5 Panaderia-Style Bakeries Serving Good Bread and Nostalgia
Nothing fills our stomachs – and our hearts – quite like a panaderia does. Despite the popularity of imported brands and flavors, Filipino-style bakeries continue to thrive in our community.
While this might mainly be due to accessibility and affordability, no one can deny the unique charm that these traditional bakeries imbibe. From delicious sweetbreads to affordable cakes and pastries, every neighborhood panaderia provides families with daily bread to get through the day.
Today, we list down some of the most iconic traditional bakeries that have built a name for themselves in the Philippine market. With decades of experience and a customer base spanning generations, these traditional bakeries serve up delicious goodies – plus a generous serving of comfort and nostalgia!
Kamuning Bakery
An icon of Quezon City, Kamuning Bakery was founded in 1939 by Atty. Leticia Bonifacio Javier and her husband, Marcelo. The former was familiar with the bakeshop business, being the daughter of the proprietors who ran Los Banos Bakery in Manila.
A favorite of generations past, Kamuning Bakery has been praised by renowned writers such as Nick Joaquin and Doreen Fernandez. Today, it is owned by entrepreneur and writer, Wilson Lee-Flores, who took over the bakery in 2013 and continues to uphold the traditional values that the bakery stands for. He has refused to open Kamuning Bakery up for franchise, choosing instead to focus on quality over quantity. In 2025, the brand continues the tradition of baking with a pugon (wood-fired) ovens and has also expanded to selling Pinoy and Chinese favorites such as pancit, palabok, and hopia.
Those who yearn for a taste of the yesteryears will also be happy to know that Kamuning Bakery still serves up some of their original breads and pastries such as their creamy egg pie, pandesal, cheese roll, and hopia.
Location: Kamuning Bakery, 43 Judge Jimenez Corner K-1st Street, Quezon City 1103
Panaderia Dimas-Alang
Panaderia Dimas-Alang officially celebrated its centennial in 2019, entering its 106th year this 2025. This Pasig landmark was originally opened in the early years of the 1900s, calling itself Panaderia Dos Hermanos and was owned by Alejandro Gonzalez. After his wife’s death, Alejandro passed the bakery onto the hands of his sister-in-law, Teresa Santos. Teresa was the lady who officially renamed the bakery to Panaderia Dimas-Alang in 1919.
The bakery has proudly survived a fire, a World War, and now a pandemic, staying true to its patriotic name, “Dimas-Alang,” which means “untouchable.” Interestingly, “Dimasalang” was also Jose Rizal’s pen name during his stint at liberal publication La Solidaridad.
The bakery’s pandesal is famous for its slight smoky aroma and crisp bite. Frequent customers also know that their pandesal recipe tends to be saltier than its commercial counterparts (which can be sweet). The bakery is also well-known for their square-shaped biscuits called “Hindi Ko Akalain,” as well as for staples such as pan de coco (bread with coconut), Spanish bread, egg pie, and brazo de Mercedes.
Location: Panaderia Dimas-Alang, 52, 1600 A. Mabini Street, Pasig City
Panaderia Pantoja
Though famous around the world, Panaderia Pantoja finds its roots in the humble city of Tanauan, Batangas. Founded in 1950, the bakery first came about when its founders, Aurelio and Celinda Pantoja, found a worn-out oven in someone’s backyard. After investing P50,000 into the business, the Pantoja couple was able to fix the oven, hire a few panaderos (bakers), and begin making handmade bread to serve the community.
Today, Aurelio and Celinda’s son, Arturo, helms the business as Chairman Emeritus of this full-fledged corporation. Panaderia Pantoja has also begun exporting certain goods to countries such as the United States, Qatar, and Japan.
For fresh bread, we recommend heading to their bakeries for a bite of their famous yema cake or ensaymada. However, if you’re looking for pantry goods that you can snack on later in the day, Panaderia Pantoja is known to make delicious biscocho (twice-baked breads that can be sweet or savory), lengua de gato (butter cookies), and broas (ladyfingers).
Panaderia Pantoja has multiple branches located in San Juan City, Quezon City, and Taguig City
Tinapayan Festival
Sampaloc-based bakery, Tinapayan Festival, is the brainchild of Lucito Chavez, a Batangas native who founded the bakery in the 1980s. While good business sense and knowledge in baking has helped Lucito navigate the industry, creativity has also been a boon that’s helped grow his business. This fun bakeshop takes the vibrant palate of the Filipino and creates wonderful breads to serve to their customers. They are particularly famous for their ube loaf, a vibrant purple that boasts of a deep ube aroma.
Tinapayan Festival has also come up with unique recipes such as a “fruity” loaf and a Biscoff loaf. In the past, Tinapayan Festival served up healthy and unique alternatives to their traditional pandesal recipe, releasing squash pandesal, malunggay (moringa) pandesal, and kamote (sweet potato) pandesal.
Location: Tinapayan Festival, Corner Dapitan St, Sampaloc, Manila 1008
Masa Bakery
A Salcedo Market favorite, Masa Bakery is a hit amongst the contemporary crowds who frequent Makati. They’ll be celebrating 20 years of business in 2027 and are continuing to build a legacy honouring traditional Filipino bread and pastry.
Of course, a contemporary brand must know how to reinvent and cater to the current palate of their customers. To cater to their cosmopolitan audience, Masa Bakery adds a modern twist unto their recipes. They’d recently released heart-shaped bread for Valentine’s Day 2025 and are known to make ensaymada out of brioche. Nevertheless, traditionalists can also drop by their Salcedo Market stall for a taste of nostalgic favorites such as Spanish bread, pan de coco, and adobo pandesal.
Masa Bakery can be found every Saturday, at Salcedo Market from 7am to 2pm
Visit them at Jaime C Velasquez Park on Tordesillas St. Cor Toledo St., Salcedo Village, Makati City
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