What started as a pandemic project at home eventually became a family business built around food, craftsmanship, and a love for sharing.
Lolo Pedro’s Pugon traces its beginnings to Engineer Pedro Robles, who became interested in building pugon when the pandemic put his usual projects on hold. After making a few small versions, he developed a pugon with a rotisserie attached to the front—an invention that would eventually become the inspiration for the business.
The name came naturally, too. In their Malolos neighborhood, children called Pedro “Lolo Pedro,” often asking to swim or play basketball at their place. The family eventually decided to use the name as a tribute to him.
Cooking for the Community
In 2022, the family began using the pugon to roast food for family and friends. What started as something they prepared for special occasions soon caught the attention of people who tasted it.
Gerard Luis Reyes, the family’s manager and head chef, eventually helped turn those home gatherings into a business. After trying their roasted chicken and pork belly, they began selling within their community.
“Maraming naka-try, nagustuhan nila,” Reyes recalls. From there, Lolo Pedro’s Pugon slowly gained customers and opened its first location in Malolos.
The business later expanded, opening a second branch in Marikina. Despite the growth, its family roots remain an important part of the brand.
Flavor From the Fire
Lolo Pedro’s Pugon also puts its own spin on familiar Filipino favorites.
Instead of charcoal, the team uses real hardwood, giving its roasted products a smokier flavor and floral aroma. Its sauces are homemade as well, with versions inspired by peri-peri, garlic white sauce, chimichurri, Alabama-style sauce, and barbecue.
The menu includes lemongrass-stuffed chicken, pepper chicken, Cebu-style lechon repugon, and smoked beef belly cooked for 10 to 12 hours.
For Reyes, introducing different flavors is part of the experience.
“I always offer new kinds of flavors, new kinds of products na readily available na parang hindi nakaka-intimidate kainin,” he says.
Made for the Family Table
The family also wanted their products to feel appropriate for gatherings and even as gifts. That idea influenced everything from their packaging to how they present their food.
“Pwede pang regalo,” Reyes says. “Hindi ka mahihiyang bitbitin kahit saan.”
For a business built by family, the goal goes beyond simply selling roasted food. Reyes hopes to eventually develop Lolo Pedro’s Pugon into a family-style restaurant featuring heirloom recipes and dishes that feel like home.
Because for him, food is more than something that fills you up. “Food is also something para ma-experience,” he says.
And that experience is what Lolo Pedro’s Pugon hopes to bring to more Filipino tables—one family favorite at a time.
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