Mixing Tradition and Taste: The Halo-Halo Renaissance in Silay

 

The classic halo-halo is a symbol of Filipino heritage, with its layers of flavors and textures representing a history passed down through generations.

In Silay City, Negros Occidental, where history breathes through ancestral homes and timeworn streets, a quiet reinvention is taking place—one that stirs tradition, modernity, and culinary artistry into a single, unforgettable treat.

For many Filipinos, halo-halo—which means “mix-mix” in Tagalog—is a familiar delight of childhood summers. For the uninitiated, it is a vibrant dessert made with shaved ice, layers of sweetened fruits, candied ingredients, jellies, beans, and topped with creamy leche flan or ice cream, often served in a tall glass or bowl. The joy of halo-halo lies in its blend of textures and flavors, designed to be stirred together before every bite.

Halo-halo may be a classic, but at Calle Luna, it’s just the beginning. With 22 flavors ranging from ube to dragon fruit to choco mango, this Silay spot takes a well-loved dessert and reimagines it—layer by layer—for today’s tastes.

At Calle Luna, this beloved staple is reborn, elevated, and gently pushed toward the global stage. It is here, on Antonio Luna Street, that a dessert as familiar as the tropical sun is given a new, luxurious spin, while still carrying the soul of the heritage city it calls home.

Silay’s legacy as a cultural landmark is undeniable. Yet, like all living cities, it faces the challenge of honoring its past while embracing the present. The best way to preserve tradition? Innovate—thoughtfully, meaningfully. At Calle Luna, this philosophy isn’t just observed, it’s practiced daily, with each meticulously prepared halo-halo served not just as dessert, but as a narrative—a testament to Filipino ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit.

Halo-halo, literally "mix-mix," is a fitting metaphor for the Philippines itself: a blend of histories, influences, and flavors. Calle Luna understands this deeply. Their signature offering is not a departure from tradition but a distillation of its essence—togetherness. The joy of halo-halo has always been in sharing it, whether among family after Sunday mass or with friends during long, humid afternoons. Calle Luna’s version retains this communal spirit while reimagining every detail—from the silky, special flavored ice to the playful flavors that span mango and ube macapuno, to coffee and banana Nutella.

Behind Calle Luna is the husband-and-wife team of Chona and Glen Montero, whose dedication to quality turned a childhood favorite into a signature treat.

This culinary journey started small. Chona Montero, once part of the corporate world, envisioned something more personal—something rooted in heritage and shared memory. Together with her husband Glen, they set up shop in her aunt’s ancestral home in 2017. Back then, Calle Luna operated with just one branch, two employees, and a single freezer.

When the pandemic hit and forced many businesses to halt, Calle Luna quickly pivoted to delivery and ended up earning double their usual revenue. From there, they were discovered by vloggers, which propelled them to a wider audience. Today, they’ve grown to a team of 28 across three branches, supported by 12 custom freezers designed to preserve their signature ice—the very element that sets them apart from other halo-halo makers.

This ice, creamy and flavorful, is the secret to their success. It melts gently on the tongue and is carefully crafted to complement the medley of ingredients in each bowl. In a dessert often reduced to a mishmash of textures and flavors, Calle Luna’s halo-halo is cohesive, balanced, and elevated—proof that refinement doesn’t require erasure of the past but rather an understanding of its most essential parts.

From crafting silky ice to ensuring every layer is just right, their hands-on approach is what sets their halo-halo—and their story—apart.

As halo-halo begins to attract global attention, no longer confined to Filipino shores or palates, Calle Luna’s story gains new resonance. Their halo-halo is not just food; it’s a cultural ambassador, bringing people together across borders just as it has done across generations. It is a sweet reminder that some traditions, when honored and thoughtfully reimagined, are not lost in time—they bloom.

Silay, too, blooms. Once a bastion of sugar wealth, now a heritage site, its future lies in how it continues to celebrate and evolve its heritage. Calle Luna, right in the heart of this transformation, is more than a restaurant—it’s a reflection of Silay itself: storied, resilient, and ever ready to mix the old with the new.

Because the essence of halo-halo—and of Calle Luna—is not just in the ingredients. It’s in what it brings together: people, generations, memories. In that mix, the future of Filipino heritage thrives.

Article by: Liway Espina
Photos by: Bem Cortez