Simbang gabi, the traditional 9-day series of dawn masses, is about to begin in less than a month. It is the Catholic Filipino’s way of preparing spiritually for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. There’s a saying that once you’ve completed the 9 days, any wishes made will be granted.
And as simbang gabi became tradition for us Filipinos, the same can be said for grabbing a bite (or two) of bibingka and some puto bumbong after attending the dawn Christmas novena mass.
A little trivia about this dessert: did you know that the term “bibingka” has a similar name to the Indian dessert “bebinca”? While bibingka is a simbang gabi staple in the Philippines, “bebinca” is a staple in any celebration in Goa, India.
Bibingka is a type of baked rice cake from the Philippines, composed of rice flour and coconut milk. It’s usually eaten for breakfast (especially during the Christmas season) and is traditionally cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves, which give it a charred outer crust. It’s a subtype of kakanin—Philippine rice cakes.
You could consider bibingka a special reward bought after attending midnight mass, which becomes even more rewarding and satisfying when eaten once brought home. But craving stomachs know no reason to wait, right? So you can actually buy this dessert all year round.
If you type “bibingka near me” in the foodpanda app, you’ll find a list of stores where you can order your kakanin fix. Here are our picks:
Ferino’s Bibingka
Delivery hours: Mon-Sun 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM, 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Address: 64 Abada St Loyola Heights, 1100 Quezon City
Mang Domeng’s Bibingka
Delivery hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Address: SM City Molino Barangay Molino IV 4th District, 1740 Cavite City
Via Mare
Delivery hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM, 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Address: Unit 106 6/F The Food Village, Maax Building, Coral Way cor, J.W Diokno Blvd. MOA Complex, 1600 Pasay
Roast
Delivery hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Address: Second Floor, Linear Building, 142 Katipunan Avenue Extension, Saint Ignatius Village, White Plains, 1100 Quezon City
Satisfy your bibingka cravings any time, anywhere with just a few clicks! Download the foodpanda app now and order today.
Featured image courtesy of Wikipedia images.
Mae Bonifacio | Contributing Editor
Passionate and curious, Mae is an avid Hamilton fan who won’t throw away her shot. She’s also a killer Odette player in Mobile Legends.