Once upon a time, I dreamed of having a small vegetarian food business. I wasn’t quite sure then what or how I wanted it to be; I just knew that something had to be done for the vegetarians in Manila. Then I met my prince charming, and everything fell into place. 😉
PJ taught be to wish BIG. If I were to aim for something, it better be up there, bigger than what I normally imagine, because that was what a dream was. And I realised for myself that if I wanted it enough, it really would come true.
In October 2010, we opened Pipino Vegetarian in Malingap Street, Quezon City. PipinoVeg is Pino Restaurant’s little green sister. What started as a 6-item intro menu in Pino bloomed into a full scale restaurant! Our goal was not really to convert people to turn vegetarian, but simply to encourage people to add more vegetables into their diets, and to prove that vegetarian food can be both healthy and delicious.
Thanks to Star, PJ, Chef Edward Bugia for making the Pipino dream a reality! I also would like to thank our parents, families, business partners, and friends for supporting me and believing in this dream. And of course, thank you to all those who have visited and dined at the restaurant! 🙂
Yesterday, Pipino turned 3 years old, and we are celebrating with a new menu!
All the Pipino favorites are there, together with a bunch of new dishes! We’ve also categorised the menu so that the Filipino Vegan dishes –a rarity in meat-centric Manila– are highlighted. Pictures prove that vegetarians do not just eat (and deserve more than) salads and side dishes. Gulay is glorified and plates are peppered with color!
All of Pipino’s dishes are 100% plant-based and vegan-friendly.
Come visit Pipino at
39 Malingap St, Teachers Village, QC