joints is Hobing, which has 10 locations including one in Glorietta, Makati; another in SM Aura in Taguig; and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong.
A quick look at their social media feed shows why so many have become bingsu converts: there’s Strawberry Bingsu, which uses strawberries harvested from Baguio; Mango Cheese Bingsu, a cacophony of mangoes, bits of cheesecake, and almonds; and Injeolme Bingsu, which comes topped with Korean glutinous rice cakes.
Annyeonghaseyo! Yeah, we’re into it.
Check this link to know all their branches.
Ice Flower
Joining Manila’s bingsu craze is Ice Flower, the kind of dessert joint where people break their diets with no regrets. This cafe has yummy bingsu as well as coffee, other Korean snacks, bread toasts, and cool, refreshing drinks. What’s more, their cafes have a Snow Room where artificial snow could be seen falling.
Time to say saranghamnida to good bingsu, don’t you think?
Check its list of branches here.
Churreria La Lola
Founded in 2014 by Spanish expats Sergei Rostoll, Dani Aliaga, and Uri Singla, Churreria La Lola’s churros are made from scratch and cooked only after the customer has ordered it.
The quality of their wares has led the brand to grow to 16 branches, including one in Fora Tagaytay, another in Glorietta 4 in Makati, and one in Robinson’s Magnolia in Quezon City.
Choose which churro would make you happy: the Classico (medium for PHP110/2.05), Dark Choco, White Choco, and even Ube (purple yam) Choco. Another dessert worth trying is their ice cream sandwich PHP145 (US$2.70), which comes in vanilla and chocolate.
Check its list of branches here.
Le Petit Souffle
Visiting this restaurant is almost like walking into a real Parisian restaurant — from the French music playing in the background to the faux vines and trees adding oomph to the place, this resto has earned a ton of positive reviews since it opened in 2015 (Poblacion) and 2016 (SM Megamall, Mandaluyong).
Founded by pastry chef Miko Aspiras, it is, naturally, most famous for its souffle, with its Valrhona Guanaja being the bestseller. Made with 70 percent dark chocolate, its flawlessly puffy texture shows the effort that Aspiras and his staff have put into it.
Other fan favorites include their matcha red bean souffle pancake, which comes topped with icing sugar and matcha powder. Another delectable menu option is their 17-layer chocolate cake, a pastry so moist it’s the ideal ending to any meal.
Find it:
2nd Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Phone: (02) 944 6541
3rd Floor, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Ave., Poblacion, Makati City
Phone: (02) 7185681
The Lost Bread
With branches scattered all over the metro, the Lost Bread does excellent French toasts and soft-serve ice cream.
Owned by Patty Marabut and Emil Ongchuan, the Lost Bread has deviated away from its former industrial and monochrome interiors and now has a younger, more colorful and hip atmosphere. Check out their French toasts (PHP185/US$3.45) which comes in flavors such as Chili Chocolate, Matcha Match, and Sweet Cheese.
Also worth a try are their bestselling Blue Vanilla Soft Serve which can be topped with options such as Chocolate Granola (PHP85/ US$1.58), a combo of chocolate granola bars and choco syrup; Gummy Lime (PHP90/US$1.68), a marriage of gummy bears and lime syrup; and White Chocolate Caramel (PHP90/US$1.68), topped with caramel popcorn and white chocolate sauce.
Another menu option you can dig into are their Over Shakes, which are worth a few Instagram posts because of their large toppings. A few worth sampling are Crushed Oreos (PHP270/US$5.04); Chocolate Spread (PHP295/US$5.50); and what could be many Pinoys’ favorite, the Chocnut PHP295/US$5.50).
Check this link for a complete list of its branches.
M Bakery Manila
Dessert fans were thrilled when Magnolia Bakery opened its first Southeast Asian outpost in BGC in Taguig, which was dubbed M Bakery. Because this was the same store made famous in the sizzling TV show Sex and the City, people wanted to know if it’s as good as they dreamed it to be.
As it turns out, for many people it was. Coconuts’ review of the place was altogether positive because our editor tried a slew of wonderful cupcakes made with Magnolia Bakery’s signature buttercream base. To know more, check out our complete review here.
Find it:
Ground Floor, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, BGC, Taguig
Phone: (02)847 9829
Papa Diddi’s Handcrafted Ice Cream
Businessman Paul Perez grew up on a farm, where his dad, Diddi, often made ice cream out of fruits they harvested. Perez used his knowledge of ice cream making to open this joint, because he found some commercially available products less than ideal, while artisanal brands were too expensive.
Located on the famed eat street Maginhawa at Teacher’s Village, Papa Diddi’s offers handcrafted ice cream such as Jackfruit Madness, which uses white cheese, jackfruit, and nuts; Purple Love, which is ube (purple yam) mixed with macapuno (kopyor coconut); and Mantequilla de Mani, which combines peanut butter and jelly.
Find it:
168 Maginhawa St., Teacher’s Village, Quezon City
Paper Moon Cafe
This joint’s delicate crepe cakes’ recipes were developed by Madame Kazuko Emy Wada, the woman known as the Grand Dame of Specialty Cakes, also known as the founder of New York Lady M Boutique.
Paper Moon has grown considerably over the years, and has 16 branches all over the metro, including one in Glorietta 3 in Makati, another in Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong, and another in Eastwood Mall in Libis, Quezon City.
This success comes largely from Wada’s famed Original Mille Crêpes (whole for PHP2,000/US$37.35), which are composed of twenty delicate handmade crêpes placed one on top of each other and layered with light pastry cream and covered in caramelized crust. You can also try other flavors such as Mango Mille, Chocolate Mille, and Ultimate Ube Mille all of which sell for PHP2,000 (US$37.35) for the whole cake.
Other desserts that Paper Moon Offers include the Checkered Cake (whole for PHP2,000/ US$37.35), the Red Velvet Moose Cake (whole for PHP1,800/US$33.61), and the Strawberry Short Cake (whole for PHP3,000/ US$56.02).
Check this link for a complete list of their branches.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2018, but the Coconuts crew is bringing it back from the archives since the information it contains remains relevant and useful. Rest assured, we’ve reviewed and updated it to make sure this oldie but goodie will still serve you well.
