Updated as of March 30, 2023; 10 p.m.
(SPOT.ph) Filipinos have been all over of the planet long before Zagat deemed our food "an emerging cuisine" in 2013. No one ever had to look too far for a taste of home. We listed 10 Filipino restaurants around the world that make the country a little bit closer to Pinoys worldwide while introducing things like adobo and biko to a global audience.
With the exception of the United States, we only chose one Filipino restaurant per country. Chains like Jollibee, Max's, and Goldilocks were not considered. SPOT.ph recognizes that there are more than 10 Filipino restaurants around the world. This list is not ranked.
ALSO READ: 10 Best Filipino Restaurants in Manila
Filipino restaurants around the world:
Rice Terraces
Photo from Rice Terraces website
After the success of fine-dining concept Philippine Islands comes this casual sit-down that takes pride not only in the worldly flavors of Filipino cuisine, but also in one of the man-made wonders of the world, located in the Mt. Province. With a sign in shamrock green under the blue and red Filipino flag, Rice Terraces offers an extensive selection of Filipino staples from tinolang manok to San Miguel Beer. To really create that authentic ambiance, this restaurant also offers a "kamayan" setup where guests can eat with their hands. This, on top of catering, wholesale, and delivery services.
Rice Terraces is at 93 St. Leonard's Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Kasama
This modern Filipino restaurant in Chicago is owned by real-life partners Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores. The pair cook up modern dishes with Filipino flavors and elements—think adobo using maitake mushrooms and pancit with Serrano ham. They were awarded a Michelin star for the first time in the Michelin Guide Chicago in 2022.
Kasama is at 1001 N Winchester Ave, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
La Mesa
Photo from La Mesa website
La Mesa looks like one of those upscale, intimate restaurants we see in the Philippines: dim lighting, rattan lanterns, woodwork. The décor is "native" without being naïve-as if to quietly usher in Australians to the mighty flavors of Filipino food. A loyal clientele and word of mouth slowly built up La Mesa's reputation, and now new customers come in regularly. Dishes are classic, such as bagnet, pinakbet, chicken adobo, cassava, and biko, with options for ala carte or banquet-sized servings.
La Mesa is at 19 Goulburn Street, Haymarket, Sydney, Australia.
Casa Manila
Photo from Casa Manila website
This just in: Casa Manila is making suckling pig a part of their special Easter offerings. Zoom us to Canada right now. This restaurant describes their version of Filipino fare as "unique, delicious, and healthy." While we can't think about that last adjective without imagining a roasted pig with an apple in its mouth, this award-winning locale knows their Pinoy flavors well: lumpia, ensalada, kaldereta, bangus, and more. The décor takes inspiration from the tropics, with bamboo fences, nipa fringes, and white lattices that make you feel you're seaside.
Casa Manila is at 879 York Mills Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Other Filipino restaurants in Toronto: Lamesa Filipino Kitchen, Sampaguita Village, Tocino Boys, Jollytops
Little Quiapo
Photo from Little Quiapo Restaurant website
Little Quiapo was established in 1979 to give Filipinos in Chicago a good taste of home. It's known for consistency as well as a buffet from Tuesday to Sunday served on a jeep-turned-smorgasbord. Little Quiapo has bilao-sized servings perfect for big family celebrations-how very Filipino, we must say. The place can get pretty crowded, especially during the weekends. Their large space, decked in wooden lattices and red chairs, can also accommodate a banquet for 150 people with two smaller function rooms for more intimate affairs. They also offer whole lechon available for ordering in advance.
Little Quiapo is at 6259 N. McCormick Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Other Filipino restaurants in Chicago: Isla Pilipina, Uncle Mike's, Ruby's Fast Food
Tambayan Kinishicho
Photo from Tambayan Kinishicho Facebook page
This nook takes pride in being one of the longest-running Filipino restaurants in Japan. It's small, just a short stretch of restaurant with two rows of tables installed on both sides. But this joint expresses Filipino hospitality like no other. Despite the tight space, Tambayan makes guests comfortable with cushioned booths and chairs, and occasional all-you-can-eat specials. With strong a catering and baking arm, it's great for Filipino celebrations.
Tambayan Kinishicho is at 4-13-13 Kotobashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Maharlika and Jeepney
Photo from Maharlika NYC website
It's impossible to separate these two restaurants. Maharlika is one of those places that put Filipino cuisine on the map-and in bustling New York, that's not an easy feat. Unlike other Filipino restaurants, Maharlika doesn't pretend to imitate your mother's home-cooked meals. Here, tradition is innovated upon and dishes come out looking more like a showcase of reinvented Filipino food that serves as a gateway for those unacquainted with the cuisine.
Jeepney is Maharlika's livelier, more relaxed, more colorful younger sister, also featuring updated Filipino dishes.
Maharlika is at 111 First Avenue corner 7th Street, New York, New York, USA. Jeepney is at 201 First Avenue corner 12th Street, New York, New York, USA.
Other Filipino restaurants in New York: Purple Yam, Cendrillon, Talde, Pig and Khao, Ugly Kitchen, Pan de Sal (their pan de sal costs $2.50 a piece)
Lutong Pinoy
Photo from Lutong Pinoy UK website
This cozy joint was founded by a small London-based family in 1996. Simple home cooking is the premise. In typical Filipino fashion, the menu is huge, varied, and affordable. We love how they put special emphasis on Gina juices, a brand which has become widely popular in its own right. On Wednesdays, they only eat kamayan-style, complete with banana-leaf table covers and palayoks.
Lutong Pinoy is at 10 Kenway Road, London, United Kingdom.
Other Filipino restaurants in London: Josephine's, Kusinang Munti, Kabayan
Delmon
Photo from www.iliveinafryingpan.com
Delmon is one of those no-frills hole-in-the-wall types. It's not about being spectacular or novel or outstanding. Rather, it's a reliable little place for a good bowl of sinigang or goto. The tapa is delightfully tangy, the sinangag is generously garlicky, the adobong manok is juicy and perfect. Delmon isn't always a crowd-pleaser to the most discerning of palates, but it's always a consistent place for cheap comfort.
Delmon is at Karama, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Pogiboy
Helmed by Chefs Tom Cunanan and Paolo Dungca, D.C.-based Filipino establishment Pogiboy isn't afraid to give fast-food grub the Filipino flavor treatment. Fried chicken, for example, is seasoned with tamarind and chili so as to evoke sinigang. Their signature Tocino Burger (with tocino patties, caramelized pineapple, and green papaya atsara) also famously made it to the cover of Food & Wine in 2022.
Pogiboy is at 1110 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, U.S.A.
Honorable mentions:
Bonifacio
Photo from The Best Singapore
Bonifacio, named for the revolutionary founder of Katipunan, is a five-year-old restaurant born of the partnership between one Filipino and three Singaporeans who love the culture. The restaurant is simple, highlighting Filipino homecooked classics. The interiors are basic enough for a Sunday lunch habit, yet refined enough for celebrations. Just like many restaurants here, Bonifacio has a wall covered with celebrity visitors-Filipino and otherwise. One must-try is the Bayan Ko which is like their version of tortang talong. As of 2023 the restaurant has closed.
Bonifacio is at 35 Kreta Ayer Road Chinatown, Singapore.
Other Filipino restaurants in Singapore: 7,107 Flavours, Mang Kiko's, Kabayan
Café Manila
Photo from Cafe Manila website
Filipino is considered exotic in Ireland and Café Manila's eclectic roster of sizzling sisigs and kare-kare introduces a different kind of flavor profile compared to black pudding. Apart from setting up Filipino flavors to Ireland, Café Manila also presents a certain kind of cultural experience-karaoke nights and beauty pageantry (there's one called Bb. Ireland and another called Ginoong Filipino). As of 2023 the restaurant has closed.
Café Manila is at 74 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, Ireland.
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