The 21 Best Restaurants in Manila

Written by Sofia Recto | Edited by Bianca Versoza

Metro Manila is a culinary paradise. Thanks to its colonial past and location at the heart of maritime Southeast Asia, cultures from across the globe have settled in the Metro and established their culinary traditions, giving the local food scene substantial diversity. 

In Metro Manila, you can find just about any type of cuisine, whether Filipino, Chinese, or even Mexican. To celebrate the region’s culinary diversity, we’ve rounded out our top picks for each type of cuisine.  

P.S. You don’t need to be a gastronomy enthusiast to enjoy our picks. While recommendations from other publications tend to be esoteric and pricey, we aimed to curate a selection that is accessible to the average tourist. 

Best Filipino Restaurants in Manila

Manam Comfort Filipino

Manam is part of a group of restaurants called The Moment Group, which is known for its premium service and high-quality recipes. Of all The Moment Group brands, Manam is the most quintessentially Filipino, not just because it serves Filipino cuisine but because it aims to evoke Filipino hospitality through its service.

Its full name, Manam Comfort Filipino, alludes to how it serves family-style meals commonly cooked in Filipino homes. One of the most popular Manam offerings is sisig, a popular Filipino dish consisting of minced pork, onions, and calamansi. 

The Moment Group has also created two Manam spinoffs: the pancit-centric Pancit Pancitan, and the inihaw-focused Mama Nams. 

Ilustrado 

Ilustrado is a great dining spot for history lovers. The restaurant is located in the historic area of Intramuros and is housed in a heritage building that evokes memories of Manila’s colonial past under Spain. The combination of woody, sepia-toned interior design and antique decor, as out of time as the rest of the establishment, create a melancholic ambiance.

True to its colonial theme, the restaurant serves a combination of Spanish, Filipino, and global cuisines. While its signature dish is Paella, it also provides strong Filipino offerings, such as laing, bagnet, and adobo. 

Rico’s Lechon

You’ll regret leaving the Philippines without trying lechon, a kind of suckling pig that is cooked whole and typically served in celebrations or gatherings. The region best known for its lechon is Cebu, which is also where Rico’s Lechon, one the most popular lechon restaurants, originated.

Rico’s Lechon serves multiple types of pork lechon: regular or spicy. A wide range of sizes is available, including chopped lechon for customers who cannot finish a whole pig. It also serves chicken lechon, beef lechon, and lechon belly. 

Best Chinese Restaurants in Manila

Ying Ying Tea House

The best place to get authentic Chinese cuisine in Manila is the famous Filipino-Chinese district of Binondo. The district, considered the oldest Chinatown in the world, started as a settlement for Chinese immigrants who had converted to Catholicism in the colonial era. Thanks to the enduring presence of its original settlers, the area evolved into a thriving hub for Filipino-Chinese businesses. 

Of the Chinese restaurants in Binondo, one of the most famous is Ying Ying Tea House. Despite boasting a level of popularity that keeps the three-storey building consistently crowded, the restaurant offers quick and exceptional service. With a menu consisting of everything from hakao to chicken feet to siomai, you’ll find no shortage of dishes to try. 

Din Tai Fung

Although Din Tai Fung isn’t an original Filipino creation, it still deserves a mention. While the famous dumpling franchise originated in Taiwan, its Filipino branches belong to The Moment Group, the brain behind Manam and 8Cuts. Local Din Tai Fung branches have added Filipino-inspired recipes, such as crispy beef strips and ube dumplings.

Din Tai Fung is famous for its xiaolongbao, steamed dumplings containing minced meat and soup. Filipino Din Tai Fung branches use unique fillings beyond the minced pork, such as truffle, foie gras, kimchi, crab roe, and chili crab. 

Summer Palace

Summer Palace is the best option for the Chinese cuisine enthusiast seeking an elevated dining experience. The restaurant, located in the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel, has been in operation for approximately twenty-five years. It is widely renowned for its authentic Cantonese cuisine.

The restaurant’s signature dishes include sweet and sour pork, hot prawn salad, and braised fish fillet. For a premium dining experience, consider ordering live seafood. Summer Palace offers not just the usual crabs, fish, and prawns but also an extensive selection of lobster dishes.

Best Japanese Restaurants in Manila

Nikkei

Sushi enthusiasts will love Nikkei’s unique take on the classic Japanese dish. Nikkei, the brainchild of Carlo Lorenzana, Jackie Lorenzana, and a small culinary team of internationally renowned chefs, fuses Japanese and Peruvian flavors to create a unique gastronomic experience.

Menus differ from branch to branch but typically include sashimi, sushi, and ceviche. We recommend trying the restaurant’s signature Nikkei Ceviche, which uses a tuna base to evoke sashimi but adds tamarind, chili, and red onion for a tangier flavor. 

Ramen Yushoken

Locals often divide Metro Manila into two distinct cultural halves: the concrete jungles spreading from Makati to Caloocan are considered “The North,” and the idyllic suburbs sprawling from Paranaque to the Calabarzon area are considered “The South.” Southerners often joke about how difficult it is to compel the urbanite Northerner to travel down south. The joke held some truth until Ramen Yushoken popped up in Alabang. 

To say that the dishes at Ramen Yushoken are worth crossing countries for is no exaggeration. You won’t find broths as hearty and flavorful anywhere else. We recommend trying the Tokusei Tsukkemen, a seafood-based dipping ramen. The noodles are served separately to keep the broth hot for longer. 

Since exploding in popularity, Ramen Yushoken has built additional branches in Ortigas and Quezon City. You can also consider visiting Mendokoro Ramenba, which offers the same menu but uses bar-style seating. 

Seryna

The best place to visit for an authentic Japanese dining experience is Little Tokyo. This Makati strip is home to clusters of quaint Japanese-owned restaurants, including the popular Seryna. 

Seryna serves a wide variety of Japanese classics, from bento sets to donburi to sushi. It is known for its Seryna specials, which are group platters consisting of the table’s choice of meats and vegetables. Try the Goku Jo Wagyu Steak for an unparalleled umami experience. 

Best Korean Restaurants in Manila

Minsok

Grilling meat with friends at Korean restaurants is one of the most popular group activities in Metro Manila. The challenge is finding a restaurant that can provide quality meet at great value. Minsok offers just that: its meat platters can feed large groups while costing just ₱300 to ₱1,000 pesos.

You can’t go wrong with the typical samgyupsal, or grilled pork belly. If you want something softer, try useol gui, or ox tongue. The restaurant also offers ready-cooked Korean dishes, such as bibimbap, bulgogi, and japchae. 

bb.q Chicken

Though not a homegrown Filipino brand, BBQ Chicken (stylized bb.q chicken) is worth a visit if you’re looking for high-quality Korean fried chicken. The website boasts that its chicken dishes are the “finest, crispiest, juiciest, flakiest, hottest, sweetest, and tastiest,” among other superlatives. 

Servings are large, and with sauce options varying from Chinese mala to Caribbean spice to spicy Galbi, they’re bound to satisfy any type of customer. The restaurant also offers many tasty side dishes like Korean-style cheese sticks, fried dumplings, and french fries. 

Korea Garden

Korean is the place to visit for an authentic Korean dining experience. The restaurant, built by chef Kim Chung Ae when she married a Filipino soldier, has been in operation since 1974. It specializes in classic, home-style Korean dishes, such as bibimbap, kalbi chim, and pork bulgogi.

Set menus are available for people who want to save. One great thing about this restaurant is that it offers vegetarian-friendly versions of the majority of their dishes, which is great for people on special diets. 

Best Mexican Restaurants in Manila

La Guada Birria

La Guada Birria started as a no-name hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Aguirre, BF Homes’ famous food trip street. Thanks to the quality of its offerings, a word-of-mouth frenzy boosted its popularity exponentially within a year, turning it into one of the South’s most sought-after Mexican establishments. With its BF Homes branch now dwarfed by its ever-evolving customer base, it has since added a location in Rockwell Center. 

The food is as authentically Mexican as it can get. Its strongest offerings are its soft tacos, which come in a variety of toppings, including deep fried pork belly, Al Pastor, pulled pork, shrimp, and fish. Be sure to try out La Guada’s unique take on elotes, which top shredded grilled corn with cream sauce and Cheeto power. 

La Chinesca

Another popular Aguirre pick is La Chinesca, a Latin-Asian fusion restaurant created by California-raised chef Bruce Ricketts. The restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients to give Mexican dishes a unique Filipino touch. It offers a premium Mexican dining experience at an affordable price.

Ordering a taco sampler is the easiest way to test the restaurant’s greatest hits, which includes carnitas, camaroncito, quesabirria, and huachinango. Its tuna tostada is also a great bet. The restaurant also offers vegan alternatives for the majority of its dishes. 

Drive-By Taco Shop

It’s not clear why Aguirre Street attracts so many fantastic Mexican restaurants, but we’re not complaining. In contrast to the quaint dining experiences La Chinesca and La Guada offer, Drive-By Taco Shop is more reminiscent of an upscale Filipino karinderya. All seats are al fresco, giving the place a rustic ambiance.

While Drive-By charges lower prices than its neighbors, by no means does it sacrifice quality. Like La Chinesca, Drive-By gives tacos a Filipino twist, which it achieves by adding local ingredients like tilapia, ox tail, ox tongue, and pineapple. Try the rice meals if you want a Mexican touch to Filipino silog dishes. 

Best Bakeries in Manila

Butterboy

Butterboy is the best place in Manila to get European delicacies. The bakery specializes in laminated pastries, such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and danishes. If you’re not a sweet tooth, don’t worry; Butterboy also offers quiches, pizzas, and a line of savory croissants. 

Purple Oven

The best place to get cakes in Manila is undoubtedly Purple Oven. This famous bakery offers a wide selection of cakes, from typical chocolate cakes to  Filipino classics like Sans Rival. Be sure to try one of Purple Oven’s originals, such as the Honeycomb Crunch Cake and the Pistachio Stardust. 

Half Saints

Quezon City’s Half Saints (often stylized as halfsaints) is a godsend for gourmands. Not only are their delicacies affordable, but they’re also as delicious as they are creatively presented. It’s the place to visit if you like a unique twist to your afternoon snacks, as their offerings include earl grey cream croissants, buko cream puffs, Himalayan salt chocolate tarts, and ube babkas.

Honorable Mentions

Blackbird at the Nielson Tower

At the heart of Makati lies the Nielson Tower, a remnant of the Philippines’ first commercial airport. It’s been redesigned to house Blackbird, an upscale fine-dining restaurant that pays tribute to the building’s history with aviation. 

When Blackbird made Monocle’s 2019 list of the 50 best restaurants in the world, the review called its menu a “celebration of travel.” Its offerings find inspiration in a wide variety of cultures, from Vietnamese to Italian to Japanese. A highlight is the Blackbird Burger, which combines premium wagyu beef with Havarti cheese and jalapeño mayo. 

Sky Deck at The Bayleaf Hotel

The Sky Deck at the Bayleaf Hotel is one of the best Metro Manila restaurants to visit, not just for its cuisine but also for its scenery. Located at the top of the Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros, it offers a spectacular 360-degree view of the Manila skyline — which is so iconic that we’ve included it in our list of the 25 best things to do in Manila. Sky Deck is open from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM, which gives you an easy window to view the famous Manila Bay sunset. 

The best part is that the quality of the food matches the quality of the sights. The Sky Deck menu is diverse, offering everything from Filipino classics to woodfired pizzas to pasta to birrias. We recommend starting with a plate of nachos as you chew on the scenery. 

8Cuts Burger Blends

Another The Moment Group brand worth mentioning is 8Cuts Burger Blends. This premium fast food chain offers some of the best burgers the Philippines has to offer. According to the restaurant’s website, patties at 8Cuts are “freshly ground, hand pressed, and seared to order,” which keeps the meat mouthwateringly tender.

The restaurant offers a wide selection of burgers with different combinations of sauces and fillings. A must-try are 8Cuts’ onion rings, which are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and seasoned with subtly smoky barbecue powder. 

We hope you enjoyed our list of the best restaurants in Manila. With such a diverse selection of choices, you’re bound to leave the Philippines with a good taste in your mouth. 

Be sure to check out the Cool Travel Vibes blog for additional travel tips!