Must see restaurants in Manila

One of the first establishments to plant its flag at the Collective, Wingman caters to local hipsters with its American diner food, most notably several…

Mercato Centrale is a pop-up food park of sorts that sees close to 50 vendors appear every weekend (and Thursdays) in one of the few vacant lots left in…

This intimate bistro has just four tables and – fittingly – 18 dishes on the menu. Small plates are the speciality – go for the baked prawn casserole and…

Soru is a slick new Japanese bistro known for mouthwatering aburi (torched) sushi in the heart of QC's Maginhawa foodie district. It also has great ramen,…

Not even in the American heartland itself could there be a diner with as much 1950s pop-culture paraphernalia as you’ll find stuffed inside this P Burgos…

Just up the road from the Marikina Shoe Museum, this a good spot for a lunch break within the atmospheric late-17th-century former home of Kapitan Moy,…

This laid-back yet classy bistro is a good stop for lunch or a meryenda (snack) if you're on a tour of the Malacañang Palace. Dishes are Spanish Filipino,…

Salcedo Community Market is a great spot to hit for brunch, with stalls selling everything from burgers and local desserts to a boggling array of grilled…

The speciality here is, naturally, chicken – we prefer it roasted with a couple of sides. Nachos, quesadillas, margaritas and local craft beer on tap …

This laid-back farmers markets has an array of local specialities. Here you'll find stalls serving cuisine from Filipino food-crazy regions such as Ilocos…

This unassuming eatery has acquired cult status and is a de-rigueur stop on any tour of historic Escolta St. In addition to ice cream (try the nine-scoop…

This is where the creatives at the HUB get their caffeine fix and work on their laptops to soothing coffee-presser sounds. It's crisp and cool with an…

Blink and you'll miss this hippy, trippy Rumi–inspired cafe specialising in delicious vegan sandwiches and fair-trade coffee from Benguet in North Luzon…

One of the newer and nicer Korean restaurants in Poblacion, Gogi throws down a suite of free appetisers then gets to work grilling delicious strips of…

This hip little cafe is home to the pizzadilla, the bastard child of pizza and the quesadilla. Paintings and vintage bric-a-brac are on sale, and many…

The food here is mostly Mediterranean–inspired, with Indian and Vietnamese tastes thrown in. Opt for the Moroccan braised chicken, try an original…

This stylish modern Thai restaurant does a mix of classic and envelope-pushing dishes, all with authentic flavours and gorgeously presented. Dine indoors…

This old-school Spanish favourite is known for its 15 varieties of paella, pollo al Ajillo (boneless chicken in spicy garlic sauce), long tapas menu, and…

Still the best Korean restaurant in Malate. Try the stone-pot bibimbap (rice with meat, vegetables, egg and chilli; vegetarian version also available) or…

Out front is Tambai, serving quick but highly original Japanese-infused Filipino snacks – try the to-die-for yakitori sticks. At the back are oyster bar…