Best international restaurants in Manila
Casa Armas is a popular tapas chain
Dining out in Manila is one of the city’s joys. The Philippines has historically been influenced from all corners of the globe and that reflects in the culinary delights on offer. Visitors will be pleased to know that if they’re looking for a taste of home while in this part of the country, they shouldn’t have to search too far.
From sushi to paella, hamburgers to phad Thai, it’s all on offer, ensuring that if the local gastronomy is not your thing, you needn’t go hungry.
Recommended Spanish restaurants
The Philippines was built up around a strong Spanish influence, an influence which still lingers here today, even if somewhat in the background. There are numerous Spanish restaurants which offer fine Mediterranean cuisine and many of them import their own ingredients.
The best of the bunch is Casa Armas, which naturally specialises in paella. The paella negro is possibly the pick of the menu, while the suckling pig and Iberian chicken – which has to be ordered one day in advance – are highly recommended and good enough to amaze even the most proud Iberian.
There are seven Casa Armas branches spread throughout the city so you should never be too far away from the nearest one. Other Spanish restaurants which are worth checking out are Tomas Morato, Alba restaurant Espanol and La Tienda,
Recommended Italian restaurants in Manila
In most of the world’s biggest cities, Italian restaurants are among the easiest to find and Manila is certainly no different. The Cantinetta Italian Café & Vinoteca offers a wide variety of antipasti and secondi dishes such as seafood, veal, lamb and chicken. The thin-crusted pizzas are loaded with cheese – particularly the quattro formaggio. Also worth sampling are the mushroom dishes, including the porcini ravioli.
After a night of fine dining, there is a wine bar next door where you can continue the Italian theme with some quality Italian wine. Other restaurants which offer good Italian cuisine are the Caffe Caruso, L’Opera Ristorante Italiano and the upmarket Paparazzi. More on Manila restaurants.
Recommended American restaurants in Manila
You just can't beat a juicy hamburger!
It’s very rare that American cuisine is considered authentic because the country is a melting point of cultures and tastes. However, there are not many travellers who don’t, at some point on their trip, fancy a good succulent burger. Yet finding top quality burgers outside the west is strangely difficult.
In Manila, Burgoo is possibly the best and, in true American style, portions are big. Burgoo manages to get the sumptuous patty of ground beef spot on, while the buffalo wings and grilled chicken are tasty alternatives. The side dishes of fries and onion rings will give American travellers a real taste of home.
Chili’s, Wagyu Burger and Americaine are among the other best restaurants if on the lookout for a burger.
French restaurants
There is an abundance of French restaurants in the city which, if you didn’t know you were in Southeast Asia, would make you feel like you were sitting on the banks of the Seine. Among the newest and most popular is the Aubergine Restaurant and Patisserie. The restaurant beautifully laid out with an excellent wine bar and even a show kitchen However, the real draw comes in the classic favourites such as the Russian Osetra caviar, seared duck foie gras and the duck consommé. The Aubergine is not cheap but worth it.
Recommended Indian restaurants in Manila
Metro Manila boasts more than a dozen Indian-related dining places, with the difference often being the exotic ambience. The unoriginally named Kashmir offers all the favourites, such the gosht vindaloo, curry lamb and dinghra matter. Other fine dishes include the chicken curry and samosas, complimented by excellent naan bread. Also worth checking out are the New Bombay Canteen and Prince of Jaipur.
Recommended Japanese restaurants in Manila
Sushi is popular all over Asia
Japanese food has rapidly become among the most popular and trendy in the world. In Manila, the Tsukiji restaurant imports fresh produce from the world renowned Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. The restaurant offers a variety of excellent cuisine with perhaps the finest being the hamachi and the delicious crab salad. Meat lovers will be pleased to know that Tsukiji is the only Manila restaurant which serves Omi Wagyu beef.
Sugi, Kimpura and Kikufuji are a few of the other Japanese options in the city.
Recommended Chinese restaurants in Manila
You know it’s good quality when the Chinese themselves choose to dine there, and that’s exactly the case at Gloria Maris. The families which crowd this huge restaurant are testament to the excellence of what’s on offer, with the local Chinese people’s favourites being the cha misua, fried pigeon, scallop and shrimp in taro basket, and mini T-bone in black pepper sauce. If you can still manage dessert after all that, the taho – served in a family-sized bucket – should just about finish you off!
Recommended Thai restaurants in Manila
Without doubt, Thai at Silk serves up the finest authentic Thai cuisine in Manila. The owner-chef actually flies back to Thailand every month to stock up on phad Thai ingredients and train with one of the Thai royal family’s former cooks. Favourites include the Vietnamese whitefish steamed with lemongrass and ginger, the Salad Poo Nim and beef Penang curry.
Recommended Asian restaurants in Manila
If you just can’t decide which part of Asia you want to dine from, check out the Banana Leaf, where you’ll find cuisine from Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Indonesia and more. Chefs are bought in from all of the countries to ensure the most authentic of tastes, so why not sample what they all have to offer? Singapore mussels stir-fried in chilli sauce, Indian tilapia fish drizzled with Assam sambal, or the Hainanese chicken rice from China are also excellent but in truth, there’s just so many to pick out the best.
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