10 Must-Try Restaurants for Your Next Food Trip In and Around Banawe
There's always something new in this food haven of a neighborhood.
(SPOT.ph) When one hears the word "Banawe," two things come to mind: first, it's the go-to when you need your car fixed or are missing parts, and second, it's a food lover's paradise. While you think you know Banawe like the back of your hand, we're willing to bet that none of your usual go-to's are on this list. After all, when it comes to food, there's always something that's new to discover. Below, we list down 10 restaurants to add to your list of essentials.
Also read: 10 IG-Friendly Cafés in Alabang for Your Next Trip South
Check out these 10 Banawe restaurants for your next food trip:
Oedo Japanese Restaurant
If you want affordable but authentic Japanese fare, a visit to Oedo is a must. The restaurant has a warm and cozy Japanese ambiance (the owner is an architect by profession, after all!) that adds to the dining experience. Some of the menu items you ought to try are the succulent and juicy Wagyu Saikoro (P550/100 grams) cooked teppanyaki style, their Mixed Yakitori (P350) which carries a variety of meats, or their crowd-favorite Oedo Chirashi (P1,450/whole; P900/half) which has mouthwatering slices of salmon, tuna, uni, ika, lapu-lapu, tamago, shrimp, and a generous heaping of salmon roe.
Oedo Japanese Restaurant is at 105 Sto. Domingo Avenue corner Sgt. Alcaraz Street, Quezon City.
Tra Vinh
Tra Vinh may not be "local" to Banawe, given that they have a branch in San Juan, but this Vietnamese restaurant deserves a mention on this list. Everyone knows that a hearty bowl of pho is what one needs after a grueling week at work. Order yourself the Combination Beef Noodle (P280/regular; P370/large) and slurp away the stress. In case you're a spice fan, you might want to get yourself a bowl of the Spicy Combination Noodle (P280/regular; P370/large) that'll leave you wanting more. Of course, a trip to a Vietnamese restaurant isn't complete if you don't order the Special Fresh Spring Roll (P190) which has both prawn and pork as well as a nice, cool glass of Vietnamese Iced Coffee (P120) to wash it all down.
Tra Vinh is at Unit 3, 109 N.S. Amoranto corner Cordillera Street, Quezon City.
Kimpo Tea House
A Banawe institution at this point, those that live in the neighborhood know that the Kimpo Tea House used to be Han Pao Tea House, a dim sum spot that's been around since the '90s. While they may have changed their name and moved a few buildings away from their OG location, the taste and quality of their fare remain the same. Want to get a head start on your food trip? Not to worry as the restaurant opens as early as 8 a.m.! Get yourself a steaming hot serving of their best-selling Asado (P265), the spicy Sze Chuan Beancurd (P124), as well as a filling bowl of Fish Lip Soup (P189).
Kimpo Tea House is at 706 Banawe Street, Quezon City.
G&G Fried Chicken
Should you decide you want a light but filling merienda during your visit to the neighborhood, one place you can check out is one of Taiwan's more popular chicken shops, G&G Fried Chicken. Sate your chicken hankerings with the Signature Taiwanese Style Chicken Chop (P145) or the bite-sized Crispy Chicken Poppers (P135), both of which can be served in their original flavor profile or a spicier version.
G&G Fried Chicken is at 161 Kanlaon Street, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City.
Khao Khai
Khao Khai might have originated in Poblacion but those living in the North are ecstatic that the Thai restaurant is finally in their side of the Metro. If all you know about Thai cuisine are Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup, well, you're in for a surprise when you visit Khao Khai. The restaurant prides itself is showcasing the varied flavors of Thai food, all without the need to fly abroad. If you ask us what to munch on, why not give their best-seller, Gai Tod (P128/1 piece; P239/2 pieces; P347/3 pieces) a try? The Bangkok "street-style" fried chicken comes with sticky rice and a refreshing papaya salad.
Khao Khai is at 447 Del Monte Avenue, Quezon City.
Yanzi
A new addition to the neighborhood, Yanzi is a concept by Lido Cucina Tsina (an institution itself) that highlights claypot rice as its hero offering. Their signature Yanzi Pot Rice (P366) has a generous serving of boneless pork rib and their Drunken Lechon Macau layered on top of a sauce-saturated bowl of rice. Veggie lovers, or vegetarians in general, would also be glad to know that Yanzi offers Vegetarian Pot Rice (P366) which has white and red rice topped with mixed beans, corn kernel, and black mushrooms.
Yanzi is at 87 Banawe Street near Samat Street, Quezon City.
Corner Café + Deli
There's something oddly comforting about the idea of breakfast any time of the day. At Corner Café + Deli, you can get all day brekky, amplified by its brightly-lit interiors and great-tasting coffee. The Korean-inspired café has your traditional Farmer's Pork Tocino (P320), as well as Rib Eye Tapa (P350). If you want a more Western approach, they also have a Full English Breakfast (P380) with bacon strips, baked beans, eggs, grilled tomato, herbed shitake mushrooms, and toast.
Corner Café + Deli is at 123 Sto. Domingo Ave, Quezon City.
Firefly Coffee
Banawe isn't only a hub for great-tasting Asian eats. In fact, the neighborhood is also home to a ton of coffee spaces that deserve to be recognized. If you want a smooth cup of joe to keep you going, a visit to Firefly Coffee in Sto. Domingo is a must. Caffeine fiends would be sure to appreciate their Dirty White (starts at P195) which contains a double shot of espresso. They also have the Auro Mocha (starts at P215) which has fine dark chocolate and espresso. Best part? They have bottled versions of their drinks in case you want to take them home.
Firefly Coffee is at C1, 112 Sto. Domingo Avenue, Quezon City.
Prominent Manila
Another coffee shop worth visiting is Prominent. The quaint coffee shop—which actually made it to our list of minimalist café spaces in the Metro—has specialty brews that both coffee aficionados and budding enthusiasts would appreciate. For a fun, IG story moment, order yourself the Butterball (P180) that comes with butterball-infused milk for pouring over coffee ice cubes. The Chocnut Mocha (P150), on the other hand, is an espresso-based drink that reminds you of your childhood afternoons spent playing at the park.
Prominent Manila is at 49 Scout Oscar M. Alcaraz St, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City.
Ben's Halo-Halo Ice Cream
Dubbed as "Laguna's creamiest Halo-Halo", Ben's is one of the best ways to cap off your Banawe food excursion. Located on the same street as G&G Fried Chicken and the nearby Lourdes Church, Ben's sells your traditional halo-halo and mais con yelo but what sets it apart from other establishments is their Spicy Winter (P110). The dessert plays around the spicy and sweet combination by way of chopped chilis and a sprinkling of chili powder that adds a lingering, burning sensation that counters the sweetness and coldness of the dessert.
Ben's Halo-Halo Ice Cream is at 159 Kanlaon Street, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City.
Le Ching Tea House
Some of the best food selections they offer include Spareribs Rice and Spareribs with Tausi. If you're interested in trying out Le Ching Tea House, starting with their Spareribs Rice would be a good choice!
Le Ching Tea House is at 888 Banawe Street, Quezon City and Greenhills Shopping Center, Shoppesville, San Juan.
Nabe Japanese Izakaya and Hotpot
Nabe Japanese Izakaya and Hotpot offers a diverse menu primarily focused on unlimited hotpot options. There are numerous available soup base options, such as soymilk sesame, spicy soymilk, and curry. Aside from the usual hotpot components, you can also have other selections, such as fried gyoza, chicken karaage, salmon belly, and sushi.
Nabe Japanese Izakaya And Hotpot is at 780 Banawe St 1114 Quezon City Metro Manila.
Jung's Kitchen
Jung's Kitchen offers a variety of typical Korean grilled choices, including beef, pork, and chicken. If you need to get the gang together after a long time of "drawing," the restaurant has private rooms available for reservations. So far, the beef and samgyeopsal are some of their best selections.
Jung's Kitchen is at Fil-Am Friendship Highway 2009 Angeles City Central Luzon and 91 Santo Domingo Brgy Sienna Quezon City.
Jiang Nan Hotpot
Jiang Nan Hotpot, established in 2017 by Jiang Nan Shi Fu Food Corporation, has been providing authentic Chinese cuisine and hotpot experiences in the Philippines.
They offer a variety of sauces, and they recommend mixing your own preferred taste from their sauce menu. One popular sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, chili oil, sesame seeds, sesame sauce, spring onion, and garlic, which can be described as having a balance of sweet and spicy with a hint of garlic.
If you're the adventurous type when it comes to food, you can try out a lot of combinations because they have 13 meat products, four seafood options, nine types of balls, 13 vegetable products, six mushroom varieties, three types of noodles, and five kinds of tofu.
Jiang Nan Hotpot is at 223 Nicanor Garcia, Makati City.