Candelaria is known for having one of the best crispy patas in the country. đ You’d be hard-pressed to find good crispy pata like this (cooked the old-school way) in Manila.
On your next road trip to Bicol, don’t forget to stop over for Crispy Pata — either in the main town of Candelaria or in San Antonio Village.
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We decided to eat in JIJF Lutong Bahay ni Inay’s main branch in Candelaria town because it is open until 7pm. The newer branch in San Antonio Village is just open until 5pm.
It is literally a small bahay kubo with 6 tables, an open dirty kitchen, and a TV tuned in to the latest telenovela.
Sinigang na Talakitok sa Kamias (P200).
The menu is very limited. Usually, they just offer Crispy Pata and a dish of the day, depending on the fresh ingredients available in the market.
Thankfully, they had this when we visited because I just love sinigang! This is one of the best sinigang I’ve ever tasted. The local kamias was used as the souring agent, which gave it a wonderful flavor. I guess the food in the provinces is really good because it does not have that “commercial” taste since it is cooked the traditional way.
Crispy Pata (P380) with Rice (P50/serving).
We eagerly waited for the famous Crispy Pata of Candelaria. The pata was big, good for 3-4 people. It had a lot of meat (quite flavorful even on its own) and a lot of crispy parts.
The Crispy Pata’s meat was the salty kind (and not the sweet one), which I liked because it was perfect with the toyo and suka. The skin was very crispy and the entire pata was cooked well done. We had a great time eating every piece — simot to the bones talaga! đ
The price was surprisingly based on Manila rates. The rice was good for 2 persons at P50/serving.
We loved the bahay kubo ambiance of the original branch as it gave us the feel of back-to-basics dining.
We will definitely return for the Crispy Pata in Candelaria! We intend to try their newer San Antonio Village branch on our next road trip, though (for comparison). đ
If you are traveling to Bicol via road trip, it is best to schedule your Crispy Pata food trip on your way back. You can either have a late lunch in the San Antonio Village branch or dinner at the main Candelaria town branch before going back to Manila.
(Note: I recommend this schedule because, when you are going to Bicol, you want to minimize your stopovers. Most people would stop over in Gumaca or at the gas station in Calauag, which is the midpoint to Bicol.)
Make sure to include a stopover for Crispy Pata at Candelaria in your trip! It is best to call them ahead of time to check if they are open.
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JIJF Lutong Bahay ni Inay
Main Candelaria Town Branch, Candelaria, Quezon
Candelaria is in between the towns of Tiaong and Sariaya in Quezon Province
Contact Number: +63 42 585 7486
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P.S. For you, where is the BEST Crispy Pata in the Philippines?
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we make a decent crispy pata at home but we also like the crispy pata sold at my dad’s hometown (Norzagaray, Bulacan). There’s a place there that sells a very good crispy pata. We would always request for it whenever we visit.
Hi Nina,
I've heard of the Crispy Pata from Norzagaray, Bulacan. Is it easy to go there and do you have a contact number on how we can order as well? Thanks!
Anton
Hi Anton,
You may also want to try Judy Annâs Crispy Pata in Malabon⌠Its along Gen Luna St in Brgy Concepcion across Meralco office. Itâs the sweet type, pero parang carinderia type lang ito pero this was popular in Malabon and it was once featured in âBalikbayanâ na tv showâŚ
Too early lang ang Mercato so di ako makakapagdal ng sample. They open kasi mga 10am pa eh.
J
Masarap talaga crispy pata dito,the best!
Re: map to judy annâs, from monumento circle, go straight to Samson Road (youâll pass by Puregold on the left side, tapos straight pa is UE Caloocan on the right side), straight ahead lang then pag mag fo fork na yung street dun ka sa left side then straight ahead pa din even after the stop light. Tapos turn right to Manapat St. after mo mag cross ng bridge (this is a one way street papasok ng Malabon). Then turn right sa end ng Manapat St, then left agad, this is Gen Luna st na⌠Tapos mga after 2 block lang, Judy Ann is on the left side (with small signage naman sila) beside Mary Jay Restaurant. Basta when you see Meralco on your right, sa tapat sila nun.
Since this is Malabon, medyo probinsya ang ambiance â small streets kasi at maraming tricycles pero main road ito. J
The crispy pata of my hubby! Hmmm… nakakagutom! đ
Lutong bahay ni Inay’s crispy pata in Candelaria is truly the best!!!. Thanks for featuring this =). We never miss eating there everytime we visit my hometown. Next time try their sinigang na sugpo, ang sarap din! Calling them ahead of time is a must esp if its way past 5pm, sometimes nauubusan sila ng crispy pata =(. Thanks again for the post!
Already tried this crispy pata and you are right, it is absolutely one of the best versions…they actually sell frozen patas which you can just deep fry at home.
Hi Anton,
Your blog has been very, very helpful to me whenever I visit Philippines (I’m from Canada and visit home often). For this year, I’m planning to go both north and south of Luzon. I’m definitely looking forward to visit this place on my trip to Bicol.
Any road trip tips (which route to take, stopovers, and of course food to try)? I’ll be using your blog entry when we go North (Ilocos)!
You’re a traveler’s lifesaver! đ
I'm starting to do the series on the Bicol leg on what are the BEST stopovers and places to go. Just stay tuned in the blog đ
Anton
where is it in san antonio exactly? =) thanks!
It is somewhere inside the village.
Can I just say one thing before anything? This is AWESOME!
My parents are originally from Candelaria, a small town that deserves a lot of recognition. High-time that it gets some acknowledgement! No better way to do it than with their delectable Crispy Pata. I remember going to this kubo as a kid whenever we’d visit my grandparents. Their Crispy Pata is simply out of this world. It has a nice balance of meat and crispiness and the right amount of fat. Plus, combining it with their vinegar and soy sauce? Forget about it. Give me more rice.
I’ve had Crispy Pata A LOT in my 28 years, and none of them even compare to the one in Candelaria. I’m now based in the US and still crave for it AT LEAST once a week. Thanks for posting this. It brought back a lot of good memories. Great blog, too! Will visit more often wheneer I need a nice piece of home. đ
Iâm not yet even entitled for a cheat day. All I can do right now is to dream, yes..dream Iâm eating that delectable Crispy Pata of JIJF Lutong Bahay ni Inayâs restaurant in Candelaria, Quezon. Itâs my husbandâs hometown and we used to date there before. AwâŚthose were the days.
Best crispy pata in the country is in Milky Way, Pasay Road Makati. It’s a cuchinillo (baby pig) crispy pata. It’s out of this world fantastic! A league on its own.