Bringing home a pasalubong is very important in the Philippine culture. Your pasalubong need not be…read moresomething very big and expensive. It can be as cheap and simple as snacks and delicacies that one can munch on during merienda. Samu't Sari specializes in these products, allowing you to give a pasalubong anytime, anyday. Peanut kisses, lengua de gato, adobong mani, fish crackers, chicharon, Ilocos chicacorn, polvoron, pastillas, tart, peanut brittle, pili nuts, shingaling... Truly, this store brings to the city a taste of several provinces! No need to sit on a bus for hours to go to Baguio to have some peanut brittle. No need to ride a plane to fly in an airplane or board a ferry to have your share of pili nuts. Go to Samu't Sari where you can buy delicacies from different provinces in one go! My advice: Buy a significant amount of several items from this store and you can have your snacks for several days or even weeks covered.

Always the best stop on NLEX for pasalubong! Must try would be their pinipig suman with buko and…read morebibingka with leche flan topping. Sooooo good! They've always maintained their texture, taste and quality after all these years and price point is affordable. Whenever I'm back in the PH, I make it a point to get their suman! Yum!!

The best suman pinipig I have tasted thus far. I can't wait to taste all of their products.read more

Rocha's puto is really special and delicious. Actually it is one of my favorite places to get puto…read morein the world. The puto is chewy and cheesy. I could probably eat a whole box in one sitting. If you are in Marikina, I highly recommend buying a box or two! Next time I'm in Marikina this is a must visit for me.

First day of school. You will expect the students to talk about academic issues. But, surprise,…read moreRocha's Puto at Kutsinta made its way into the conversation. My classmate asked me where I was from and I answered Marikina. Quickly, she remarked: "I've been there. Dumayo kami to try Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta. You're famous for that, di ba?" And all the while I was thinking Marikina was famous for shoes! But, maybe, the palate makes a greater impact on the memory than the feet. Oh well, this is one time I am happy to be wrong. The puto of Rocha's is really quite good. Flavorful but not overly sweet. Soft and fluffy and never buhaghag. This rice cake from Rocha's is becoming a staple at meals served for family celebrations. So, next time, if you are going to a potluck party, you now have more options than just spaghetti, pancit or pizza. Visit Marikina and buy Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta. Marikina, the puto and kutsinta capital of the Philippines? Not bad.

Michelle's Putong Ube is definitely a must try ESPECIALLY when it's FRESH. When it's not, the taste…read moreand texture really change. One time, I bought Michelle's Putong Ube from a reseller, not directly from the shop and I found the puto to be less tasty and drier than usual. I really have a hard time choosing which one my favorite is. I like the ube and I like the cheese. Well now I don't have to choose anymore because they just made the best thing ever - ube puto with small cheese squares on top. Omg. This is like a gamechanger. Two amazing things in one. I ALWAYS get this now. Other flavors they have: Putong Ube, Putong Queso, Putong Pandan and Putong Mascobado

Lots of great chinese pasalubongs.. They are all very…read morehelpful. There are different varieties of candied dried fruits.

I think specialty delis/food stores have their own unique charm and Bee Tin in Bindondo is no…read moreexception. Located at the heart of Binondo on Ongpin Street, Bee Tin has not changed much over the years, making it a must-see stop in Chinatown. The Chinese deli/food mart has everything you need from preserves, imported food, Chinese candies and sweets, cured/smoked meats, dehydrated produce, frozen goods and more. I really like going here because there's so much to see and buy that's not usually in your local grocery. I think I picked up the habit of learning how to appreciate delis such as Bee Tin thanks to my grandma who'd always bring me whenever she needs to replenish her supply of preserves. Speaking of preserves, you really have to taste Bee Tin's selection because there's a lot of them! They are neatly stored in bins and you can buy them according to weight. My favorites are the plums - they are pretty large and the mix of sweet and sour has a nice effect on the palette. Another thing I'm crazy about is Bee Tin's beef jerky. While they also have the packaged kind of beef jerkey (I'm looking at you Cow Label), their own mix of the large and leathery strips of beef is a class of its own. You can also purchase these according to weight, and we tend to buy a lot of it. (Might as well make the drive worth it right?) The taste of the beef jerky plays between sweet and salty and the meat itself isn't too hard to chew on. Before I go to the check out counter, I also make a beeline to the chocolates and candies section. Sometimes they stock these really weird but good gummy candies from China (I once bought P5 packets of peach and cola flavored candies - these were really good!), and they also have imported Japanese chocolate snacks like Pocky. Other stuff you can see at Bee Tin are the packaged noodle soups, dry seaweed, Chinese candies and chocolates, haw flakes and lots more other stuff. Another plus for Bee Tin is that their prices are a lot cheaper than in regular groceries.

This was suggested by one of the YouTuber that I follow. This place is small but they carry a lot…read moreof different products. You can find the Hopia section on the right side when entering the store. This place can get crowded on the weekend but the check out process is smooth. The Hopia price is around Php68. It comes with a lot of flavors including the classic Monggo, Baboy and Ube. I tried the Ube-Jackfruit Hopia and it tasted good. The filling is not overly sweet and the jackfruit flavor is subtle. The pastry is soft and flaky. For Vegetarians: The Hopias in shiny wrapper are cooked using corn oil and the rest are cooked using pork oil. I got the tip from one of the staff.

My husband's favorite! Love their pineapple hopia. The best! We always buy here whenever we visit…read morePhilippines.

The Farmers Market in Quezon City is one of the oldest, largest, and most revered markets in both…read moreMetro Manila and the Philippines. I went just to sightsee and thought it was pretty wonderful, a giant, colorful open air market absolutely teeming with life. The place was huge, with what felt like hundreds of vendors selling fish, meat, and produce in tightly arranged stalls. There were lots of people and the occasional cat, and we tourists were in the minority--I think almost everyone else was there to buy or sell food. The produce looked fresh, and there was a robust seafood section. We'd visited the Navotas fish port that morning, and I gather that a lot of the fish caught there make there way to the Farmers Market. We stopped by the food court and picked up mango and green mango shakes at the Fruitas stand. I'm sure we missed out on other excellent eats, but those shakes were delicious. I'll bet you could spend quite some time exploring this Farmers Market. I enjoyed my visit and would recommend the place to anyone living in or passing through Metro Manila.

Seriously old world. Even though much more organized and clean than what I remember. Old world open…read moreair market. Open air in that there are no walls so even from the middle you can see the outdoor city streets. There is a ceiling covering the entire market so no food or person will be exposed to the sun and/or elements. The place is huge like at least one city block. Every vendor is its own business, so every stall you go to you will have to make a payment. Also able to haggle if you have any skill for it. I do not but natives...it's in their blood. No card transactions either straight cash, and actually have smaller bills so to make giving change easier. When I said old world, I meant old world! Place is also sectioned off...vegetables in one area, fruit vendors in another, beef, poultry, eggs, fish and shellfish are all grouped by their product. A little overwhelming for me but if you shop here regularly then I suppose you can figure out which vendor works for you, then you can establish a relationship. No shopping carts or even baskets. So bring your own bags. We only brought 1 bag and after buying more shellfish than what we came for, my aunt and I went to the house wares area and bought a small plastic bucket to put our bags of seafood in. We put all our produce in the bag I brought. The nature of the market will give first worlders fits. Nothing is refrigerated and is just sitting out in open air. Even seafood and meats like beef and pork. Just sitting or hanging in open air, and that air is not cool or temperate. Lol. I got a little queasy a few times but it is just how certain countries have been doing it for centuries. Sure there are modern grocery stores here that will rival any grocery store in the US or Europe, but I wanted to see one of these again before my trip ended. It just is in more in touch with regular people, people who are living their daily lives. That is what I wanted to be a part of. Whilst putting down food for my family, I was also able to help another put food on theirs. An exchange I can smile and feel good about. 5 Old World Stars!

I used to live in Cubao and work in Makati, so I took the MRT every day. That's how I discovered…read morethe Farmers Market. MRT Araneta Center was attached directly to the New Farmers Plaza, which in turn was right beside the Farmers Market. I pass by here every day, and I usually get myself some fruits to tide me over for the day. The Farmers Market is exactly what it says on the tin - this is where producers from all over Luzon dump their produce, and where it's sold dirt cheap. Aside from fruits and vegetables, they also have fish and meat, and just about anything else you wanna see at a wet market. The best part is their dampa, which will cook the fish you bought on the spot.

I love markets, especially the wet ones, because I like being knee-deep in fresh produce, whether…read morethey be meat, or fish, or vegetables, or fruits. What I like about the Farmers Market in Araneta Center is that they have anything and everything you need: the fruits ring the outside of the market -- all fresh from wherever they come from -- and you'll see the more perishable goods inside. There are even fresh flowers outside, for those who did something bad and are hoping for a miracle. My favorite part though is their foodcourt, where they have what I think is the original Dampa - or, at the very least, the first to implement the concept. You buy meat or fish from the market, and they'll cook it for you at a minimum charge while you wait. Convenient, huh?

Have you ever craved for something from the province and just gave up because, well, it's too far…read moreto actually go there just for that. Not anymore you won't. That's why I think that Island Pasalubong is a great idea, the best one I've seen around Katipunan in a few years and that's because I love 'em pasalubong goodies and now I won't have to wait anymore or have a hard time looking for them. When I first went to Island Pasalubong it was more out of curiosity of what's in the store, I had no idea what they were selling aside from pasalubong items. I thought that it would be really expensive since they have to ship it all the way from the provinces and those types of stores usually hike up the price and they didn't, the mark up is reasonable and it's almost the same as buying it in the province. Food wise, there are too many and I think they're trying to get the favourites in each province. If by any chance what you're looking for isn't there, they probably have something close to it. They're definitely worth a visit.

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of kakanin (sticky rice). Even though it's the Filipino dessert and…read moreit comes in a variety of styles and flavors, I just never got around to really liking it. I'd eat it, yes, but I wouldn't normally crave for it on a random day. But there is one kakanin I've been used to eating every since I was a kid - kalamay (rice cake with sweet coconut puree on top). And it's all because of Aling Kika's. Aling Kika's is a specialty food shop near our place. Ever since I could remember, my mom would bring home a box of kalamay. When she's looking for something Pinoy to give to our relatives, this is her go-to food item and she would always bring home one for the family. What is so good with Aling Kika's kalamay is how tasty it is. The sticky rice topped with latik (sweet coconut puree) is delicious when fresh from the refrigerator or when heated up in the microwave. It's sweet and filling, perfect with a some tea or a cup of Joe! Other than their kalamay, may second favorite food item from Aling Kika's would be their peanut butter spread. Although packaged under Aling Kika's daughter, Mely, their peanut butter just ranks so high up my list Lily's, Skippy's or any other peanut butter brand will never be able to measure up. Mely's Peanut Butter is so good, it doesn't last that very long in the house. It's sweet, chewy and packed with peanut flavour - it's the best spread ever, believe me! Other than those two, Aling Kika's also sell their version of coco jam, leche flan, halayang ube and anything you will ever need to create your own halo-halo. A trip to Aling Kika's may be quite challenging especially if you are not familiar with the place. But it's definitely worth it!