Manila Restaurants

  1. 604 Cafe Gallery

    A funky little place right off the circle, with pillows on the floor and local art on the walls.

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  2. Aristocrat

    First opened in 1936, this institution has served Filipino food at reasonable prices to several generations of customers. It feels like a huge, brightly lit coffee shop, and it's hugely popular (just to stay thematic, the menu is huge too).

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  3. Banana Leaf Curry House

    This long-running Makati veteran has an attractive dining room overlooking Greenbelt Park. The flavours are both subtle and complex. The curries are much loved as are the many spicy crab dishes.

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  4. Barbara's

    Here diners sit under a huge crystal chandelier in a room that looks like a 19th-century European salon; it's regal but a bit stuffy. The food is a traditional combination of Spanish and Filipino. The lunch buffet is popular.

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  5. Bellini's

    This hip little Italian café serves good pizzas under the watchful gaze of an eclectic wall of fame (photos of purported customers). It's popular with local artists, many of whom have shops in adjoining storefronts.

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  6. Benjarong Royal Thai Restaurant

    Manila's best Thai restaurant is hidden away on the second level of the Dusit Hotel Nikko. The dining room is elegant, befitting the 'royal' moniker. The cuisine is both lavish and inventive.

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  7. Bistro Remedios

    Country specialities from Pampanga province, which is renowned for its barbecued meats such as spare ribs, star here. If you like it rich, try some bulalo, chunks of tender beef shank and marrow in a steaming hot broth.

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  8. Bravo!

    Bravo! is one of a stylish new breed of Italian restaurants, complete with moody lighting and friendly staff. There are many variations on a thin-crust pizza, all tastily garnished with herbs and spices.

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  9. Cafe Adriatico

    A Malate institution and the forerunner to the area's cultural renaissance, Cafe Adriatico expertly fuses Filipino and Spanish gastronomy. Musicians enthusiastically serenade the tables on weekends.

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  10. Cafe Havana

    Conjure the illusion that you're in Havana just before the city's fall to Castro. You can opt to have an all-Cuban evening starting with Cuba Libre and ending with a Cuban Cohiba Esplendido cigar, with some Arroz a la Cubana in between. It's busy serving local partiers until late and many revitalize with the good fresh fruit drinks.

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  11. Cafe Nakpil

    A cascade of paper lanterns draws you in from the street to this stylish little Asian bistro. The curries are excellent, with fragrant Thai spices enlivening the atmosphere. Pavement tables are the pick and smooth jazz sets the mood.

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  12. Cafe Via Mare

    You can get a snack or a meal at this trendy little spot on a busy corner of the Rockwell Center. The coffee is authentically Italian while the dishes are an upscale mix of Filipino standards.

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  13. Caffe Ricco Renzo

    Part cultural centre, part gallery and part café, this delightful place oozes charm from the moment you walk in and hear the soothing fountain. You won't be surprised that the menu is eclectic; the salads and sandwiches are excellent. There's live jazz on Friday night.

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  14. Casa Armas

    This spot has built a dedicated following since it opened more than a decade ago. There's a long tapas menu and the bar is popular for a relaxing rioja. There's very much the atmospheric feel of a bodega here.

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  15. Ciboney

    Named in honour of Cuba's Ciboney tribe, this place has colourful cocktails, danceable live music and an exotic menu of snacks and mains. Infectiously happy, it has Caribbean ambience and tables on a veranda overlooking Remedios Circle.

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  16. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

    Part of the chain found throughout town, this is a better choice than the chain whose name rhymes with 'sucks'. It's a smart setting inside and out, and the drinks are many and varied. Good iced tea and free wi-fi.

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  17. Confusion

    Finding this little place tucked into an area of residential high-rises may well have been the name's inspiration. Enjoy a drink at the tables inside or out. There's a short menu of snacks and meals, the most notable of which are the superb cheese sticks, redolent with garlic.

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  18. Dad's

    At noon on weekdays nearby offices empty out and crowds descend here for what's dubbed 'the ultimate buffet'. It is vast, and pretty much every Filipino dish you can think of then some is on offer. And it's not just steam-table classics; the salads, fresh fruit and desserts are yummy.

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  19. Demitasse Cafe Bar

    Another funky café off Remedios Circle, Demitasse has lots of shady tables in front and plenty more in the long, cool, dark interior.

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  20. Dome

    A French bistro in a part of town not blessed by many restaurants, Dome has good breakfasts, sandwiches and salads served through the day as well as pasta and pizza.

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  21. Donau

    Both bar and bistro, Donau is the place to satisfy that bratwurst craving. They dish up good value German cuisine and it is also well worth a visit just to sample the four-course dinner special.

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  22. Eat

    The name is helpful to workers at the surrounding banks who, dazed by a morning of spreadsheets, turn up at lunch and don't know what to do. This vast circular food court features a myriad of stalls serving fresh and cheap fare. You pay as you exit.

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  23. Farmacia Fatima

    Amid a row of open-air pharmacies, this classic soda fountain is ready to serve everything from a whole fried fish to a tasty halu-halò (flamboyant fruit dessert).

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  24. Figaro Coffee

    This local chain has a delightful outlet right across from the CCP. The coffee, as usual, is good and there are fresh sandwiches and other meals. The building echoes the look of the CCP on a Lilliputian scale.

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  25. Gaudi

    The sinuous style of the eponymous Barcelona architect is much on display at this dramatic Spanish restaurant, which enjoys sweeping views of the Makati skyline. The menu is authentic and features paella, grilled meats and tapas.

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