Philippine Bread House

"Elma Santander, who came from Manila, opened Philippine Bread House in 1979 and it grew into a mini shopping complex in one of the two Filipino neighborhoods in Jersey City (the other is way south in the West Bergen neighborhood). The prominent red building, seen as you climb the hill toward Journal Square on Newark Avenue, is foremost a bakery. When you step inside, many pastries and breads gleam with purple ube. In the rear, find a steam table with hot dishes, many featuring pork and fish and tangy with vinegar. Kare kare is a stew of oxtails and green beans thickened with peanut butter. Desserts include halo-halo, the Filipino crushed ice dessert. — RS" - Robert Sietsema, Melissa McCart

"You’ll find Philippine Bread House in a small shopping plaza with two other Filipino businesses in Jersey City’s Five Corners. The move: swing by in the morning and load up on sweet and squishy ensaymadas, coco buns, pan de sal, ube cakes, bibingka galapong, and whatever else speaks to you from behind the pastry cases or in the well-stocked pre-packaged displays. $10 (which is their credit card minimum) will get you far, but no one’s stopping you from over-ordering and freezing your haul as a little treat for your future self. If you come during lunch, plan on also ordering one of their hot-dish combos that come with rice and your pick of different stews or other meat and seafood dishes. " - matt tervooren, nisha vedi pawar, kendal nicole lambert

"Peruse a range of Filipino desserts, on the sweeter side and many starring ube, at this Jersey City favorite. Try some ensaymadas, buttery buns topped with shredded cheese and filled with coconut or ube; or pan de sal, a sweet bread roll sold as is or stuffed with a pork or coconut filling. Larger shareable treats include grape-hued ube cake and sapin-sapin, a coconut and glutinous rice confection. For something savory, there’s a self-serve buffet. Elma Santander founded Philippine Bread House in 1979, making it the oldest Filipino eatery in Jersey City." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff

"You’ll find Philippine Bread House in a small shopping plaza with two other Filipino businesses in Jersey City’s Five Corners. The move: swing by in the morning and load up on sweet and squishy ensaymadas, coco buns, pan de sal, ube cakes, bibingka galapong, and whatever else speaks to you from behind the pastry cases or in the well-stocked pre-packaged displays. $10 (which is their credit card minimum) will get you far, but no one’s stopping you from over-ordering and freezing your haul as a little treat for your future self. If you come during lunch, plan on also ordering one of their hot-dish combos that come with rice and your pick of different stews or other meat and seafood dishes." - Tiffany Yannetta

"Philippine Bread House in Jersey City, New Jersey, has been around since the 1970s and is beloved for its ube-flavored Swiss rolls and mango sponge cakes." - ByJasmine Ting