The balikbayan’s basic guide to halo-halo in Manila

Photo by Jar Concengco for F&B Report

Ask any Filipino to name a local dessert and one of the most common answers might just be halo-halo. This quintessential treat, most often enjoyed during the hot summer months, has now gone global.

Mainstream food publications in the US, like Bon Appetit, Delish, and the Food Network, have published recipes for the dessert. It is also one of the most popular and best-rated “ice creams” in the world, according to TasteAtlas. (Another Filipino creation actually also made it to the list: sorbetes!)

Okay, I know, I know; halo-halo technically isn’t ice cream. It has ice cream, it’s mostly ice, but we get the drift, right? Halo-halo is relatively simple to make. Here’s what you’ll need, more or less: a lot of crushed ice doused in evaporated milk and spoonfuls of the most colorful sweetened fruits and preserves you can get your hands on—jackfruit, bananas, kaong, macapuno, nata de coco, sweetened red and white beans, garbanzos, and more. Some even add ripe mangoes. Don’t forget to add pinipig or cornflakes for some crunch and texture. Top it with ube halaya and leche flan, and a scoop of ube ice cream.

But if gathering all these ingredients is a bit too tedious, you can just get a serving of this delectably sweet dessert from your favorite Filipino restaurant. If you’re coming home to Manila and you want to taste the real deal, check out these spots.

Milky Way Cafe

900 Antonio Arnaiz Ave, Makati

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You can’t talk about halo-halo in Manila without mentioning Milky Way’s iconic halo-halo. It’s such a bestseller that they even had a special delivery service for it made available during the pandemic, when dining in was still not allowed. One of the things that makes Milky Way’s halo-halo special is that they use homemade ube ice cream.

Little Quiapo

42 Aguirre Ave. BF Homes, Parañaque City

89 Malakas St., Diliman, Quezon City

Little Quiapo’s halo-halo | Photo by Jar Concengco for F&B Report

Little Quiapo has a long legacy of serving Filipino cuisine. Its specialties are the palabok and halo-halo, which many patrons still regularly come for on afternoons. They have a variety of halo-halo options to choose from, and they come served in those, nostalgic soda fountain glasses

You may also like: Creating and preserving a 73-year legacy, according to the family behind Little Quiapo

The Peninsula Manila

1226 Makati Ave, Makati

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The Lobby at the Peninsula Manila serves up one of the most iconic halo-halos in the city. This one runs on the pricier side (as expected from a hotel), but includes the complete roster of halo-halo ingredients, and is big enough for sharing. You also get to enjoy the splendid ambiance of the Lobby—and if you’re dining at the right time, you might also catch a few songs from the hotel’s orchestra.

Razon’s

Branches nationwide

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Razon’s halo-halo is pretty popular because unlike the traditional dessert, theirs is a monochromatic, creamy number. They don’t have the colorful ingredients; instead, Razon’s version—which hails from one of Luzon’s culinary meccas, Pampanga—has only the caramelized bananas, macapuno, and leche flan. But don’t think for a minute that this pared down halo-halo is any less special. The sweet creaminess of this simple combination has pushed this Kapampangan halo-halo to the top of many halo-halo enthusiasts’ lists.

Manam

Multiple branches

Manam’s halo-halo | Photo courtesy of Manam

Manam has a contemporary but still comforting way of preparing all the Filipino classics. They’re known for a good number of dishes, like their watermelon sinigang, sisig, and crispy pancit palabok, but they also make a mean halo-halo.

Aling Banang

Multiple branches

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Aling Banang is an institution in the City of San Juan. Any long-time resident is sure to recognize the name and the place. It has since branched out to other cities like Makati and Quezon City, but its menu remains the same: straightforward Filipino cuisine. That of course includes halo-halo (and other con hielos) for dessert.