If comfort had a flavor, it would be baked into every slice of Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies. From the first bite, these pies take you on a journey of warmth, love, and tradition—a true taste of home.
But these are not just pies neatly packaged in a box as your go-to pasalubong.
For its owners, they are a labor of love, crafted with the same warmth and care that goes into every step of making it.
The heartwarming story of Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies begins with a family’s love for their matriarch, Ma. Lina E. Templanza, or simply Nanay Lina, to her beloved family. A homemaker and mother-of-five in Oton, Iloilo, Nanay Lina was known for her love of cooking and experimenting with recipes.
“Nanay is the kind of person you always want to come home to. She’s kind, warm, and incredibly patient, and you can feel that warmth in every dish she cooks,” recalls Nanay Lina’s second child Tong Templanza, who, along with his wife Anthea, started the business. “She taught me the importance of cooking with love, from the heart.”
Tong captures the essence of Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies with his heartfelt philosophy in creating his recipes:
“When you cook because you love it—’bukal sa puso’—the food always turns out special. On the flip side, if you cook with ill intentions, it shows in the food. That’s why every pie we make follows the same formula: patience, warmth, and kindness.”
From a Holiday Venture to a Heartfelt Tribute
What began as a small holiday venture in their home in San Mateo, Rizal, has blossomed into a full-fledged family business. During fiestas and Christmas during the pandemic, Tong and Anthea started selling buko pies and leche flan without an official logo and a formal business name.
They juggled this on top of their other business ventures in Iloilo. However, the two never anticipated that their humble offerings would one day grow into Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies—a business named to honor their beloved Nanay Lina.
The pandemic marked a turning point. As they struggled with their other businesses, the couple started to focus on their buko pie business as a source of income during these trying times.
It was during this period that Nanay Lina, who had been battling colon cancer while getting treatment in the United States, eventually succumbed to the illness in 2021 at 75.
The family chose to transform their seasonal project into a lasting tribute to their matriarch’s legacy, with each pie serving as a heartfelt way to honor and preserve Nanay Lina’s love and memory.
Menu Full of Heartwarming Flavors
Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies offers a selection of delectable flavors, each crafted with care and a touch of tradition:
Buko Pie: A timeless classic made with tender young coconut and encased in a perfectly flaky crust. It’s a must-try for those who love the comforting taste of home.
Leche Flan: The best-seller that melts in your mouth with every bite. This velvety and creamy dessert is a crowd favorite for its rich sweetness and smooth texture.
Buko-Pineapple Pie: A unique fusion of tropical flavors that combines the richness of coconut with the tangy sweetness of pineapple.
Pineapple Pie: A zesty and fruity treat that’s perfect for those who enjoy a burst of tropical freshness.
Egg Pie: An indulgent option with a rich custard filling that’s perfect for satisfying sweet cravings with its creamy, smooth texture.
For those who want a little bit of everything, Nay Lina’s also offers:
Quadro – A sampler box featuring four distinct flavors, giving you a chance to try a variety of their pies in one convenient package.
Combo – A two-flavor box that’s perfect for sharing—or keeping all to yourself!
Every product is freshly baked with no preservatives and less sugar, so you’ll know that you are not only enjoying its deliciousness but also a healthier alternative to satisfy your dessert cravings.
Family, Tradition, and Togetherness
For the Templanza family, baking pies is not only a mere business venture. It will always be a tradition that brings them together, just like their Nanay Lina.
“One person measures and kneads, another mixes and cooks, and the rest take care of packaging and sales,” shares Tong. “This is our version of family bonding, and I know Nanay would have loved that.”
As they pass the recipes to their five children, Tong and Anthea aim to share more than just techniques—they hope to instill the values Nanay Lina embodied.
“I want them to inherit the values I learned from Nanay,” Tong says. “Keeping Nanay’s legacy alive means much more than just sustaining the family business.”
Looking ahead, Tong and Anthea hope to expand the business by opening more branches and introducing new flavors and healthier dessert options.
But for them, growth goes beyond business. Inspired by Nanay Lina’s generosity, the family is committed to giving back to their community through charitable traditions during holidays and times of need.
“We hope to establish a consistent tradition of lending a hand to those in need, beyond the traditions our family already practices during the holidays and in times of disasters,” Anthea adds. “We believe in the importance of giving back to the community to which we belong.”
Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies is a heartfelt tribute to a mother whose love continues to inspire, with each box crafted to share that same warmth and care in every home it touches.
Nay Lina’s Homemade Pies are available at its branches in SM Marikina, SM North Edsa, and SM San Mateo.
You may also check their Facebook page for more details.
