Roberto’s Siopao Iloilo is a favorite snack among locals. Moreover, it’s a favorite pasalubong of tourists traveling to Iloilo.
Pasalubong: Roberto’s Siopao Iloilo
If there is one thing I really like for snacks, that is siopao. There is something about this hot meat bun (“sio pao” is a Chinese term that literally translates to “hot bun”) that beckons to me.
But I don’t like all kinds of siopaos. There are those that have a great proportion of bun and I don’t like that. There are those with fillings that taste blah.
In order of appreciation, I especially like pork, then bola bola, then lastly, chicken. So yeah, I like pretty much all kinds of meat fillings.
Whenever somebody would go to Iloilo, I usually would ask them to bring back Roberto’s Siopao. But as far as I can remember, I haven’t eaten it fresh.
Since it is brought to Bacolod City as Iloilo pasalubong, we usually receive ours at night. That means we get to eat it the following day–after it was frozen and reheated by steaming.
Roberto’s Siopao
Honestly, I didn’t know that there are different variants of Roberto’s Siopao. I always receive the one wrapped in blue, probably because it’s cheaper. I assumed that it’s the only kind. But when we finally went to their store ourselves, I learned that there are actually four kinds.
Four Kinds of Roberto’s Siopao Iloilo
- Roberto’s Queen Siopao. This is the most expensive at P90. It has Bacon and Chinese Sausage, chicken-pork adobo, and egg.
- Roberto’s King Siopao. This is a bit smaller and contains Ham and Chinese Sausage, Chicken-Pork Adobo, and egg. It’s P75 each.
- Roberto’s Jumbo Siopao. Chinese Sausage, Chicken-Pork Adobo, and egg. P55.
- Roberto’s Regular Siopao. The regular siopao only has pork adobo and egg. P39.
We only had two kinds– the King and Queen. Guess who got what?
Of course, hubby got the king while I got the queen and we just shared them with the kids. They cannot finish a whole siopao anyway.
So hubby and I also shared ours so that we could taste both kinds. And we were in for a surprise. The Roberto’s Queen Siopao trumps the King Siopao–hands down! So I told you that I like almost all kinds of siopao meats in a particular order?
The Queen Siopao
What’s in the Queen siopao? Just like a queen, this siopao has flair. It had all the meats and it just translates beautifully.
The taste of the filling is full bodied and I appreciate how the flavors melded together. It was just a carnival with each bite. Even the sliced boiled egg inside that has been flavored with the sauce is so oddly satisfying.
I just want to say, YOU DON’T NEED SAUCE for Roberto’s Siopao Iloilo.
The dough is soft because finally, we get to eat the fresh one. It is not immaculately white, so I kinda wondered why. I am so used to white dough siopao. But I guess the bun is not so white because it is seasoned and further enhances the flavor of the siopao.
The One and Only
Roberto’s siopao may be bought in some outlets in Iloilo and also in Bacolod restaurants, but Roberto’s only has one branch. They have been operating ther efor decades. And that is located at J.M. Basa Street, Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo, Philippines.
It’s a busy downtown area so it’s not advisable to bring big luggage here. And the queue for take out could be very long.
We planned to go there on our way home to Bacolod, but eventually we decided to go there the day before. I didn’t think we could manage the kids and the luggage together. It would be cumbersome bumping into others, too.
And I was right. We hope to be able to go back there really soon. I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh Roberto’s queen siopao so much better than the reheated one.
Simple Meals
At Roberto’s, they also serve meals. One of the popular items that we saw was the skewered meat balls. There were piles of them in the kitchen and on the display area.
One stick is P27 and so I ordered one. It was okay, a very cheap but filling meal if you paired it with rice. So I guess that is why many people flock here. It is served with a special sauce.
Roberto’s Siopao has maintained the quality of their siopao and well as kept their business intact by staying in one place. Honestly, I really wish they would open a branch in Bacolod. But well, they decided not to spread themselves too thin. The business continues and I think everyone will just keep on coming back here.
Find Roberto’s Siopao on the map.
Grabe sulit na sulit yung siopao nila. Malaki & super siksik, umaapaw sa palaman 😋 Nagcrave ako sa siopao 🥺 Ang mura pa, Robert’s Siopao is the best!