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Unique Filipino Restaurants in Metro Manila
Dining in Manila? Make sure to stop by these unique restaurants!
By: Patricia Marie Prado | June 30, 2018
Due to changing quarantine measures, the activities, destination/s, store/s, establishment/s featured in this article might be temporarily prohibited or closed under the latest government policies. LGUs might also implement health protocols and travel requirements. Please get in touch with the establishment/s before visiting. Stay safe!
Whenever we Filipinos eat out, we tend to go for something international or unusual. Add to this the various food trends dominating the scene and you can say that, in the restaurant industry at least, our local fares are eclipsed by international dishes. For instance, goto (Filipino congee) and sinigang (sour soup with meat or seafood), our classic go-to soups, are overtaken by ramen. In the realm of dessert, bingsu (shaved ice dessert) becomes the first choice instead of halo-halo thanks to the growing Korean wave.
Although international cuisines are amazing, Metro Manila contains a long list of must-try restaurants that offer a truly unforgettable experience. With well-thought-out interiors and creative dishes, these unique Filipino restaurants in Metro Manila will make sure your dining experience is nothing but delicious! Check them out!
1. Gerry’s Jeepney
Branches:
7-B Maginhawa Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City
East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Nothing is more Filipino riding a jeep or having a boodle fight!
Images: Left, Gerry’s Jeepney Facebook Page; Right, @leiborlongan
If your favorite tito (uncle) or tita (aunt) is coming home from abroad, this is the best place to give them a treat. Gerry’s Jeepney offers one-of-a-kind dining experience where you can enjoy your meal inside a reconditioned jeepney. The place features vibrant colors and familiar signage that will make even your grandparents feel nostalgic.
As for the food, they have boodle fight options so you can share a truly Filipino experience with your family or friends. To feed a big group, the best option is Alabang (PhP1,850). It has rice, chicken barbecue, grilled squid and fish, plenty of side dishes, plus drinks good for six to eight people.
Check out our list of themed restaurants or browse the Dining & Leisure category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
2. Pedro ‘n Coi
Branches:
Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City
Second Floor, Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Centre, Greenhills, San Juan City
Third Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Il Centro, Santa Lucia East Grand Mall, San Isidro, Cainta, Rizal
Good Filipino food and nostalgia are all over Pedro ‘n Coi.
Images: Left, @ditonamae; Right, @edchua888
Another truly unique Pinoy restaurant is Pedro ‘n Coi. From the ceiling to the floor, Pedro and Coi’s interior screams Pinoy wherever you look. Their interiors feature the daily lives of Filipinos, from the sari-sari store (neighborhood store) to the jeepneys, and even the wall posters filled with funny ads for plumbers and nail technicians.
The restaurant’s menu is also filled with classic Filipino meals with a bit of a unique spin. One of the must-tries is May Asim Pa (PhP365), their version of the classic sinigang which features a deep fried pork belly that gives the dish a nice crunchy texture in the tamarind soup.
3. KKK Pinoy Food Revolution
Branches:
Ground Floor, Entertainment Mall, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Lower Ground Floor, Building B, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
You can dine with your favorite stars (sort of) at KKK.
Images: KKK Pinoy Food Revolution
KKK Pinoy Food Revolution might seem like a typical restaurant on the outside, but once you step inside you’ll see how special it is in the details. Look up at the ceiling and, depending on the branch you visit, you might find Captain Barbell among the clouds. Look around and you might catch your favorite Filipino actor or actress looking at you via photo reproductions.
When sampling their food, you can start with KKK’s Krispy Okoy (PhP180). It is made with vegetables and real shrimp, covered in tempura batter, and deep fried to crispy perfection. For the main dish, do not miss their bestseller Adobo ni Jake Espesyal (PhP320). The dish is KKK’s take on the famous adobo, served with fried banana and topped with adobo flakes.
4. Ristorante Delle Mitre
Address: CBCP Building, 470 General Luna Street Corner Real Street, Intramuros, Manila
Know more about the Catholic faith while enjoying a good meal at Ristorante Delle Mitre.
Images: Left, Ristorante Delle Mitre; Right, @thats_tisha
Here’s a fact: more than 86% of the Filipino population is Roman Catholic. And here’s another one: there is a restaurant in Intramuros that combines the Filipino’s passion for food and faith, and it is Ristorante Delle Mitre. The restaurant is run by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and features memorabilia and photos that pay homage to the Catholic faith.
Most of the menu items are favorites of many priests in the country. One example is their Father John Christian Young’s Sinigang na Crispy Pata (PhP348). It is a take on sinigang that has a rich tamarind broth made better with the fatty goodness of crispy pata or fried pork leg.
5. Crisostomo
Branches:
Ground Floor, The Garden, Alabang Town Center, Metro Manila
Blue Bay Walk, Macapagal Avenue Corner EDSA, Libertad, Pasay City, Metro Manila
2nd Floor, Veranda, Eastwood Mall, Brgy. Bagumbayan, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Fairview Terraces, Quirino Highway corner Maligaya Drive Brgy. Pasong Putik, Novaliches, Quezon City 1118, Metro Manila
Unit B231 & B232 UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City 1118, Metro Manila
2nd Floor. Unit F & B 3A Newport Mall, 100 Andrews Avenue, Brgy. Cybertouris, Newport City, Pasay City, Metro Manila
Solenad Lakeside Evozone, Nuvali Sta. Rosa City, Laguna
Level 1, Vertis North, Phase 1 & 2, Corner North Avenue, Quezon City
Try your favorite ulam (viand) with a unique spin at Crisostomo.
Images: Crisostomo Restaurant
If you’re a fan of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, then you’ll surely have a blast at Crisostomo. The restaurant is owned by renowned chef Florabel Co-Yatco, and it is inspired by the famous novel of our national hero. Although their interior is not as quirky as the others on this list, with Crisostomo the uniqueness is in the food.
Chef Florabel showed her inventiveness by using unusual ingredients in usual Filipino fares. For instance, her version of adobo (meat marinated in soy sauce and vinegar), which is called Adobo Damaso, combines twice-cooked chicken and pork, which is then topped with kesong puti (unskimmed white cheese) and sweet potato.
6. Casa Roces
Address: 1153 JP Laurel corner Aguado Street, San Miguel, Manila
Forget the ‘90s and experience the ‘80s, ‘70s and beyond at Casa Roces.
Images: Casa Roces
If you’re tired of the usual restaurant setting, why not dine at home? No, not in your own home, but in the ancestral home-turned-restaurant of the Roces family: Casa Roces. All over the restaurant are pictures and memorabilia that will remind you of days past, from portraits and busts of famous Filipinos to phones that are decades old.
As for their offerings, Casa Roces provides a mix of Filipino and Spanish on their menu. One dish to try is their version of Pork Stew Binagoongan (PhP310). The pork is deep fried to achieve a crunchy texture. It is mixed with string beans, tomatoes, and bagoong (shrimp paste) for a sweet and salty flavor.
Check out our list of Filipino-Spanish restaurants or browse the Dining & Leisure category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
7. Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant
Address: 92 General Ordoñez Ave, Marikina
Enjoy your favorite ‘ulam’ in the magical Pan de Amerikana.
Images: Left, @annederrated; Right, Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant Facebook Page
If you’re a resident of Marikina, you know that Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant is one of the most unique restaurants in the city. The eclectic restaurant is a world of its own filled with displays that will make you want to Instagram every corner.
Pan de Amerikana serves a mixture of dishes from Bicol, Ilocos, and Marikina. For a truly Pinoy experience when you visit their restaurant, try their Monggo con Chicharon (PhP65). The classic Filipino viand is topped with crunchy chicharon (fried pork rinds) to give the hot meal a crackling texture.
Check out our list of modern Filipino restaurants or browse the Dining & Leisure category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
Go out and celebrate our cuisine with your family and friends in these amazing and truly unique Filipino restaurants. Let us know in the comments section which of these dining spots you will visit soon!
About Patricia Marie Prado
Patricia came from the field of business and accounting but is now pursuing her dreams of being a writer. She is a self-confessed introvert and is passionate about reading, travelling, writing, movies, coffee and God. When she's not writing, she loves discovering new coffee shops/cafe and doing TV-series marathons.
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