If You Love Antonio's in Tagaytay, You'll Love Pedro the Grocer

There are many dining options in Tagaytay, but few elicit excitement from patrons and guarantee satisfaction every visit as much as Antonio’s. The restaurant located in a secluded corner of Cavite has hosted everything from surprise engagements and elegant birthdays to anniversaries and regular Sunday family lunches for years, building up an enviable reputation as one of the country’s most revered fine dining institutions. 

Which is why it’s always been a wonder to many in Manila why Chef Tony Boy Escalante’s pride and joy has never actually had an incarnation that’s closer to—or actually in—the city.

Until now. 

Photo by Antonio's.

ALSO READ

The Stress-Buster Package at This Wellness Resort an Hour from Manila Is for Stressed-Out Urbanites

One of the Best Resorts in Tagaytay Isn't Along the Ridge

Pedro the Grocer is an extension of the Antonio’s brand in Metro Manila. Located in the posh Forbes Park subdivision in Makati City, it’s essentially a physical sales point of the products the restaurant is known for over the years—fruit jams, sauces, breads, cookies, frozen food items and man more—and is what every Antonio’s follower and fanatic living in the city has been praying for.

Basti Escalante, Tony Boy’s son and owner and operator of Pedro the Grocer, says the concept was born soon after the restaurant began selling its products at the height of the pandemic through friends, family and distribution centers. It's named after his younger brother.

Photo by Antonio's.

“I was one of those distribution centers,” he tells Esquire Philippines. “Seeing the need of a centralized sales hub, I thought: why not open a brick-and-mortar shop that not only serves as distribution center but also as walk-in store for those customers who want a more sensory experience?”

The young Escalante says opening the store in Makati City was always the target. It was a strategic point where the store would be able to reach nearby cities like Pasig, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, and Quezon City.

“I was initially looking at locations along EDSA, but there were no available spots,” he says. “While looking around the area, a space at San Antonio Plaza Arcade just happened to be available. Our landlords made us a good offer, so I took it.” 

Photo by Antonio's.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying a meal at Antonio’s, Pedro the Grocer presents an opportunity to bring your favorite products from the restaurant home. Escalante says most of what people can purchase at Antonio’s are available at Pedro the Grocer (even the restaurant’s popular ice cream in flavors like caramel macchiato, dark chocolate peanut butter, rocky road and roasted strawberry), but there are some items that can only be purchased at the Makati location.

“We also sell speciality products from different Filipino third-party suppliers,” Escalante says.

Pedro the Grocer in Makati is the first of what Escalante hopes would be a series of locations for the upstart retail food brand. But having just opened the store earlier this month, the focus is on getting the word out about this initial venture first. 

Photo by Antonio's.

As for plans for a full-service dining establishment in the scale of Antonio’s opening in Manila, food connoisseurs know that a highly-anticipated concept from the Antonio’s team is set to open soon in Greenhills, San Juan, although Escalante declined to say anything about it at the moment. 

“But all I will say is this—it will be amazing.”

Pedro the Grocer is located the second floor of the San Antonio Arcade Plaza, McKinley Road, Makati City. It's open daily frm 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For inquiries, phone 0939-9877550 or visit @pedrothegrocer.ph on Instagram.