Filipino Bakery Cafe & Market — Restaurant in Maryland Heights

Bravo, Maryland Heights! You’ve got a gem in the Filipino Bakery Cafe and Market located along Dorsett and Fee Fee Rds..

For those unfamiliar with the Philippine archipelago, this country is located in Southeast Asia, just south of neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

It’s easy to tell by their accent that many of the Filipino Bakery staff are immigrants hailing from various regions of this tropical paradise. This cue, albeit subtle, is a sure fire way for customers to tell they are experiencing authentic Filipino hospitality. I say this because I’ve met a lot of Filipino immigrants here (who’ve eventually become US citizens) who continue to take pride in and celebrate their Asian roots and dialects. Same goes for their cooking. Philippine cuisine is an amalgamation of various cultural influences. Colonized for 400 years by the Spanish, it’s no surprise that Filipino food traces its ancestry to Spain and Mexico. There’s menudo, which is a stew typically prepared with either diced pork or chicken, and simmered in tomato sauce along with diced potatoes, peas, and carrots.

The Philippines also favors Indian and Thai food. There’s a beef dish called, kare-kare, which is basically a non-spicy cousin of Indian or Thai curry. (Fair warning: kare-kare sauce is peanut-based; and its accompanying condiment, baggoong is fish paste. So sadly, those with food sensitivity may have to skip this mouthwatering dish.)

There’s a spring roll called, lumpia, that is a nod to Vietnam. Lumpia is usually filled with ground pork and minced veg; and is either served deep-fried or “fresh” like its Vietnamese doppelgänger. The former is typically accompanied by a sweet chili sauce. The latter is best enjoyed with a minced garlic-and-peanut dip.

Finally, noodle dishes that are either stir-fried (pancit) or swimming in delectable broth (mami) are hints of Chinese cuisine.

Filipino food bursts with flavorful spices and condiments. Hence, entrees are best eaten with a good serving of rice on the side. This essential export crop is so integral to Philippine dining, that rice flour or starch is also used to create many sweet (or savory) snacks and desserts.

You’ll love the bread called, pandesal. It literally has a Spanish sounding name: Pan (bread) de Sal (of Salt). Filipinos typically eat these buns at breakfast time, slathered with Star brand or Dari Creme brand margarine. It’s downed with either homemade hot cocoa (tsokolate) or Nescafé coffee. Pandesal can also be served as an afternoon snack, with either liver spread (trust me, it’s good— it’s liver pate), pimiento spread, or Chiz Whiz. Pandesal, by the way, is best eaten warm.

Lovers of purple yam or ube will flip over Filipino Bakery’s ube pandesal. It’s stuffed with a little bit of melty cheese. If purchasing these buns for carry out, I’d suggest popping ‘em in the microwave for 10 seconds… and enjoy its pull-apart doughy texture!

I also sampled a dessert called, Brazo de Mercedes. Copious amounts of egg yolks compose its smooth custard center. Its outer layer is egg white stiffened with sugar. It’s spread flat, about 2” thick, onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Then, the egg yolk custard is spread on top of the whites. As soon as this is done, the pastry baker carefully rolls them into a delicate, cloud-soft roll before baking it in the oven. It’s a challenging feat, but the reward is pure, heavenly sweetness and bliss!

I also bought the staff-recommended pork barbecue kabobs and pork adobo siopao (a bao bun stuffed with savory pork). I can’t wait to sink my teeth into these treats!

Authentic Filipino dining is akin to partying with the best folks on the planet. So, if dining at the cafe, prepare yourself for rounds of karaoke singing! I enjoyed watching customers come up to the mic at lunchtime to belt out rock ‘n’ roll hits! Pure fun!

Tasty, authentic Filipino dishes; a friendly staff; a brightly-lit, spacious, and sparkling clean dining area and supermarket… Filipino Bakery Cafe & Market SHOULD be on your list of must-visit venues in...

Serving up traditional food that can delight our family, with a taste for our late Lola's cooking, AND a crowd of first-timers to Filipino flavors, I can't sing enough praises for STL Filipino Bread...though, I can try, thanks to the karaoke setup they made happen as part of a big family party we recently hosted in their shop. Food: Wonderful, whether you're a newbie looking for an accessible place to sample a variety of traditional dishes, or a Filipino foodie giving your own rice cooker a night off...I definitely recommend stopping by for takeout and baked goods! Service: They're always happy to help you find exactly what you're looking for on a daily basis, whether you're looking to grab a quick lunch or grab enough food to host a gathering. At the aforementioned family party---we couldn't have pulled off a celebration of a lifetime without all of their hard work to make it happen! The space was decorated to the nines, and every need we had leading up to and during the event was met quickly and with enthusiasm. Leah, Mary Beth, Anna, and Kuya Jojo felt like part of the family! Ambiance: Perhaps one of the most fun parts of STL Filipino Bread is how it is a "one stop shop" for items of cultural significance. I'm so thankful this place is here and helping share Filipino culture and food with the...

Can I say? Sarap! I ordered Ginataang Kalabasa and it came with sides of rice the mentioned bodacious chicken and I think some pancit. All of which were tasty and wholesome. The Halo Halo was so tasty and creamy. Just the right balance of sweet, flavor, and texture. The gummies at the bottom were so good as well. I have yet to try the Lechon or crispy belly. As for baked goods, the Puto was spot on and other treats were tasty. There is a selection of prepackaged snacks, drinks, and baking goods from the Philippines. They even sell Barongs.

The service was great and the staff were very warm and accommodating. The service was fairly quick food came out hot and tasty. I felt at home as a guest and everyone there was nice.

As for the atmosphere the staff and patrons were warm, welcoming, and I certainly felt at home. There was good energy with the karaoke going. Definitely family friendly. Bring everyone, they have big tables for groups. I will be coming back. I felt happy after the experience and fantastic food. The food and experience made me cry a little as it was authentic and it was reminiscent of the time my 🇵🇭 partner and I had dinner together in Manila. Talk about authentic taste😋 This may be my go to for lunch as I live and...