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When my grandmother was still alive (she died way before I was born, god rest her soul), she would make stacks and stacks of bibingka every December. It was bakeshop’s best seller during the Christmas season, especially among the early mass-goers. I’ve been craving for bibingka for days now and I thought I’d compile a list of places whose bibingka I’ve tried.

Via Mare

Via Mare Restaurant adds an interesting twist to their bibingka. Besides the usual toppings of grated coconut, they place a generous slice of melted cheese on top of the rice cake. You might find that a little strange but trust me - the cheese complements the bibingka like butter to pancake.

Tsoko Nut

The bibingka at Tsoko Nut Restaurant (2nd floor Waltermart, along Pasong Tamo Road in Makati) serves a more traditional bibingka. The golden-brown cake itself is sweet enough to make a satisfying dessert, but not too sweet as to make you feel too full after a meal. Best eaten with their hot tsokolate.

Roadside Bibingka Stands

The more traditional and affordable bibingka can be found in any of the roadside bibingka stands in Metro Manila. One of these stands is located at Shell-Magallanes Branch along South Superhighway. If you’re on your way to Alabang, Batangas or Tagaytay, the bibingka is the perfect food for your picnic.

Cebu Bibingka

Cebu bibingka (or bibingkang Mandaue, named after the place where you can buy them) is the kind of bibingka my Cebuana grandmother used to make. The secret to bibingkang Mandaue’s unique flavor lies in its ingredients. Instead of baking powder, Cebuanos use rice powder with coconut milk and tuba in the bibingka mix. The bibingka is then covered in a banana leaf before being placed in a clay oven fueled by coconut husks. Bibingkang Mandaue can be found on the rooadside of Mandaue City on the way to Mactan Airport in Cebu.

Nardy’s Super Bibingka

These mini-bibingka is a twist from the original bibingka. The Mini Bibingkas are offered with different choice toppings like choco loco, Go bananas, cheezy bacon but don’t expect much from the taste. The taste was quite disappointing. It didn’t taste like the authentic bibingka. Maybe because it wasn’t cooked in charcoal but instead in a gas oven. You can find Nardy’s Super Bibingka at the supermarket section in Walter Mart, Pasong Tamo, Makati.

If you want to make your own bibingka, here are Bibingka recipes.