Have a sweet time at a Conti’s take out nook near you.
Like most Filipinos, Cebuanos tend to have a sweet tooth. The island has more than enough dessert places to keep people satisfied.
Whether it’s a hole-in-the-wall joint or a pop-up booth at a weekly bazaar, you can bet that people will line up for sweets.
Over the years, Manila veterans have expanded their stores to Cebuano shores. The likes of Cibo and Dean & Deluca have landed in 032, adding more variety to the local dining scene.
This year, another has entered the fold: Conti’s.
COMFORT AND WARMTH BY THE PLATE: CONTI’S HISTORY
Before its success and multiple branches, the restaurant was born out of a passion project.
Founder Carole Conti was once an accountant with corporate success. Her path to entrepreneurship began when she moved to the United States and sold homemade Filipino food to the Filipino community in her area.
Six years later, she flew home and began realizing her lifelong dream of establishing a restaurant and bakery.
Carole got her sisters, Angie and Cecille, involved by inviting them to open the business together in 1997. They started as a take out kiosk in BF Homes, Parañaque, and named it after their last name.
The store was a hit among customers. Long lines of curious people were eager to try their offerings. Despite their early success, the sisters didn’t rest on their laurels.
Two years after the shop first opened, the take out space transformed into a bakery and restaurant.
Then, 2005 rolled in, and the Conti sisters used the restaurant’s profits to expand beyond BF Homes.
Their business eventually arrived in Greenhills as a result. It was at that very branch where their signature Mango Bravo cake was introduced.
Since its inception, it’s become a crowd favorite. Success continued for the sisters, with 21 branches opening throughout 21 years.
In 2018, however, the Conti siblings made a bold move: selling 70% of the company to Udenna Holdings’ Dennis Uy.
“After many years, it was time for us to hand it to someone who can bring the company to the next stage. You know, it’s a different level of management already,” Carole tells Esquire Philippines. (2024)
Despite the change, the business didn’t stop growing. Fast forward to today, Conti’s still stands strong.
EXPANSION BEYOND LUZON
Bringing Conti’s Bakeshop & Restaurant to other parts of the country is part of the business’s long-term picture.
Eight8Ate Holdings (the business’s holding firm) president and CEO Joey Garcia told Philstar back in 2024 that there were six Conti’s branches planned for opening, mainly in provincial cities.
“I think we have a lot of opportunities to bring Conti’s to other parts of the Philippines. We’re not even in the far north. The farthest we have is in Pangasinan, Dagupan area. We still want to expand as far as the Bicol side and the south,” he shared. (2024)
Cebu is among the lucky places. But instead of a full-scale bakery and restaurant, the business has launched in the form of take out nooks.
They may not offer the full menu, but they still have other baked goods worth taking up (more on this in the next section).
As of writing, Conti’s has opened in three malls, all of which are in Cebu City. Below are the details of each spot.
Conti’s Take Out Nook – SM Seaside Cebu
Location: Upper Ground Level, City Wing, SM Seaside Cebu, South Road Properties, Cebu City
Store Hours:
10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (Sunday to Thursday)
10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Friday to Saturday)
Contact Number: 0917 123 3355
Conti’s Take Out Nook – Ayala Malls Central Bloc
Location: Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Central Bloc, Cebu IT Park, Apas, Cebu City (beside Uniqlo)
Store Hours:
10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (Monday to Thursday)
10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Friday to Sunday)
Contact Number: 0917 130 1430
Conti’s Take Out Nook – Ayala Center Cebu
Location: Level 1, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City (beside Stradivarius)
Store Hours:
10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (Sunday to Thursday)
10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Friday to Sunday)
Contact Number: 0917 118 1656
TREATS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS
Even though Conti’s take out nooks only sell baked goods, their items are still worth every penny.
As mentioned, you can’t go wrong with their iconic Mango Bravo.
This cake contains stacks of wafers, chocolate mousse, and ripe mango chunks beautifully layered atop one another.
Another cake worth mentioning is the Choco Overload. While it’s not as unique as the Mango Bravo, its decadence deserves a worthy shoutout.
Who wouldn’t like moist chocolate cake, cream, and ganache together?
Conti’s has also joined in on the pistachio bandwagon. Their take on the trend is a pistachio cake aptly called the Pistachio Crunch.
The lava cake has six layers in this particular order: chocolate sponge cake, chocolate ganache, kataifi pistachio, pistachio mousse, chocolate mousse, and another round of chocolate ganache with pistachio nuts on top.
If you want something bite-sized, Conti’s has dessert bars awaiting your attention. Options include brownies, butterscotch bars, and lemon squares.
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Get a sugary sweet rush with Conti’s desserts. You won’t regret one bite.
REFERENCES:
Ong, Henry. 2024. “Financial Adviser: 5 Business Lessons Everyone Can Learn From the Founders of Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant.” Esquire Philippines. https://www.esquiremag.ph/money/industry/contis-bakeshop-restaurant-business-lessons-a2334-20240305-lfrm4.
Desiderio, Louella. 2024. “Udenna Food Unit Plans to Open More Conti’s, Wendy’s Stores.” Philstar. https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/04/15/2347653/udenna-food-unit-plans-open-more-contis-wendys-stores.
