There’s something in the holiday air that puts everyone in the mood for good food. It is, after all, the season of indulgence. And, while it’s also a time for celebration and pleasure, there are a lot of places to come together for a day of laughter and stories across a table laden with the finest food.

Robinsons Place Antipolo is one ideal place that carries a holiday vibe that stirs one’s appetite for delicious dishes. Located in a 16-hectare mixed-use complex, the two-level mall boasts a diverse selection of restaurants and an array of food options. Its recent mall expansion houses more dining establishments operated by local and international food chains and even homegrown stores. 

“Robinsons Antipolo has the widest array of restaurants and food outlets,” says Roseanne Coscolluela-Villegas, Robinsons Land director for corporate public relations. “The selections are well curated, providing a variety of choices for our shoppers, mall rats and friends. It’s also a one-stop shopping enclave which caters to the locals’ every need.”

The festive atmosphere at Robinsons Antipolo ignites everyone’s craving for flavorful meals. Nono’s at the lower ground floor of the expansion mall offers comfort food — from its all-day breakfast of Waffles Benedict, Beef Tapa and Tinapa Rice to its bestselling Chicken and Waffles (juicy and crispy boneless chicken fillet served with flaky waffle), Fried Truffle Cheese Wontons (mozzarella and cheddar cheese-stuffed wontons drizzled with honey and truffle oil), Nono’s Pizza. Owned by Baba Ibazeta-Benedicto, Nono’s posh and fancy interiors with pastel tints invite diners to have a hot cup of coffee or tea while indulging in its sweet treats — Banana Cream Pie, Cookie Skillet or Apple Pie ala Mode.

“Nono’s carries a lot of dishes from starters, salads and soups down to the pastas and sandwiches,” says Kim Cruz, Nono’s senior marketing manager. “Families also come here for our freshly baked sourdough pizzas. We also have kids’ menu.”

If you need something warm during the cold season, get your noodle fix at Ramen Nagi (L/1, North Wing) with two of its most tasteful, steaming noodle soups — Butao King (traditional tonkotsu ramen) and Black King (fragrant blackened garlic and calamari ink in silky broth).

As for the avid rice fans, Hap Chan’s Yang Chow Fried Rice (L/G Al Fresco area) is worth the carbo load, especially when paired with the resto’s Fried Fish Fillet in Salt and Pepper. The Classic Savory (U/G, North Wing) also offers heavy meals, such as Fish Fillet in Tausi Sauce, Chopsuey with Crispy Pork and its well-loved Classic Savory Chicken (golden-brown with crispy skin).

On weekends, families enjoy having lunch at Gerry’s Grill (L/G Al Fresco) for its Sizzling Sisig and Sizzling Gambas; Teresitas by Razon’s (L/ 2, North Wing) for its thick and tasty Beef Kaldereta (tender beef chunks simmered in tomato sauce); Peri-Peri (U/G, North Wing) for its Classic Chicken (flame-grilled chicken infused with spices and herbs) and Pasta Tartufo; and Theo and Miguel (L/2 Eat Street North Wing) for its Beef Ribs Sinigang (tender beef ribs simmered in tangy tamarind broth) and Taco Platter (beef and fresh veggies in soft pita bread).

The Prime Steak House (L/G, North Wing) is proud of its signature steaks that are comparable to the best at any of Manila’s luxury restaurants – Ribeye Signature Steaks (juicy and full-flavored steaks with generous marbling) and Prime T-Bone Steak (seared on the outside and juicy in the middle).

Homegrown

Robinsons Antipolo also hosts a number of homegrown restaurants serving a diverse array of specialties. Check out Marisons (U/G Al Fresco), locally popular for its Krispy Tripe Kare-Kare, Sinaing na Tuna and Sumaka (Antipolo’s local delicacy of suman, mangga and kasuy); Romeo’s Spice and Steaks (L/G, Al Fresco) for its Dinakdakan (boiled and grilled pork head parts with various seasonings) and Humba (braised pork belly); and Ineng’s BBQ (L/G Al Fresco) for its home-style Boneless Chicken Barbecue and Laing (taro leaves in coconut milk).

Those looking to satisfy their sweet cravings, Mary Grace (L/G North Wing) serves a slice or whole of Mango Bene Cake (frozen layers of meringue with cream and chunks of mangoes in between) and Chocolate Rum Tiramisu (100-percent Arabica cold brew-soaked sponge cake with rich mascarpone and dark chocolate ganache). Jim’s Recipe (U/G, North Wing) also offers Cheesecake Spongecake, Oreo Spongecake and Pork Floss Spongecake, while Miguelito’s Diner (L/2, North Wing) has Fried Ice Cream.

For milk tea and yogurt lovers, visit Tiger Sugar (L/G North Wing), Serenitea (U/G, North Wing) and BLK 513 (U/G, North Wing).

Expansion

Robinsons Place Antipolo, according to Villegas, first opened its doors in 2014 with over 200 stores spread across two floors. The new expansion doubled the mall’s floor area. It now houses Eat Street (specialty food court), four new digital cinemas, a Lingkod Pinoy Center and ARTablado Gallery for emerging and established artists to showcase their masterpieces.

The mall is highly accessible as it has a public transport terminal that links up with cities and towns in Rizal Province.

“Instead of heading to Manila, Antipolenos don’t have to travel far to indulge in whatever cuisine they’re craving, catch the latest blockbuster on wide screen, stock up on their wellness needs, or get anything from a trim to a full makeover at their favorite salon or barbershop. Everything is here. Pet lovers are also very welcome to bring their fur babies for a stroll around the mall,” ends Villegas.