[Review] A Filipino Christmas in Singapore: We Try Café Mary Grace’s Festive Menu

Christmas dining in Singapore often revolves around familiar Western festive favourites such as roast turkey, glazed ham, log cakes and traditional Christmas puddings. For something a little different this year, Café Mary Grace is introducing a festive menu inspired by Filipino Christmas traditions, bringing together comforting savoury dishes, seasonal drinks and an assortment of sweet treats.

The Filipino bakery-café is celebrating its first Christmas in Singapore with a selection of limited-time creations available from 3 November to 31 December 2026. Located along Tras Street in Tanjong Pagar, Café Mary Grace has brought a little of its homegrown Filipino identity to Singapore, and its Christmas offerings give diners another opportunity to explore flavours beyond the usual festive fare.

Founded by Mary Grace Dimacali in the Philippines, the bakery-café grew from a home-based baking business into a well-known brand with more than 140 cafés and kiosks across the country. Its Singapore outlet continues the brand’s emphasis on homemade-style comfort food, signature ensaymadas and cheese rolls, alongside savoury meals and desserts.

We visited to try several dishes from the seasonal menu, and the overall experience was enjoyable, particularly for those who appreciate Filipino-inspired comfort food and have a sweet tooth.

We started with the Gambas al Ajillo (S$19), featuring succulent tiger prawns cooked in extra virgin olive oil with garlic and chilli flakes.

It is a familiar Spanish-inspired tapas dish, but one that fits naturally into the café’s menu. The prawns are accompanied by a fragrant combination of garlic and chilli, giving the dish a savoury kick. It is a good sharing starter, especially with the café’s homemade sourdough.

The Chorizo Tapas (S$17.50) was another appetiser worth ordering.

Spanish pork sausage is seared with garlic, apple cider and chilli flakes, then served with three slices of homemade sourdough. The sausage brings a rich, savoury flavour, while the apple cider adds a subtle sweetness that complements the garlic and chilli. The bread is useful for soaking up the remaining sauce, making this a simple but satisfying dish to share.

The Longganisa Meatball Linguine (S$24.50) is one of the more interesting dishes on the menu because it incorporates a distinctly Filipino ingredient into an Italian-style pasta preparation.

Longganisa is a traditional Filipino pork sausage known for its sweet and savoury seasoning. Here, the sausage-inspired flavours come in the form of homemade pork meatballs, tossed in tomato and herb sauce and finished with grated Queso de Bola, a Filipino favourite made from Edam cheese. The result is a comforting pasta dish that brings together familiar Western presentation and Filipino flavours.

Those looking for something more substantial can consider the Rib-eye Salpicao (S$35.50).

This dish features Angus beef cubes cooked in extra virgin olive oil with garlic and chilli flakes, accompanied by garlic, grilled asparagus and roasted pumpkin purée.

Beef salpicao is a popular Filipino dish, typically characterised by its generous use of garlic and savoury seasoning. The combination of tender beef and aromatic garlic makes it a satisfying option for meat lovers.

To accompany the meal, we had the Red Wine Sangria (S$18), made with red wine, cinnamon, lemon, orange and apple.

The combination gives the drink a fruity character with a gentle warmth from the spices. It is an appropriate pairing for the festive season and goes well with the heartier savoury dishes.

Café Mary Grace also offers two versions of its seasonal peppermint chocolate drink. The Peppermint Hot Chocolate (S$8.50) is made with the café’s signature hot chocolate and premium Belgian cocoa, with peppermint providing a refreshing note.

For those who prefer their drinks cold, the Frozen Peppermint Hot Chocolate (S$13) offers an ice-blended version of the same combination.

It is a more indulgent and refreshing alternative, particularly suitable for Singapore’s weather. Both drinks are on the sweeter side, so chocolate lovers who enjoy dessert-like beverages will probably appreciate them more.

Dessert is where the festive menu really comes into its own. We tried three seasonal petite cakes, each presented with its own Christmas-inspired appearance.

The Vanilla Apple Cheesecake (S$13) combines light soufflé cheesecake with caramelised apple compote, vanilla mousse, sable and crunchy feuilletine.

The apple and vanilla combination gives it a familiar, comforting flavour, while the different layers add textural variety.

The Christmas Mont Blanc (S$14) is another seasonal creation, featuring almond sponge, candied chestnut, blackcurrant compote, vanilla and brandy mousse, topped with chestnut cream.

Its combination of chestnut and almond gives it a more traditional festive dessert character. The blackcurrant compote adds a fruity contrast to the chestnut cream.

For chocolate enthusiasts, the Santa’s Chocolate Raspberry Mousse (S$14) is likely to be the more tempting option.

Made with 85% Valrhona Abinao chocolate mousse, dark chocolate crémeux, red berry compote and crunchy feuilletine, it combines intense chocolate flavours with a touch of fruitiness.

We also tried the Apple Cinnamon Cheese Roll (S$5.80), a festive variation of one of Café Mary Grace’s signature bakes.

It features homemade cinnamon-spiced apple filling wrapped in the familiar cheese roll, finished with buttery crumble and milk chocolate curls. The combination of apple and cinnamon immediately evokes Christmas, while the cheese filling gives the pastry its characteristic sweet and savoury dimension. It is an interesting seasonal twist on a familiar favourite and would make a nice accompaniment to coffee or hot chocolate.

Another festive bake worth trying is the Merry Berries & Brie Ensaymada (S$8.80), a seasonal take on Café Mary Grace’s signature fluffy-soft ensaymada.

It is topped with creamy Brie, dried cranberries and apricots, toasted pecans and a swirl of berry compote. The combination brings together creamy, fruity and nutty flavours, with the dried fruits adding a pleasant festive touch. The Brie also gives the traditionally sweet Filipino pastry a slightly savoury dimension, making this an interesting alternative to the usual cheese ensaymada.

This is a dine-in exclusive, so those who wish to try it will have to enjoy it at the café.

Beyond the dine-in experience, Café Mary Grace is also offering a range of festive bakes and treats for takeaway, delivery and Christmas gifting. In the Philippines, boxes of ensaymadas and cheese rolls are traditionally given as Christmas gifts, and the café is bringing this custom to Singapore.

The Mary Grace Ensaymadas (S$31.50 for six) are light, buttery pastries topped with premium aged Queso de Bola, while the Mary Grace Cheese Rolls (S$24.50 for six) feature soft, pillowy pastry filled with cheese. These familiar bakery favourites are joined by two Singapore-exclusive festive offerings: Mint Chocolate Lengua Thins (S$26) and Mint Chocolate Brownies (S$23.60 for a tin of four).

For Christmas gatherings, there are also larger cakes available for pre-order. These include the Classic Fruit Cake (S$48.50), a recipe dating back to 1983 and the first creation by founder Mary Grace Dimacali, as well as the Banana Caramel Log Cake (S$79.50) and Hazelnut Praline Mousse (S$81).

There is also a practical incentive for those planning their Christmas celebrations early. Café Mary Grace is offering 25% off delivery orders for its classic ensaymadas, cheese rolls, festive bakes and cakes from 3 to 30 November 2026, with a minimum spend of S$100 and a discount capped at S$30. Customers can place orders during the promotional period for delivery dates up to 31 December 2026.

The café has added a festive touch to its gift packaging through a collaboration with young artist Clarissa Netania, whose original watercolour illustration of the café’s storefront appears on a special Christmas sleeve. The sleeve doubles as a postcard for handwritten messages, making the bakery boxes a more personal gift for friends and family.

What makes this Christmas menu interesting is that it does not simply replicate the typical Western Christmas dining experience. Instead, it offers a glimpse into how the festive season is celebrated through Filipino food traditions, with familiar international influences incorporated along the way.

We enjoyed the variety of dishes, particularly the combination of Filipino-inspired savoury offerings and seasonal desserts. The sweeter flavour profile runs through quite a few of the café’s creations, so those who enjoy sweet pastries, chocolate and indulgent desserts will find plenty to appreciate.

For diners looking to try something different from the usual Christmas menus in Singapore, Café Mary Grace offers a pleasant alternative. It is also a good excuse to gather friends or family over a selection of sharing plates, pasta, drinks and festive bakes. Those who prefer celebrating at home can also consider its takeaway and delivery selections, particularly the gift boxes and Christmas cakes.

Café Mary Grace’s Christmas menu is available from 3 November to 31 December 2026.

Café Mary Grace

Address:
52 Tras Street, #01-01, Singapore 078991

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 9.30pm. Last order at 9pm.
Closed on Monday.

Contact: [email protected]

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