Filo Cafe profile: North Bethesda family-run Filipino restaurant

Filo Cafe in North Bethesda is a family-run restaurant that foregrounds Filipino food and multigenerational recipes. Elaine Hontiveros, who helps run the cafe with her parents, brother and grandmother and holds a business degree from the University of Maryland, said the cafe grew from years of family conversations and shared cooking. She described pancit — a noodle dish commonly served at celebrations — as one of the cafe’s staples and listed lechon, lumpia and bangsilog among popular dishes. Elaine said Filipino macaroni salad, a holiday favorite made from her grandmother’s recipe, blends sweet and savory flavors with raisins and fruit and is a “favorite snack or dessert.” During the visit, Elaine and the host emphasized the emotional ties between the food and customers, noting comments that the dishes “bring me home” and that children often ask for their favorite items. The segment is a personal profile and cultural feature rather than a record of any public meeting or municipal action.