The Ilocos Royal Bibingka is one delicacy that Ilocos is proud of and every visitors’ must try. It has a decent packaging, a good shelf-life, and very affordable price [Php 105.00 a dozen, or so] which make it very ideal for “pasalubong.” However, it is only in Ilocos Sur [Bantay and Vigan] where you get your Royal Bibingka. This is not your usual ”puffy” bibingka, like the one at Ferino’s. Instead, the Ilocos Royal Bibingka is a “sticky rice-cake,” closer to fresh “tikoy” in texture.
In Ilocos Sur, the latest maker of bibingka is Marsha’s Delicacies [see their Facebook Page here], located in Bantay, Ilocos Sur, the immediate neighboring town of Vigan City. Marsha’s is located along the highway which makes it very accessible to motorists and with generous parking space, it makes more convenient to have a stop over. A counter with other delicacies on sale renders buying orderly and the dining area is neat. Restrooms are tidy that make it traveler friendly. 
Before Marsha’s started to be the talk of the town as the place to buy better tasting [that’s what most people I talked to in Ilocos say about it]. Before Marsha’s royal bibingka, there was, first, the original, Tongson’s Royal Bibingka, located along Crisologo Street in Vigan City. If you are traveling along the highway, you still have to make your way inside Vigan City which is about three-kilometers from the highway to buy at Tongson’s, along Crisologo Ave.
Then came The Sister’s Royal Bibingka, which I was informed is a “break-away group” from Tongson’s, located in Bantay, Ilocos Sur. The taste and texture have improved and because it is [now] located along the highway, it became convenient to make stop-overs.
Even while Marsha’s is on it’s way to establishing better goodwill, Tongson’s and The Sister’s still continue to provide more choices where to get your Royal Bibingka’s. All three makers of Ilocos Royal Bibingka, by the way, are assisted by the Dep’t. of Trade and Industry, thus, you are assured of its quality.
Some personal tip:it’s better if the Royal Bibingka is chilled a bit because the texture gets fuller, compared to when it is fresh – it can get sticky which makes is harder to chew, that is if you want to swallow it right away!
See another Ilocos delicacy: The Ilocos Empanada
Update as of February 17, 2012: Lately, I came across an article which featured the Royal Bibingka of Ilocos. I was surprised that Christine, the writer/blogger of aboutvigan.com copied sections of my article above, word for word. I have nothing against it. I welcome it. It’s always the greatest form of flattery. However, it could have been better if proper acknowledgement was made being the most proper thing to do under the circumstances. Nice job Christine .
[http://www.aboutvigan.com/royal-bibingka/]
[http://www.aboutvigan.com/tag/tongsons-royal-bibingka/]
![biag.ken.siak [ilocos travel] at Blogged](http://www.blogged.com/icons/rt_1307908.gif "biag.ken.siak [ilocos travel] at Blogged"){kind=icon}
It was May 15, 2011. Thanks to my boyfriend and finally napuntahan ko na rin ang Vigan City together his Insan and her Mommy came from California. The place was so great. When I was young gustong gusto kong puntahan ang Vigan kasi mayaman sa Historic place. Actually, Im from Quezon City and my Boyfriend is from Abra it is a Long Distance relationship pero okey lang Trust to each other namn eh mag-se-7 years na kami this coming Dec 2011… Hehehe
Baluarte is very nice place ang dami kong nakitang Animals that i’l never seen! only in the TV lang and wala sa Wild Life hehehe…. And the St. Paul Chruch Vigan, i was so amaze. Ang ganda…. and i captured on it.
Before we ended our tour, we buy Empanada aLong in Baluarte lang po.. Masarap infairness, now lang ako nakatikim ng Empanada, its different here in Manila.
And Before i Left Vigan, I bought some pasalubong in Marsha’s bibingka at the terminal of Partas. When i was in the bus going home in Manila, i was curcious about the taste of bibingka hehehe kumain ako… and it reminds me, the taste was similarity in Cassava Cake. Cassava cake is made of Cassava (Kamoteng Kahoy) but it is the same taste, the fluffiness hehehe the cheese sa ibabaw… but the Marsha’s bibingka is very delicious… the best Bibingka na natikman ko… Thats why, I miss Ilocos and i want to go back in that place. hehehe… Soon… Mhuaah…
Thanks,
Anne
ask ko lang po kung nag de deliver kayo pag nag order ako for wedding party, it would be nice if meron kayong contact number para makatawag po ako sa inyo…plano ko kasi sana mag order jan kung nay delivery kayo…thank you
How much kaya yung cheesecake (box)?
oopppsss we are all ilocanos , and the products are good also. so bakit kelangan pang mag away d ba? pwede namang promote them both. panu kaya makakahikayat ng customer na bumili ng products namin if tayo mismo mag iiringan. remember that a society is represented by the people dwelling in it, so why not maintain peace and cooperation in that way you are all competing ethically.
marshas royal bibingkas are delicious
sisters ‘ cheese cupcake are delicious
- to sum it up every product is unique, you can’t actually compare each.
i’am an ilocana and i love peace 
masarap po ang bibingka ng sikatuna….
i like sikatuna too.
SIKATUNA BIBINGKA… Taste the “DIFFERENCE”… It’s heavenly!
The Original Royal Bibingka in Vigan come’s in my Grandmother’s kitchen, and that is Tongson’s Royal Bibingka. Makadun pay ditoy USA, uray no mano bulan nga naka freezer naimas pay laeng. Pilit da nga tuladen ngem saan da nga maparisan.
sino yung grandmother mo?
how much franchise for marsha’s deleccies? tnx
nakatikim nko nyang royal bibingka pero diko nman alam kung panu gawin… pasalubong lang samin yun.. eh ang layo nman ng probinsya nmin sa ilocos… pwede nyo b akong turuan kung panu nyo ginagawa yung traditional royal bibingka nyo…ihahanda ko sana this new year… yung recipe ng mga mom or lola kasi mas masarap yun, yun kasi ang original eh… hehehe… thanks po
ah the good old times royal bibinka i wish someday i can go back home and go to every each store not to compare but enjoy while it last
kung bibingka lang ang pag-uusapan….. amianance’s bibingka ang da best…. bat d nu subukan para alam pinagsasabi nyo…
Try also their pudding masarap din. Lot’s of good food sa Ilocos like yung Sinanglaw sa Vigan, Empanada… Pinakbet pizza in Paoay. I was captivated with the old places too.
ang original na vigan bibingka talaga eh tongson, ubing nakpay ket adda ditan ti tongsonen.sa totoo lang nung bata pa ako doon bumumibili ng “clara” (egg white)ung mga empanada makers sa plaza. kung maraming copycat nothing wrong with that they,can have their own version. people that buys them have their own preference.sa akin lang ‘di ko alam kasi i never tried the other version. i migrated to the US 23 yrs ago. last time i visited Phil. was 2005 pa.
Kikay, authentic bibigka ket Cagayan Valley ti naggapuan na sakbay a nagproliferate dita Ilocos Sur.. Saan lang ngamin a commercialized ta most of the vendors idiay Sta Praxedes ket houses located just beside the National Highway..ordinaryo lang a babbalay (kubo pay ti kaaduan) dagidiay paglakuan..isunga padasem ti mapan tapno maramanam ken mapagcompare mo!
ngeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT EVER…….HEHEHEHEHE……….
Before the birth of Marsha’s and 3 Sister (whichever came first), my friends and I trip up north Santa Praxedes, Cagayan Valley to buy home made bibingka.. Believe me when i say, it’s far tastier than the commercial products made by the 2 Bibingka giants in Ilocos Sur..
wow!thats what i was talking about…was actually googling this recipe when the link took me to the royal bibingka….really like this bibingka from Ilocos Sur but I still keep craving for the poor old traditional bibingka from Cagayan..just dont know how to make it…
KORAK………KA JAN DAY……… GALING KAMING VIGAN,NATIKMAN KO ANG BIBINGKA NG TONGSON’S,THEN KUMAIN KAMI NG EMPANADA,SAKTO UNG KATABI NAMING TABLE MY DALANG NA RED BOX,,NATANONG KO KUNG ANONG LAMAN,ANG SABI SA AKIN MARSHA’S BIBINGKA DAW, PINAKAMSARAP DAW NA BIBINGKA UN SA VIGAN,KAYA TINANONG KUNG SAAN NABIBILI, TINURO AKO SA TABI NG GREENWICH…NAPAKASARAP NGA TALAGA,WALA AKO SAY…………… MASARAP TALAGA……………………
hehehehehe……………………i went to marsha’s delicacies place nung field trip namin….very fabolous,awesome,very cool ambiance….at take note very accomodating cla,,mababait cla sa mga customers….. restroom nila very clean….class cya….at free pa….kaya sa ibang customer pls. libre ang cr kaya take good care na lang,be happy kc ganun ang service nila sa tin…..
ur right baka, inggitera lang yan mga yan…….in ader words insecure lang cla. magcomment cya kung magaling ang panlasa nya…cguro ung panlasa very ordinary…hindi class ang panlasa nya,,,pangcheap ang ang kanyang panlasa….hehehehehehe……..kya kung cno ka man,,mamatay ka na lang sa achievement ng marsha’s….Hindi natin kilala ang marsha’s parepareho kaya sana dont comment na makakaofend sa kanila…..kaya kung cno man cla…..quiet na lang kayo… kung gusto nyo talaga pantayan ang produkto ng iba SARAPAN NYO NA LANG ANG MGA PAGKAIN NYO,BAKA SAKALING SA INYO NAMAN KAMI PUMUNTA AT BUMILI,,, KC sa iba natikman namin maanta ang mga bibingka nila,,,magaspang ang texture parang cheap ang ingredients…..yun lng SARAPAN NYO NA LANG TSAKA TSAKA TYO MAGCOMMENT,,,DI BA??????
ang sarap kya ng bibingka ng marsha’s,,hahanaphanapin mo noh……hindi lang un lahat ng produts nila masasarap noh…….all i can say MARSHA’S THE BEST……. YAAAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOO……….HINDI AKO KAMPI SA MARSHA’S kya lang nainis ako sa comment ng iba jan….hindi nya alam ang masarap na pagkain…..sosyal na ewan…..AKO hindi ako sosyal pero sa pagkain my taste ako no……
last reaksyon ko WALA NAMAN CGURONG GINAGAWA SA INYO ANG MARSHA’S DELICACIES NOH……Kya manahimik na lang noh…..we met MS.MARSHA’S mabait cya……. di tulad ng ibang nabilan namin ng bibingka naku ang susungit ng mga tindera halos lahat cla…..un ang kulang nyo kya walang bumibili sa inyo bukod sa hindi masarap ang tinda nyo…… un lng……babooohhhhhh……..
kung worst para syo ang marsha’s bibingka…we dont need ur opinion…ur not kawalan naman cguro sa marsha’s besides kaw lang nagsabi nyan,,na hindi ok ang marsha’s,,, i think marsha’s is the latest player in bibingka,,but look now they are #1 in bibingka
hahaha… tongson’s pala huh!
sabagay, parehong bibingka ng ilocos ang tongson’s and marsha’s. no prob really. to each his own taste pa rin talaga. they are a part of the province’s history with the bibingka’s evolution from the banana leaf lining wrapped in white paper to the now sophisticated RED box na ginaya sa Marsha’s…
sorry kennonballer… unfair naman talaga ang comment mo. what did Marsha do to you anyway? bakit parang galit na galit ka sa sarap ng marsha’s? Mom’s is better than Marsha’s? hahehihohu…
hello, i regret not taking pics of the bibingka from my vigan trip, so… i hope you don’t mind if i use some of your pics. will place a link back to your site
THANKS!
Marsha’s tastes better than Tongson’s! It was my first time to try a different kind of bibingka, I always had the original one, not the sticky kind. When I went to Vigan, just this month for the first time, I tried both brands and Marsha’s tastes really better than Tongson’s, it’s yummier, more creamier…
ta presyon mo apo baket…
it demeans me to reply to your post but:
1. i never passed judgement on the buyers of marsha’s bibingka. i just posted my opinion that it is the worst ever vigan royal bibingka i’ve tasted and i stand by it. by the way, google up “argumentum ad hominem.”
2. i stand corrected. sikatuna bibingka is “margarinier”…
3. the “apo baket” in tongson’s hardly looks like the type who will hire a pr man. being a businessman myself, i believe that satisfied clients become your best pr people.
my version of kaimasan
1. tongson’s
2. sikatuna
3. the sisters
4. mom’s
5. others
42. marsha’s
ay di mag-tongson’s ka!
sabagay, to each his own taste… and you do have a weird kind of palate to say that marsha’s is the worst ever iteration of the royal bibingka! para mong sinabing TANGA ang nakararaming nagkagusto sa marsha compared sa iisang ikaw. Marsha’s wouldn’t be what it is now if it’s only her “savvy marketing’ that made her big.
and duh, who said sikatuna’s bibingka is BUTTERY? Sikatuna uses MARGARINE, not butter. I should know because i bought 3 empty margarine containers from Sikatuna at 300 pesos each!! In fairness, masarap ang Sikatuna.
obviously, PR man ka ng Tongson’s. But you are doing a lousy job!
Sige, pasarapan—
1. Marsha’s
2. Sikatuna
3. Tongson’s
4. The Sisters
5. Mom’s
6. Others
Una kung ntikman yang bibingka ng ilocos nung may nagdala sa boarding house namen tapos nun nagustuhan ko na ngayon sa school un lage ko kinakaen tuwing breakfast . . san b makakabili nan ng hindi na ako pupunta ng ilocos dito kasi ako sa baguio eh. .
this opionated ilocano glutton dares think that marsha’s bibingka is the worst ever iteration of the vigan royal bibingka. i believe that it doesn’t even deserve to be called such as its taste reminds me of the bibingkas they used to sell in bus terminals during the early eighties. totally un-vigan taste and texture. on the other hand, marsha’s deserves top points for its marketing savvy.
you may have missed mom’s bibingka and sikatuna bibingka on the national highway as both are considerably smaller than sisters and marsha’s. sikatuna’s take on the bibingka tastes more buttery than all the others. moms — it’s a long time since i last had one, i remember it most as being the one that brought back the banana leaf bottom to the royal bibingka back in the nineties.
in the end, i still have to say, i keep coming back to tongson’s!
I love the EMPANADITAS…they only serve it after 3:00PM
I miss that too! It is actually a very good way of saying “Hello,I’m home!” It has a very warm and sticky feeling!