Because Filipino food is love.
June 19 – for those whose memories of Araling Panlipunan are a bit hazy – is the birthday of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. That got us thinking about his time as an ilustrado, studying in Europe. Was he ever homesick for the food of his Patria Amore?
Today, we have it much easier than Rizal did. With Philippine cuisine now an international culinary trend, Filipino restaurants have sprouted in nearly every corner of the globe! In this post we listed some of the most buzzed about restaurants abroad including those in North America, Amsterdam, Milan, London, and Sydney.
Also read the latest Top 10 Most Loved Restaurants in Metro Manila
North America
Manila Social Club
Location: Williamsburg – North Side, 2 Hope St Brooklyn, NY 11211
Head Chef Dela Cruz’s modern Filipino restaurant made headlines with its 24K gold donuts last year which reportedly put the spotlight on ube desserts. This chic brunch spot in New York serves “inventive yet nostalgic” selections of Filipino specialties with a twist.
Fun fact: Their Golden Cristal Ube Donut retails for $100 each and a whopping $1000 a dozen! Each donut is infused with ube mousse and a Cristal gelée before being glazed with Cristal icing and dusted with 24K pure gold dust PLUS hand-gilded with 24K gold leaves!
The Park’s Finest
Location: 1267 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Echo Park)
Park’s is a Filipino BBQ restaurant that’s been serving backyard ribs and meats since 2012. What started as a catering business in 2009 eventually led to this mom and pop joint that serves “American BBQ with a Filipino twist” that’s now a popular community spot. Their one of a kind bibingka-style cornbread has been called “the best” by comedian Chris Rock, while their homemade sauce was labeled as “out of bounds delicious” by Guy Fieri.
Uncle Mike’s Place
Location: 1700 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (West Town)
Uncle Mike’s is an all day breakfast place that prides itself in serving “the best damned marinated skirt steak” in Chicago. Imagine feasting on a fresh bowl of lugaw on a chilly night in Chicago. Perfect.
Maharlika
Location: 111 1st Ave. (at 7th St.), New York, NY 10009 (East Village)
Maharlika is an up and coming restaurant in New York that serves reinvented Filipino favorites. New York Times called this modern resto “an empire in the making” where diners can enjoy the best of both traditional and modern Pinoy creations. You’d be surprised that Maharlika’s main man behind those kitchen doors is a Dominican Chef named Miguel Trinidad; who gives a fresh take on what Filipino food is all about.
Bad Saint
Location: 3226 11th Street NW, Washington DC, 20010
Bad Saint was famously awarded as the #2 best new restaurant in the US last year by Bon Appetit and has gained an enormous following since then. It’s owned by Filipino-American Chef Tom Cunanan, Genevieve Villamora, and Nick Pimentel who all shared the passion for their childhood favorites. Bestsellers include their ukoy and their adobong dilaw.
Fun fact: They absolutely do not accept reservations. Consider yourself lucky if you score a spot at one of their 24 seats.
Jeepney
Location: 201 First Avenue, New York, NY — 10003
Jeepney is owned by the same people behind the equally famous Maharlika restaurant which is also in New York. It’s credited as one of the first to put Filipino food on the map with its unique take on the chori burger, boodle fights, and their tiki cocktails.
Lamesa Filipino Kitchen
Location: Niagara, West Queen West, Trinity Bellwoods 669 Queen Street W Toronto, ON M6J, Canada
Lamesa’s mission is to “expose Filipino cuisine to the mainstream” and that’s exactly what it has done for the people of Toronto. Each Filipino-inspired dish is beautifully plated to highlight Chef Daniel Cancino’s mastery of the art of Filipino food. Step inside and find out if it’s truly one of the best around Drake’s hometown.
Europe
Lutong Pinoy
Location: 10 Kenway Rd., Earl’s Court, London
Lutong Pinoy promotes the “kamayan” style of eating by serving all of its dishes on banana leaves sans plates and cutlery. A minimum reservation for four adults are required if you want to book a boodle spread that’s made of different meats, seafood, and vegetables of your choice.
Romulo Café London
Location: 343 Kensington High Street, London
While Romulo Cafe is also available locally in the Philippines, this London location was a huge milestone for this restaurant chain. What sets it apart from other Filipino restaurants abroad is its impeccable dedication to deliver only the most authentic dishes to its customers. The establishment has four separate dining areas: the Ambassador’s Lounge; the Diplomat’s Dining Room; the General’s Bar and the CPR Library
Fun fact: The General's Bar serves bespoke Pinoy cocktails like the ‘Old Fashioned Papa’, made with Don Papa Rum and Filipino brews like San Miguel.
Baryo Pilipinas
Location: Fluwelen Burgwal 51, 2511 CH Den Haag, Netherlands
Who knew that you can spot a cool jeepney while vacationing at The Hague? This highly recommended Filipino restaurant specializes in boodle spreads so make sure you’re ready to get your hands dirty.
AYAN Filipino Streetfood
Lcoation: Potsdamer Straße 69, 10785 Berlin, Germany
Ayan offers street food from the Philippines like grilled meats, skewered snacks, and even halo-halo dessert! They also have weekly specials so you’re in for a treat if you score a rare menu item.
YUM – Taste of the Philippines
Location: Viale Coni Zugna 44, 20144 Milan, Italy
YUM is the first Filipino gourmet restaurant in Milan. Chef Marvin Braceros experiments on Filipino fusion, modernizing staples such as pansit, lumpia, palabok, and kare-kare. It was chosen as one of the best restaurants in Italy for 2018 by prestigious wine and food magazine, Gambero Rosso.
Australia
Rey’s Place
Location: 163 Crown St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Rey’s Place is Sydney’s first modern Filipino restaurant. The hip and casual eatery is the first of its kind – reinventing the classics while staying true to Filipino cuisine’s bold flavors. You’ll come for the food but stay for the cocktails – here, they pair Don Papa Rum with turon!
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Get in touch with the team if you’re a restaurant owner or a food find hunter at support@phonebooky.com to get listed on our database of over 15,000 restaurants in Metro Manila.
