Manila Munchies
If you’re looking for a place to dine in Manila, you have no shortage of options. This short post will give you a rundown of my top 5 favorite and “go to” eateries.
Manam: This was one of my first forays into Filipino food when I arrived in Manila. 10 out of 10 would recommend. Obviously. They offer a modern take on traditional Filipino fare and also offer family style servings. My usual orders are Laing, house crispy sisig, chicken inasal skewers, sinigsng na baboy sa sampaloc, and of course rice.
Salcedo Market: I usually start my Saturdays with a trip to the Salcedo market. This farmers market is a great place for everything from produce, to seafood, and even plants. There are tons of vendors and you’ll be hard pressed to leave empty handed. My usual order is chicken tikka from the Indian cuisine stall.
Little Flour/ Wildflour: Wildflour and it’s little sister restaurant, Little flour never disappoint. They serve both Filipino bites and some Western eats as well. If nothing else you must try the baguette and brown butter. It is truly heavenly. I tend to get either the adobo fried rice which is braised pork belly over some tasty rice or the baby mixed green salad. They are also a bakery so there’s tons of treats! If you’re feeling a bit under the weather, I swear by their ginger turmeric tea.
Dean & DeLuca: While this isn’t exclusive to Manila, it is a place a frequent often. I’m there so often for one main reason…the CAKE! Do yourself a favor and find your nearest Dean & DeLuca. Then order one slice of every cake, and two of the coffee crumble.
Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza: On those days that I’m craving pizza, Gino’s really hits the spot. I start with the house salad and then go for the margherita pizza. Its a classic combo and Gino’s does it very well.
Baby greens salad at Wildflour. Photo by J.Lynn
