Malabon Food Tour with Local Chef: 8–10 Stops

Eight to ten food stops, one afternoon, one chef who grew up here

A private, guided food tour of Malabon on Luzon with Chef Isi, a local expert, traveling by tricycle or van to 8–10 stops including San Bartolome Church, carinderia, markets and street vendors. The tour samples soft puto with BBQ pork, banana fritters, pichi-pichi, okoy, Malabon-style lechon (on select days), and ends with a full lunch of Pancit Malabon and local drinks at Chef Isi's ancestral bakeshop. The tour runs 4 hours and accommodates vegetarian guests with advance notice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Malabon local dishes food tour

• Begin at San Bartolome Church
• Ride tricycle or van to food stops
• Sample BBQ pork-filled rice cakes at Hazel’s Puto
• Taste Luzon-style lechon (select days)
• Try mechado at Aling Mely’s Carinderia
• Enjoy pichi-pichi at Arny & Dading’s
• Eat banana fritters at Aling Tessie’s
• Learn about fish sauce at Rufina’s Patis
• Try okoy and kikiam at Concepcion Market
• Savor Sapin-Sapin at Dolor’s Kakanin
• Have lunch at Betsy’s ancestral bakery
• Return to Fisher Mall Malabon

The experience

You arrive in Malabon with a free afternoon and no map of where the real food is. Chef Isi, born and raised in the neighborhood, picks you up and rides with you by tricycle or van through the streets she knows, stopping at the spots locals actually eat. The route starts at San Bartolome Church, then moves through carinderia, markets and home-run food stalls: Hazel's Puto, Aling Mely's, Arny & Dading's, Aling Tessie's, Rufina's, Concepcion Market, Dolor's, and back to Betsy's, her family's ancestral bakeshop. That is 8 to 10 stops depending on the day and what is in season or freshly made.

At each stop you taste what Malabon is known for: soft rice cakes filled with BBQ pork, banana fritters fried to order, pichi-pichi (a layered rice cake), okoy (shrimp fritters), kikiam (a local spring roll), Sapin-Sapin (a steamed coconut cake), and fish sauce straight from the maker. On Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, the tour includes Malabon-style lechon. Chef Isi talks through the history and the technique as you eat, and she points out the vendors and the families behind each dish. If you eat vegetarian, tell her before you book and she will plan the stops around what she can source that day.

The tour ends at Betsy's with a full lunch: Pancit Malabon (the noodle dish the town is named for), home-cooked sides, and cold local drinks. You finish at Fisher Mall Malabon, a 4-hour loop that leaves you fed and knowing which stall to come back to alone.

What’s included

• Private food tour with Chef Isi, a local guide fluent in English.
• travel by tricycle or van to 8–10 food stops.
• samples at each stop including puto, banana fritters, pichi-pichi, okoy, kikiam, Sapin-Sapin and fish sauce.
• Malabon-style lechon on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
• full lunch at Betsy's bakeshop with Pancit Malabon, home-cooked sides and local drinks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Chef Isi speaks English and guides the whole tour in it, so you follow the stories and the history without translation. Book this if you want to eat where locals eat and have someone who grew up in the neighborhood explain why each dish matters.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is Pancit Malabon, and is it the main dish at the end?

Pancit Malabon is a noodle dish with shrimp, squid, liver and a savory sauce that the town is famous for. It is the centerpiece of the lunch at Betsy's bakeshop where the tour ends, served alongside other home-cooked dishes and local drinks.

Can I do this tour if I don't eat meat?

Yes. Chef Isi accommodates vegetarian guests and will plan the stops around what she can source, but you need to tell her when you book so she can prepare in advance.

How do we get around Malabon during the tour?

You travel by tricycle or van with Chef Isi, stopping at each food vendor or market. The route covers the neighborhood from San Bartolome Church through the main food stops and ends at Betsy's bakeshop.

On which days can I try Malabon-style lechon?

Malabon-style lechon is available on select days: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Check the calendar when you book to confirm it is offered on your chosen date.

What is pichi-pichi, and where do we eat it?

Pichi-pichi is a layered rice cake, a traditional Malabon sweet. You try it at Arny & Dading's, one of the stops on the tour known for making it well.