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Local Shopping Spots: Where to Get the Best Durian Pasalubong in Davao
There’s no shortage of food products infused with durian - the spiky, smelly fruit.
By: Patricia Marie Prado | August 11, 2017
Whenever someone visits Davao, Durian is the only one thing that we want as our pasalubong. Regardless if it’s the fruit itself or a candied version of some sort, we don’t care! As long as it has the signature taste and, well, smell.
Because of its rarity, getting it in any other part of the country is hard and in case you find one, it’s super pricey! But thanks to the Davaoeños’ inventiveness and innovation, we can now take home the flavors of durian pasalubong in Davao anytime.
If you are heading to Durian Capital of the Philippines, check out this list of shops of various durian pasalubong in Davao (souvenir) that you can visit and their selections of durian goods that you can take home after your vacation.
Cecil's Snack Inn & Bakeshopppe Inc.
Famous for: Durian pies, rolls, and cakes
Enjoy durian in a pie at Cecil’s Snack Inn & Bakeshoppe Inc.
Cecil’s Snack Inn & Bakeshoppe Inc., incorporated the durian fruit to their baked goodies making it a sweet treat after a heavy meal. You can choose to have it in the form of durian pie, durian cake, or durian roll. They also have savory dishes if you prefer to eat you durian cake as a dessert.
Location:
Cecil’s Snack Inn & Bakeshoppe Inc. is a popular bakeshop in Davao and has plenty of branches across the city. You can find their main branch at 198 F. Iñigo Street in Davao City and easily across town.
Price:
Their cake ranges from PhP450 to PhP1000 for a whole box.
Emerald Durian Palace
Famous for: Durian jam
Get this award-winning durian jam from Emerald Durian Palace. (Image: Mindanao Trade Expo)
If you want to spread durian in all bread that you eat then durian jam is what you need. Good thing that Emerald Durian Palace made an award-winning pasalubong that you can take home after you visit Davao. After having plenty of leftover fruits from their durian farm, Alma Uy decided to turn the unsold fruits into sweets and jam. From a tiny production team in 2006, Emerald Durian Palace is now a famous brand in Davao known to sell packed durian goodies. Their products range from their award-winning jam to tarts, pastillas, yema, and baked goods.
Location:
You can find Emerald Durian Palace in Zafra Highway, Apokon Road, in Tagum City and in various shopping centers in Davao.
Price:
Their famous jam starts at PhP120.
Lola Abon’s Durian Candy Factory
Famous for: Durian candy
Lola Abon’s durian candy will satisfy your sweet tooth. (Image: Real Lav)
Almost all fruits can be candied, but no one in Davao makes a better durian candy than Lola Abon’s Durian Candy Factory. The team behind Lola Abon makes sure to use the best milk and durian in the market to produce candies with consistent flavors. They also control as to where the products go and who sells them so they can monitor its shelf life. From the 1950s to today, Lola Abon’s durian has become one of the favorites in the province. The candy factory has also expanded to other products and flavors which became local favorites as well.
Location:
You can stop by Lola Abon’s Candy Factory at 23 San Miguel Village, Matina, in Davao City.
Price:
Their candy starts at a very cheap PhP30 per pack.
Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp.
Famous for: Durian sans rival
Lachi’s hearty and packed durian sans rival is a worthy stop over! (Image: Martin Lo Rimorin)
If you’re in Davao for a few days, make sure to drop by Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp. This humble restaurant serves mouthwatering savory dishes and pastries, but their scene-stealer is the sans rival. Durian maybe overpowering to some due to its strong smell, but with Lachi’s sans rival you can enjoy the famous fruit without worrying about the scent, or the spikes. Aside from the flavor, they also made sure to pack in the fruit’s texture to the soft cake complemented by overflowing nuts and buttercream.
Location:
You can drop by Lachi’s and visit their restaurant at Door 1-H Values School Building, Ruby Street, at Marfori Heights Subdivision in Davao City
Price:
Take home a whole sans rival at PhP400.
Missy Bon Bon Breadshop
Famous for: Durian pastel
There’s a new durian pasalubong in town! And you can get it only at Missy Bon Bon’s. (Image: Missy Bon Bon Breadshop)
Pastel may be a Cagayan de Oro delicacy, but one store made it into Davao’s newest pasalubong favorite. Missy Bon Bon Breadshop started in 2009 in Cagayan de Oro producing fluffy pastel or the soft bread with sweet yema filling on the inside. A year later, they’ve expanded their brand to a cozy restaurant that serves healthy dishes and desserts such as breads, cakes, and gelato.
In 2015, Missy Bon Bon brought their creations to Davao and their pastel with durian filling immediately became an instant hit. The bread with the sweet surprise inside is now their bestseller in the city and is steadily rising to popularity as a favorite pasalubong among tourists.
Location:
You can find Missy Bon Bon at Gmall in Davao City.
Price:
Their pastel starts at PhP110 to PhP280
Merin’s Homemade Delicacies
Famous for: Durian tart
Bite in to Merin’s crunchy and creamy durian tarts. (Image: Merin Delicacies)
Another treats that we love to take home are tarts and these crunchy little pastries have also been infused with durian! Merin’s Homemade Delicacies is known to make the best tarts in Davao and is, of course, offering this goodie.
Customers rave about Merin’s homemade products including durian jams, candies, and otap!
Location:
Merin’s Homemade Delicacies has been around since 2013 but they have opened their first formal store only in 2016 which is located in Damosa Gateway, Davao City inside Damosa IT Park in Mamay Rd, Lanang.
Price:
Their tarts also start at an affordable PhP50 per pack.
Apo ni Lola
Famous for: Durian mallows, cookies, yema, bars, piaya, spread, (and more!)
Get all the durian variation that you can imagine at Apo ni Lola. (Image: Jonie Deles Escasinas)
No ‘pasalubong’ list in Davao will be complete without the inclusion of Apo ni Lola. This one-stop shop has been in the food industry for almost twenty years and has also become a favorite among locals and tourists alike. What most people don’t know is that the owner of Apo ni Lola came from the family of Lola Abon’s! But in 1993, Mr. Arnel Raakin decided to take his own route and built his empire from scratch. Today, Apo ni Lola sells every durian product imaginable, from candies to pastries, and even spreads and ice cream!
Location:
You can find all of Apo ni Lola’s products at their shop at San Miguel St. in Matina, Davao City but they are also available in various markets across Davao.
Price:
Their products range from PhP35 to PhP200.
Magsaysay Fruit Stand
Famous for: Durian fruit
Have your durian sealed at Magsaysay Fruit Stand! (Image: Bob Gan Ferer)
Last on our list is the famous Magsaysay Fruit Stand. The market just across Magsaysay Park has become famous to tourist as their pasalubong stop when it’s time to go home and buy some goodies to bring back to the family. If you wish to bring home the durian fruit itself as your souvenir to your loved ones, just head to Magsaysay Fruit Stand and ask the vendors to pack and seal it for you. Unfortunately, the durian fruit is not allowed in the airport due its smell but you can have it sealed in Magsaysay Fruit Stand so you can enjoy it even after going home!
Aside from durian, you can also find other fresh fruits in Magsaysay Fruit Stand like mangosteen, lansones, and pomelo. Prices of fruits vary from one season to another. You can buy a durian as cheap as PhP35 to PhP40 per kilo when the harvest is plenty and as high as PhP180 when it’s off season.
Are you ready to satisfy your durian cravings? Tell us on the comments below which variation of durian is your favorite!
About Patricia Marie Prado
Patricia came from the field of business and accounting but is now pursuing her dreams of being a writer. She is a self-confessed introvert and is passionate about reading, travelling, writing, movies, coffee and God. When she's not writing, she loves discovering new coffee shops/cafe and doing TV-series marathons.
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