Manila Creamery in Alabang: Gelato Made ‘Manila Way’
There’s a difference between ice cream and gelato—and not many people know about it.
Although ice cream has always been in-demand, gelato wasn’t as famous here in the Philippines. The good news is, amidst all the ice cream businesses in the Philippines, there’s one that seeks to make gelato known and loved in a way that feels and tastes familiar. Manila Creamery, a gelateria, takes pride in their gelato made the Manila way.
Matcha-rap, a Matcha gelato made with grade A matcha from Japan
Owned by Jason Go and Paolo Reyes, Manila Creamery is a local gelato brand established in 2016. They aim to introduce gelato to Manila by using mostly locally-sourced ingredients and turning well-loved Filipino snacks into gelato flavors.
To differentiate, gelato is denser than ice cream and has a lower fat percentage
“We like to call it a fusion of Italian and Filipino products,” says Jason Go, one half of the gelato duo. Both Go and Reyes studied in different universities in Italy where they learned all about gelato. “We wanted to bring out something local that can compete with other international brands,” Go quipped.
They offer new flavors quarterly, so expect to find something new when you visit the store. The Alabang branch is their biggest one yet, and it also offers coffee as not all their stores offer one. Aside from gelato, they also offer soft serves, shakes, and parfait in this branch.
Black Buko and Monggo is made with red monggo and macapuno
A trip to Manila Creamery wouldn’t be complete without trying their Filipino flavors. Start the dessert feast with Black Buko and Monggo, a take on a popular summer treat in the Philippines which is ice buko and monggo. Aside from the gelato, it’s worth mentioning that they create fresh cones daily. The crispy waffle cones are just as tasty as the gelato and it’s made with cocoa.
Mango Float
During summer, Mango Float would be the ideal choice. Their mango float consists of layers of crowd-pleasing flavors such as mango chunks, graham, and cookie butter.
Salted Egg Cheesecake
Manila Creamery’s salted egg cheesecake was their bestseller at one point. Its sweet and salty flavors made from cheesecake gelato, salted egg caramel, and graham make this treat so addicting that you’d want another scoop.
Manila Creamery has branches in Makati, BGC, Quezon City, Davao, and many more. You may check the full list here.
This first appeared in Philippine Primer magazine’s May 2019 issue.
