Melo Villareal
El Ideal Bakery and Restaurant in Silay City
Located on Negros Occidental, just north of Bacolod, Silay City is known for its ancestral homes and good food, where rustic and cosmopolitan lifestyle meets. When in town, the El Ideal Bakery is a must-visit for food lovers, offering classic Filipino food, from pastries to Silog meals. This classic panaderia turned into a resto will take you back in time.
This century-old bakery boasts heritage recipes passed down to generations, a go-to stop-over for tourists shopping for pasalubong. So if you’re planning a trip South, read on to learn more about the history and special delicacies of El Ideal Bakery in Silay City.
About the Bakery
Founded in the 1920s, El Ideal Bakery is one of the oldest and must-eat restaurants in Bacolod. It was established by the late Cesar Lacson-Locsin with his sisters, serving homemade cookies and bread using recipes from the past generation. In addition, El Ideal is not just a bakery but a cultural treasure housed in a National Heritage Site, Cesar Lacson-Locsin’s ancestral home. The bakery stands on the same spot for over a century since its founding.
In the 1950s, Cesar passed the bakery to his daughter, Alice Locsin-Villanueva. Mrs. Alice expanded the bakery by adding another brick oven and a refreshment parlor. Then, she passed down the El Ideal Bakery to Cesar Lacson-Locsin’s granddaughter, Maritess Villanueva-Sanchez, and her husband, Enrique Sanchez. She eventually added new products, revised the logo, and renovated and expanded the place by building a larger dining area.
Furthermore, Maritess added a pasalubong corner, showcasing their products in antique cabinets, similar to pre-war furniture. The bakery also offers products from other local brands. So it became a famous pasalubong shop for tourists visiting Negros Occidental. Currently, El Ideal Bakery is managed by Maritess and her son, Mark Henriko, bringing traditional Filipino food enriched with history and culture.
What to Buy: Popular Menu
The El Ideal Bakery serves decades-old recipes, from varying pastry options to classic Filipino delicacies. Cesar Lacson-Locsin started the bakery during First World War, pursuing his passion for baking local bread. The bakery’s original and specialty products include masa podrida (shortbread cookies), bañadas (sugar-glazed cookies), lubid-lubid (sugar-coated crispy bread), biscocho prinsipe (toasted crunchy bread), biscocho de caña, and kinamunsil.
Aside from that, many travelers love El Ideal’s Angel Cookies, which is formed using leftover pieces of communion bread. But over the years, El Ideal added more items to its menu, including barquillos, piaya, tarts, broas, sinambag, favorita, quinamocil, quinihad, and other classic Ilonggo cookies. Also, many have been raving about El Ideals’ fresh Lumpia Ubod with mashed boiled eggs. But the must-eat and trademark specialty of El Ideal is the Guapple Pie, a combination of guava and apple.
Another crowd favorite from the bakery is the Cassava Cake topped with milk and milky Bread Pudding. They also serve Buko Pie, Egg Pie, Cubana, Silog meals, Batchoy, and more. Plus, they offer affordable menu items, ranging from less than P100 to P250. You can even grab their products at the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) showrooms at 9th Lacson Streets and Robinsons Place City Walk.
How to get there
The El Ideal Bakery is at 118 Rizal Street, Brgy 3, Silay City, the same place where it was established years ago. It’s close to Bacolod-Silay International Airport, about a 10-minute drive. So it’s really accessible for travelers and a must-visit for your pasalubong needs.
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