Ready to experience Filipino food in a whole new dimension?
When we think of fine dining restaurants, we often associate it with international cuisines like French or Japanese fares and that of the Philippines. But despite this notion, more and more local chefs are venturing into the world of fine dining scene, proving that our well-loved, home-cooked Filipino food can be elevated into something more.
If you want to experience our Filipino dishes in a whole new light, here are some Filipino fine dining restaurants in Metro Manila that are totally worth the splurge.
1. Ilustrado
Address: 744 Calle Real del Palacio (Gen. Luna), Intramuros, Manila
Indulge in a richer, creamier adobo in Ilustrado.
Images: Ilustrado Restaurant
Established in 1989 by Boni and Rose Pimentel, Ilustrado is known as one of the few fine dining restaurants in Intramuros that serves Filipino and Spanish cuisine. Aside from its historic location, Ilustrado’s interior is also filled with classic Filipino furniture and fixtures that will take you back in the heydays of Manila.
For the food, one uniquely Filipino dish worth trying at Ilustrado is their Adobong Bagnet with Taba ng Talangka (PhP495). The scrumptious pork belly is cooked with soy sauce and vinegar creating the classic adobo (meat cooked in marinade), but made better and richer with the addition of the crab fat.
2. Victorino’s Restaurant
Address: 114 Scout Rallos corner Jamboree Tomas Morato, Quezon City
Splurge a little and try Victorino’s crispy bagnet chips.
Images: Victorino’s Restaurant
It’s no secret that Filipinos also take pride in our regional dishes, and one restaurant Ilocanos can be proud of is Victorino’s Restaurant. Located in a clandestine spot in Quezon City, Victorino’s house-turned-restaurant creates the perfect homey setting to enjoy their delectable meals.
If you’re missing the classic Ilocano dishes your mom used to make, try Victorino’s Poqui Poqui (PhP195), made with eggplant sautéed in tomatoes and onions. But if you’re itching for a good piece of pork, you can also order their Bagnet Chips (PhP350). It’s a modern take on the crispy pork dish, sliced thinly and makes for a good appetizer.
3. Abe
Branches:
Level M3, Trinoma Mall, North EDSA, Quezon City
2/F North Veranda, Entertainment Mall, SM Moa, Bay Boulevard, Pasay City
Lifestyle Strip, Alabang Town Center, Commerce Avenue, Muntinlupa City
3/L Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall Expansion Bldg D. EDSA cor. J. Vargas Ave., Mandaluyong City
Ground Level, Unit 76, The Shoppes at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino, 1 Asean Ave., Entertainment City, Tambo Parañaque City
Explore new and exciting dishes at Abe.
Images: Abe; @mommyciahciah
Another fine dining restaurant that serves regional dishes is Abe. Although they serve classic Filipino fares and various international selections, Abe is most known for their authentic Kapampangan dishes elevated to a new level but will still remind you of home.
Some of their best sellers include Binukadkad na PlaPla (PhP425) and Knockout Knuckle (PhP695). But if you’re an adventurous foodie, don’t leave Abe without trying their Betute (PhP350) made with fried frogs with pork, garlic, and various spices stuffed inside, or their Arobung Kamaru (PhP260) a native Kapampangan delicacy made with sautéed crickets, tomatoes, and onions.
4. XO 46 Heritage Bistro
Branches:
Ground Floor, Le Grand Building, 130 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Level 2, S Maison, Conrad Manila, Seaside Boulevard Corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Basement Level, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Oranbo, Pasig City
Second Floor, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City
Third Floor, SM Aura Premier, C5 Corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Eat your way through history and savor this unique kare kare at XO 36 Heritage Bistro.
Images: XO 46 Bistro Filipino; @ungjacob
Some great restaurants will take you on a journey through their food, and XO 46 Heritage Bistro will do just that. Each dish at XO 46 Heritage Bistro is inspired by our country’s colorful past up to our modern times with bits of regional dishes from all over the country. Even the interiors of their restaurant are inspired by ancestral homes of days past with their staff dressed in gorgeous native Filipino garb.
For a unique but still Filipino dish, try XO’s Kare Kareng Crispy Tadyang (PhP585). You’ll be served with a deconstructed version of the classic dish where instead of the usual oxtail, you’ll get deep-fried, deboned beef ribs with the thick and savory peanut sauce on the side.
5. Restorante Pia y Damaso
Branch: Level 2, Greenbelt 5, Legazpi Street, Ayala Center, Makati
Travel back in time and dine like Jose Rizal at Restorante Pia y Damaso
Images: @bambisygobio; @residenciabybambysigobio
Another restaurant that took advantage of our rich history and turned it into food is Restorante Pia y Damaso. Inspired by the characters of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Pia y Damaso takes pride in serving subversive Filipino cuisine as well as colonial dishes, or food influenced by our invaders. Even their restaurants are heavily inspired by Filipino and Spanish influences, giving a cozy yet elite vibe.
Curious what food tastes like during Rizal’s time? Order Pia y Damaso’s Langlang Binondo (PhP400). The noodle dish is made with pancit molo (Filipino dumpling), sotanghon (glass noodles), and lomi (egg noodles) mixed with shredded chicken, ham, and mushroom. The dish itself was mentioned in one of Rizal’s book, and has been in existence since the 1800s.
6. Felix
Branch: G/F Greenbelt 5 Unit 107-108, Makati City
Felix’s version of bistek tagalog is worth every penny.
Images: Felix Restaurant
Chef Florabel Co-Yatco is one of the most prominent names in the restaurant industry, and every time she opens a new restaurant a long line of hungry diners soon follow suit and Felix is no different. It’s a fine dining restaurant that serves a mixture of Eastern and Western cuisine, but at the heart of it all are amazing Filipino food reinvented to fit those with finer taste.
One of their must-try dishes is the U.S. Angus Beef Steak Tagalog with Fried Eggplant (PhP975). It’s an elevated version of the classic bistek, using U.S. Angus beef with strips of fried eggplant on the side. Make sure to also pair it with a piping cup of white rice.
7. Casa Daza by Chef Sandy
Branch: A210 2nd Level, UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave., UP Campus Diliman Quezon City
Come into Chef Sandy’s casa and enjoy this creamy stuffed pechay.
Images: @gitgetdc; @meganhawa
If you’re a fan of Chef Sandy Daza and his restaurant, Wooden Spoon, you’ll surely enjoy his other venture in the form of Casa Daza. One of Chef Sandy’s goals is to promote the greatness of Filipino food; hence, you’ll see various Filipino dishes, some familiar some new, but both inspired by his travels and years of experience in the culinary world.
If you’re craving for a new creation but still infused with Filipino flavors, try Chef Sandy’s new invention: Stuffed Pechay (PhP205). Its rolls of pechay (snow cabbage) stuffed with ground pork and flakes of tinapa (smoked fish) and doused in creamy coconut sauce.
Fine dining can also mean fine Filipino cuisine. Level up your feasting experience and dine at these fine dining restaurants serving awesome Filipino food. Let us know in the comments section which of these restaurants you’ll visit soon.
* Click the store links to see the exact addresses and contact numbers of featured establishments.
* Photos/Images are from the official websites and/or Facebook pages of featured establishments and/or organizers.
* Promo dates/Prices may change without prior notice.
