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Oct 14, 2023

The 38 Best Manila Restaurants

Catch a merienda drag show, haggle for crabs at a wet market, and taste haute

Catch a merienda drag show, haggle for crabs at a wet market, and taste haute Filipino cuisine in Manila

The home of banana ketchup, Eater's favorite fried chicken, and arguably the world's longest Christmas season (it unofficially starts in September), Manila is a huge metropolis made up of many individual cities and the homes of more than 13 million people. This huge, frantic scene can feel challenging for some visitors to the Philippines, which is why many pass it over in favor of idyllic rural paradises like Palawan and Boracay. But the complexity and breadth of the capital city have their benefits, providing space for countless cultures and subcultures, all best observed through the seemingly infinite food scene.

The first thing you’ll notice are the extreme differences in various pockets of the city. To the west, near the bay, is old Manila, home to Chinatown, the Golden Mosque, and the walled city of Intramuros, where the earliest restaurants and casual turo turo steam tables abound. They coexist with the manicured business district, where dining is determined by global tastes and the social habits of the upwardly mobile. To the north and south are residential areas, where food is familiar and comfortable. All of it is Manila; the prix fixe, the fried siopao (pork buns), and the skewered betamax (coagulated chicken blood) make up the city's palate.

In recent years, Manila's chefs and restaurateurs have found new legs to stand on, as Filipino food has achieved long-overdue international attention. They’re cooking their own cuisine on their own terms, fusing heirloom traditions, local ingredients, and modern methods to create world-class menus. Following the pains of the pandemic, a new creativity permeates the city's food scene, as chefs accustomed to working in scarcity have become even more resourceful. Filipino food has always been good. Now that more of the world is ready to try it, Manila is more than ready to share it.

Toni Potenciano is a freelance writer based in Manila, Philippines. She currently works at And A Half, an independent design studio.

Filipino breakfasts tend to be savory and hearty, exemplified by the beloved tapsilog, a portmanteau of tapa (cured beef), sinangag (fried garlic rice), and itlog (fried egg). Rodic's has been serving a version since 1949 that's tender, sweet, and shredded like corned beef. According to a student documentary about the restaurant, owner Pacita Tecson got the idea to shred the beef from her sister, who wanted to make the typically tough tapa accessible to both children and senior citizens who might have a hard time chewing. Every Sunday morning, entire families line up at the branch located in the University of the Philippines for little red and white boxes of tapsilog.

In 2018, owners Biboy Cruz and Cereb Gregorio, owners of Kusina Luntian in Baler (a surf spot northeast of the city), opened a version of their surf town restaurant in Manila, rebranding it Gubat. The restaurant serves binalot, meals of rice in banana leaves, in a small bonsai garden where eating with your hands is encouraged. The lechon kawali (deep-fried pork belly), adobo, and piniritong isda (fried blue marlin steak), served with rice and lightly pickled vegetables, are some of the best sellers.

Along a stretch of Maginhawa Street in Quezon City well-known for food, Provenciano serves heirloom Filipino recipes in a retro converted house. The specialties include adobong pusit sa bawang (baby squid cooked in vinegar and squid ink); KBL, or kadyos, baboy, and langka (pigeon peas, pork hocks, and jackfruit); and sugpo sa alavar (prawns in coconut milk, ginger, and turmeric). Don't leave without sampling the bibingka (coconut-rice cake with salted egg) and puto bumbong (glutinous purple rice cake).

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With the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race Philippines in 2022, the Manila drag scene has never been more exciting. Online specialty bakery-turned-weekend cafe Butterboy regularly holds Saturday drag brunches and meriendrag (a play on merienda, or snack time): daytime drag performances with set meals of pastries and sandwiches. The place is owned by Hilder Demeterio and partner Jayson So, who describe themselves as "not pastry chefs, just pastry gays." You can preorder Butterboy for delivery Tuesday through Sunday (there's no dine-in service on weekdays), walk in from 8 a.m. to noon on weekends, and reserve for events on the website.

Buen Comer started from a drunken debate among five friends about the definitive food to pair with booze. The result is the kare-kare burrito, a Tex-Mex Filipino innovation with a cult following that stuffs the classic oxtail and peanut stew into a tortilla. The rest of the menu — steak and fries, a Caesar salad burrito — pairs equally well with beer.

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At the height of the strictest pandemic lockdowns, Half Saints's owners Christine Roque and Jo Arciaga undertook the painful task of reengineering their cafe's menu, resulting in a stellar pastry line. While mains like arroz con pollo are delicious, come for showstopping bakes like the Merci Buko Cream Puff, a choux au craquelin filled with coconut custard and young coconut meat, and topped with roasted pili nuts. Not to be missed are the Gruyere brown butter cookies and the cafe's take on the local favorite crema de fruta, which here is encased in liqueur gelée. Roque and Arciaga are currently working on opening their first international branch in Tokyo.

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Marikina, a pedestrian-friendly city on the east side of Manila, is a bit of a food destination. The area boasts a lot of affordable restaurants and cafes, as well as a strip known as Puto Avenue, where small food stalls sell Filipino delicacies like suman (glutinous rice) and pichi-pichi (sweet cassava). But a trip to Marikina wouldn't be complete without a visit to Rocha's Puto and Kuchinta, the standard-bearer of puto Marikina, a remix of puto (steamed rice cake) and kuchinta (brown sugar sticky rice cake) with a bit of cheese on top.

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Mang Leo can be found most mornings along the residential street of Esteban Abada folding sliced sweet plantains into spring roll wrappers. His turon — deep-fried banana lumpia with langka (jackfruit) and caramelized sugar — is one of the area's best-kept secrets. He and his son Jeric are there till they sell out, which is sometimes as early as 4 p.m. It's a favorite merienda snack among residents and nearby office workers, many of whom place bulk orders for his turons, which run P20 each (about 34 cents).

When former electrician Rado Bautista lost his job at one of Manila's oldest distilleries in 1994, he turned to food to make ends meet. Today, his side street eatery is a favorite among the residents of Tondo, one of Manila's oldest and most densely populated districts. He's known specifically for tumbong soup, a clear broth served with pig's large intestines, spring onions, and garlic. Bautista's creamy version goes for about P125 (about $2.20) with a cup of rice. Rado's also sells asado (sweet braised pork), kamto (beef brisket) soup, and crispy lechon kawali with grated papaya. Note: Simon Street can be challenging to find, but it's roughly two blocks down from Ugbo, a food destination in its own right.

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Head to Habanero for the kind of food best paired with a cold bottle of San Miguel. Located in Cubao X, a community hub for artists and musicians, this restaurant is best experienced in the evenings when the area comes alive. Many of the dishes (and drinks) utilize habanero chiles, but everyone comes for the lechon habanero, a kilo of sous vide and deep-fried pork belly cut into slices and served with chiles and a soy sauce dip. It comes with a side of mustasa (mustard) leaves and buro (fermented rice and fish) for a little acidity to balance the salt, fat, and heat.

A walking tour of Ongpin Street — a major artery of Binondo, Manila's historic Chinatown — usually starts with a visit to Shanghai Fried Siopao's humble stall. The fluffy, slightly sweet buns are toasted on the bottom and wrapped around a sweet-savory meatball with chives. They’re sold by the piece at around P17 (about 30 cents).

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Globe Lumpia House is a tiny eatery in Quiapo's old Globe Theater that's been around since 1956. It's famous for its lumpiang sariwa: fresh vegetable spring rolls made with ubod (heart of palm), topped with crushed peanuts, garlic, and sweet sauce. Look for the line snaking out onto Raon Street in downtown Manila and you’ll know you’ve found the right spot.

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This neighborhood microbrewery can be found along one of the side streets off another of the city's notable food stretches, Wilson Street in the San Juan area. Craft beer has had a bit of a boom since the pandemic hit, led by places like El Depósito, one of the first microbreweries to set up a taproom in 2021. You can sample a selection of single-hop IPA beers, and the space hosts local brewery competitions and DJs who spin on select weekends.

It's impossible to miss this Cali-inspired taqueria, run by owner Mano Lotho, when you’re driving along Wilson Street in San Juan; just look for the detached industrial structure on the corner of Wilson and Arras with a couple of tables out front. Try the buche (confit pork stomach) and tempura shrimp tacos, along with whatever boozy agua fresca is available that day. Make sure to start with the chips and queso, which take advantage of the excellent house-made tortillas.

Across from the Golden Mosque in downtown Manila, turo turo June-Nairah offers a wide selection of homestyle Maranao cuisine. Known as "the people of the lake," the Maranao are an Indigenous group from the island of Mindanao, traditionally the predominantly Muslim Bukidnon-Lanao area. Maranao cooking is characterized by its use of palapa (a mixture of shallots, ginger, and chiles), coconut, and turmeric. Some must-tries at June-Nairah include chicken piaparan and beef rendang.

Named (with a bit of obfuscation) after the nearly eponymous stoner duo, Cheech and Chang has become a favorite of the residents of the west Kapitolyo neighborhood in Pasig. In a city dominated by indoor malls, the al fresco, bike-friendly establishment became the watering hole of choice when pandemic restrictions began easing up. The menu consists of Chinese-, Singaporean-, and Taiwanese-influenced dishes that pair well with drinks, like chicken and duck baos, bak chor mee, and dan dan noodles. If available, order the fried chicken skin. Top it off with a Spicy Mango Diwata cocktail from the attached bar, the Lotus Gin Room.

Many consider Cafe Adriatico the restaurant that heralded Manila's bistro and cafe culture when it opened in 1979. Journalist Larry J. Cruz converted an antiques store on the corner of Macario Adriatico Street and Remedios Circle in Ermita into a Parisian-style cafe that became one of the landmarks of the historic Malate neighborhood, the center of Manila culture in the ’70s and ’80s. The cafe remains especially famous for merienda items such as ensaymada (a soft pastry typically topped with sugar and cheese), suman sa lihiya (a glutinous rice cake and lye water), and tsokolate eh (a thick chocolate drink) served in a demitasse.

The Aristocrat traces its history as far back as the 1930s and is arguably one of the most beloved restaurants in Metro Manila. The restaurant is known for its sweet barbecue chicken with java rice, as well as the Flying Saucer sandwiches, both invented by matriarch Lola Engracia "Asiang" Cruz Reyes. Savor classic Filipino meals like lumpiang ubod (heart of palm), beef dinuguan (beef blood stew), and pancit canton (stir-fried noodles with vegetables), or stop by for pastries like carrot cake and mamon (chiffon sponge) loaves.

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On the outskirts of the central business district, by the residential side of Makati, Goto Monster serves beef tripe porridge with a twist. The best sellers include goto with bagnet (the Ilocano version of deep-fried pork belly) and chicharon bulaklak (deep-fried pork intestines). All bowls are served with a salted egg and a heaping portion of fried garlic. It bears mentioning that the house-made ice cream pops are just as divine, particularly the leche flan and the ginataang halo-halo flavors. Goto Monster is open 24 hours and best experienced anywhere between midnight and 3 a.m. after a night out in Manila.

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Located on the second floor of a nondescript apartment building in Poblacion, Lampara serves a generous selection of hearty neo-Filipino cuisine and cocktails. It's run by young chefs RJ Ramos, Prince Tan, and Alphonse Sotero, who all build on experience in the kitchens of other fine dining restaurants. Favorites include a starter of rice cups (inspired by lumpia), dinuckduckan (a duck version of the Ilocano dinakdakan), and pork (crispy porchetta, star anise reduction, and pork floss). Don't leave without trying the inventive desserts, specifically the yema and tsokolate (sweet custard and chocolate).

Along with the Curator, David Ong runs this cocktail lounge and listening room. An extensive selection of cocktails is set to the bar's all-vinyl playlist, which pours out of the bespoke sound system. Like the Curator, Oto regularly hosts global bartender takeovers, but it also invites Manila's finest young DJs to spin on most weekends, which has made it an indispensable part of the local nightlife and music scene. While everything on the cocktail menu is amazing, ask the friendly and talented bartenders for their recommendations.

Asia's Best Female Chef 2016 winner, Margarita "Gaita" Forés, is best known for her Italian concepts, like the Cibo restaurant chain and her luxurious restaurant Lusso. She marries her love of Italian and Filipino food at Grace Park, a farm-to-table restaurant that pioneered the use of local and organic ingredients such as capiz bihod (fish roe), diwal (angel wing clams), and adlay (Job's tears) when it opened in 2013. The best-sellers include organic lechon, lamb adobo, and baby crab fat spaghettini.

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Tetsuo's menu is inspired by East Asian casual eats like baos, fried noodles, and Japanese-style fried chicken, served with various spices: sansho (lemon and pepper), ichimi (mild heat), and Kaneda (hot and spicy), the last aptly named after the protagonist of the cyberpunk masterpiece Akira. Unlike the first branch in Quezon City, the hip Poblacion outpost is open late and serves canned drinks like Strong Zero, Horoyoi, and One Cup Ozeki. According to cofounder Sean Bautista, the restaurant tries to cater to the creative community, especially musicians and artists.

Gallery by Chele is the revamped version of Gallery Vask, the multi-award-winning restaurant of chef Chele Gonzalez. Codeveloped with chef Carlo Villaflor, Gallery by Chele specializes in haute cuisine that makes use of local and regional ingredients like gotu kola (aka takip-kuhol, a traditional medicinal plant) and ulang (river prawn). Unlike its predecessor Vask (which had only a tasting menu), Gallery by Chele offers a la carte items, along with multiple set menus, including plant-based options. Reservations are encouraged.

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Tucked in a quieter corner of Makati, Metronome is a modern French restaurant helmed by Joël Robuchon-trained chef Miko Calo. The place offers an exquisite dining experience with both a la carte and tasting menus, which demonstrate chef Calo's mastery and creativity. Diners rave about the foie gras tart with tamarind and the Iberico secreto. Pop in during lunch for a classic ratatouille. Reservations are highly encouraged.

Tapas are having a moment in Manila thanks to spots like Txoko Asador. The restaurant offers some of the most delicious and creative selections of Spanish tapas and Basque-inspired grilled dishes and mains. The hot and cold starters include standouts such as pan con tomate — a lightly crisp bread pillow filled with tomato foam, wrapped around a sliver of jamón serrano, and Iberico oil — and the pulpo a la brasa, grilled octopus with black potato puree. The paella negra pairs excellently with a martini or white sangria.

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A meal sold at any one of Makati's tin-colored jollijeeps (food carts named for both the beloved chain Jollibee and jeepneys, decorated jeeps used for public transit) can be as low as P85 (about $1.44). For the average worker on a budget, these trailers are some of the more affordable options in the expensive business district. The most popular jollijeep can be found along Rada Street, with a laminated sign that reads "Sisig sa Rada" (Sisig at Rada). The stall's version of sisig is a simple variation of the traditional Pampanga version, mixed with onions, peppers, and an egg, and served over rice. Lines for Sisig sa Rada can get notoriously long during the lunch rush, so best to go during off-hours.

Since 2016, the Curator has consistently made it onto lists of Asia's best bars, including a place on Asia's 50 Best in 2021. Coffee is served in the afternoons in the store's front, while inventive cocktails appear in the evenings in the intimate back room. Every so often, the Curator hosts global bartender takeovers, which complement owner and bartender David Ong's regularly rotating menu of drinks.

The best chicken inasal is undoubtedly found in faraway Bacolod — a Visayan food capital — but JT's Manukan serves a decent bird. Using the Ilonggo word for chargrilled, chicken inasal is basted in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar, and annatto. It's worth mentioning that the chain is owned by the esteemed Filipino actor and producer Joel Torre, who gained fame in the historic Filipino experimental film Oro, Plata, Mata in 1982. He still does films, but his chicken chain has become a favorite for Manila locals who just want to kick back with a good paa (chicken thigh), garlic rice, and an ice-cold beer.

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The best chicken sandwich in Metro Manila can be found at Fowlbread, a bright blue facade and cement counter along Bonifacio Global City's High Street commercial strip. The OG fried chicken sandwich combines a breaded chicken breast patty, house-made pickles, and a large chicken skin cracker for added crunch with every bite. Spice levels range from safe to chemical. Cool off with the strawberry hibiscus slushie, and make some room for the banana doughnut for dessert.

The original Milky Way started out as an ice cream bar in 1962, serving scoops, buko lechias (coconut and lychee) sherbet, and chicken asparagus sandwiches to Manila's high society. Today, Milky Way continues to serve homey Filipino classics with inspirations from Pampanga, another food capital of the Philippines where chef J. Gamboa's family is originally from. The classic halo-halo, a popular shaved ice dessert, is hailed as the best in the city, though also take a look at its minimalist cousin, ginumis: shaved ice, sago (tapioca), and gulaman (jelly) topped with coconut cream, pinipig (popped rice), and house-made panutsa ice cream made from cane sugar.

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The Moment restaurant group has cracked the code to fast-casual dining in Metro Manila, and Manam is perhaps its best proof of concept. The tagline "comfort Filipino" describes the offerings, which feature classic dishes with twists. Order the house crispy sisig that adds a generous helping of chicharon (deep-fried pork rinds) on top of the sizzling pork, sinigang na beef short ribs and watermelon, and the crispy pancit palabok — a mountain of fried noodles that dissolves when orange shrimp sauce is poured over it. If you still have room, the ube shakes are served with sago (small tapioca balls), which is pretty much as good as dessert gets.

Chef Bruce Rickett's Mecha Uma is celebrated for its modern Japanese, fine dining approach. The seasonal tasting menu features specialities flown in from Japan combined with local organic produce. Rickett's philosophy has always emphasized produce, and the punchy tasting menus take inspiration from the ingredients themselves, which might include Hokkaido uni, shirako (cod sperm), and quail. Mecha Uma offers two dinner seatings each night.

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Helm is an intimate 10-seat "dining theater" that offers an ever-evolving multicourse menu of technically complex and delicate dishes. Chef Josh Boutwood works with a produce-first mindset in order to come up with innovative menus for global gastronomes. Items might include bacalao spheres in a pool of blanched garlic sauce or lapu-lapu (grouper) in burnt onion and lemongrass tea. By reservation only.

According to Filipino food historian Doreen Fernandez, one striking characteristic of Filipino food is a love of all things fresh, and the dampa (wet market) by Manila Bay is as fresh as you’re going to get in the city. A visit to the dampa is a two-part process: First, you’ll need to shop for your seafood of choice by the kilogram (anything from groupers, crab claws, and razor clams); prices may vary depending on availability, and you can haggle with most sellers. Then bring your prize over to a paluto, one of the nearby restaurants, where cooks will prepare your selection according to your preference (common ways include butter and garlic, salted egg, and chile).

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When Andre Chanco started Yardstick Coffee in 2013, his goal was to "up the yardstick" for specialty coffee in a city that had only one or two places for coffee-based drinks. Today, Yardstick is an institution for leisurely cafe-goers and aspiring baristas. Besides selling coffee drinks, Yardstick roasts and sells its own coffee (retail and wholesale) and equipment for both home brewers and professionals. Try the branch-exclusive drinks at MOA Square in Pasay, especially the Manila Latte, which is like a nonalcoholic pina colada with an espresso shot.

Chef Stephan Duhesme challenges ideas of Filipino food at his modern restaurant, Metiz. The kitchen is known for its take on common household vegetables like talinum (Philippine spinach), patola (silk squash), and ampalaya (bitter gourd), as well as extensive use of buro, the traditional method of fermentation. The results are technique-driven tasting menus that are constantly evolving and surprising. Sample the beverage list, which features kombucha-based cocktails and bottles of low-intervention wines. By reservation only.

Multi-award-winning Toyo Eatery (Asia's 50 Best) and its attached bakery Toyo Panaderya continue to elevate Philippine cuisine with their progressive tasting menus that feature locally sourced ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Chef Jordy Navarra's dishes constantly change depending on the season and ingredient availability, but every item is creative and resourceful. Plant-based and cocktail pairings are available. By reservation only.