Locals' Favorite Dining District in Old Manila

As the flagship restaurant of LJC Restaurant Group, Café Adriatico has been around for more than 30 years and has become a landmark in the dining district of Malate. It serves a full menu of Filipino, American, and Spanish dishes. Some of the specialties it offers are spareribs adobo, chicken ala kiev, callos, lengua estufada, burger, and pancit palabok. Also a must-try when you visit the place is the cafe’s authentic Spanish hot chocolate.

Café Adriatico has branches at Gateway Mall in Cubao in Quezon City and SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Locals and foreigners alike can have a great dining experience in a bistro setting at Bistro Remedios. For more than 25 years, the restaurant has been serving Filipino dishes in Malate. It offers binukadkad na pla-pla, gulay magalang, bamboo rice, and crispy tadyang. Entering the wooden door of Bistro Remedios is reminiscent of the old times, and the large wooden dining tables inside encourage the Filipino tradition of eating together with the family. Another highlight of dining at Bistro Remedios is the trio that serenades customers with Tagalog and regional songs. For large groups of 12 to 50 people, there are function rooms available for private dining.

If you’re looking for a homey restaurant without too much crowd, you can visit Purple Yam Malate. Since July 2014, the restaurant has been serving reimagined Filipino food with fresh, seasonal ingredients from local producers. Purple Yam Malate is in a 1950s ancestral home that gives the atmosphere of eating at your grandparents’ house. You can fill your belly with delicious dishes such as fresh lumpia rolls, chicken adobo, steamed mudcrabs, halo-halo, and homemade ice cream. It is recommended to make reservations two days in advance to secure slots.

Craving for bibimbap and yakiniku? You can drop by Korean Village, a favorite go-to place of locals for anything Korean. Of course, you can also find the usual favorites such as bibimbap, japchae, grilled meat, and kimchi. The restaurant also offers Japanese food such as sushi and tempura.

If Singaporean cuisine and other Asian dishes are what you’re after, Tao Yuan Restaurant has something for you. Laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, shrimp mantis, chili crab, cereal prawns, steamed fish, and crab claws with shrimp meat are just some of the favorites at this dining establishment. And you can also enjoy Hong Kong and Chinese dishes there if you crave some.

Shabu-shabu is the name of the game at Lau Chan Shabu Shabu & Fast Foods. Sate soup is a favorite among many customers, but they also have Malat Tong soup for those who like it spicy. The restaurant offers a wide range of other dishes as well, including yang chow fried rice, Peking roasted duck, soy chicken, bean curd, and shrimp balls.

Another landmark in Malate is The Oarhouse Pub. It was opened in 1977 by Charles Monroe, a retired US Navy pilot. The Oarhouse Pub attracts a diverse mix of customers—foreigners and local musicians and artists frequent the place. When you come to chill at this pub, you can enjoy staples such as chicharon bulaklak, grilled sausages, and burgers, then wash everything down with local or imported beers.

Looking for a dining establishment with live music? You may want to consider having dinner at TheBar1951. The bar usually features local musicians to entertain diners. While enjoying the music, you can also satisfy your taste buds by having a try at their scrumptious dishes, including lasagna with grilled eggplant, chicken quesadilla, tacos, and shanghai rolls. When food and music have come and gone, viewing the works of art displayed around the place will give a quiet ending to your night at TheBar1951.

Malate has so much to offer as far as the food scene is concerned, so if you happen to be in the area, make an effort to try any of these dining establishments. Their offerings are so diverse that you will surely find something to whet your appetite. Happy eating!