Abi Marquez a.k.a Lumpia Queen's Fave Restaurants (And Why!)

(SPOT.ph) It's no exaggeration to say that foodie-turned-content creator Abi Marquez has come a long way carrying the tag "Lumpia Queen," making waves locally and internationally The latest feather in her cap: being challenged by Gordon Ramsay to reimagine his signature Beef Wellington in lumpia form. Marquez accepted the challenge, of course, and the result earned a thumbs up from the world-renowned chef. "Absolutely stunning," he said. 

Abi's unconventional lumpia recipes have caught the attention of the world but what dishes and restaurants have won the well-loved content creator's heart? That's the question SPOT.ph posed to Abi recently in a candid interview and she very gamely, generously spilled the deets on her current faves.

Also read: Lumpia Queen Abi Marquez Proves That Yes, There's a Career in Food Vlogging

Abi Marquez spills the tea on her favorite restaurants —and the dish/es she absolutely loves from each! Here they are:

Gogodak

The restaurant on top of Abi's list is Gogodak, home of authentic Korean chicken and bunsik a.k.a food made of flour or just simple Korean dishes, like ramyeon, tteok, kimbap, and bibimbap. Abi loves their fried chicken, and her go-to order is the soy garlic and snow cheese-flavored one. "Crunchy 'yung chicken, light lang 'yung sauce," she tells us. And it stays crunchy, too, she adds—for around an hour or two, at least from her experience.

Gogodak is located at Shaw Boulevard, San Antonio, Pasig City; E. Rodriguez, Quezon City; and Jupiter Street, Makati Avenue.

Aling Banang's

Her number one when it comes to dishes, meanwhile, is a pancit from Aling Banang's. The San Juan-born pancit and halo-halo stop is a go-to for some real good Filipino comfort food—which includes lumpia, among others. But we're talking about the pancit here, which Abi can't seem to get enough of. "Sobrang sarap. Oh my god," Abi shares. In fact, she confesses to Spot that she once finished four plates of it. "Para siyang pancit na may lechon kawali sa ibabaw. 'Yung mismong pancit ang wild. Basta ang sarap." We're sold.

Aling Banang's in San Juan is located at 240 N. Domingo Street, San Juan, but it has branches in Quezon City, Makati, Pasig, and Paco, Manila.

Cibo

Abi loves Italian cuisine so you know the local chain founded by Margarita Forés, Cibo, has a spot on her list. "I love Cibo kasi mahilig ako sa clean flavors," she explains. Cibo has been satisfying many a city-dwellers' Italian cravings since it opened in Manila in 1997, and it's been satisfying Abi's for quite a while now. Good thing it's very accessible. "So 'pag nasa MOA (Mall of Asia) ako or Nuvali, [I go for] Cibo. Tsaka not bad 'yung prices kasi big naman 'yung servings," Abi adds.

You can check out the nearest Cibo online.

Gerry's Grill

Ah, Gerry's Grill. While this famous kainan and inuman has been many Filipinos' go-to for decades, Abi shares she only recently fell in love with the homegrown family restaurant. To be more specific, she fell in love with their lechon kawali. Gerry's Grill serves everyone's all-time Filipino faves like sisig, crispy pata, and beef kare-kare, among others. They have local and international outposts, too; they're in the United States, Singapore, Qatar, and even the United Arab Emirates.

You can check out the nearest Gerry's Grill online.

Manam

If there's one word to describe Manam's Patis Fried Chicken, it is, to quote the Lumpia Queen, "Lovely." She also loves their Crispy House Sisig, which is one of the dishes the restaurant is known for next to Crispy Pancit Palabok, Sinigang na Beef Short Rib and Watermelon. Manam has in recent years earned the reputation of being one of the most reliable restaurants locals bring their balikbayan relatives and friends to, or when they need to show a foreigner what Filipino food tastes like. First opening in 2013, Manam now has branches all over the city and recently opened an outpost in Singapore. 

Iya's Kare-Kare

If you're a fan of kare-kare (and let's be honest, who isn't?), you can check out Iya's Kare-Kare, says Abi. She first got a taste of it in 2023, thanks to Erwan Heussaf's recommendation, and says it's the best kare-kare she's had. Even now, Iya's Kare-Kare continues to be on her fave resto list. 

Iya's Kare-Kare is located at 3 Betty Go Belmonte New Manila, Quezon City.

Sushi Ninja

Get the gyudon and salmon sashimi from Sushi Ninja, Abi tells this writer. The restaurant can only be found in Alabang but it's worth the drive if you're craving sushi. "Parang 300 or 500 for six pieces pero sobrang lalaking hiwa," Abi says, vividly recalling the size of the slices. 

Sushi Ninja is located at The Serenity Place, Westgate Center, Filinvest Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa. They accept orders through their hotline (85567706 for landline; 0917 837 8744 for mobile).

Wildflour

We always make room for dessert, and this list is no exception. Abi's favorite is Wildflour's Cremadettes, a.k.a the lovechild of croissants and otap. This is a puff pastry with a variety of fillings, which we also sang praises for when we first had a taste of it.

You can check out the Wildflour branches nearest you online.

Also read: Wildflour’s New Pastry Is Like Croissant-Otap Hybrid Heaven and Here’s Why We’re Obsessed

Mang Larry's 

We're about to wrap up our interview when Abi has a lightbulb moment. She isn't done sharing yet, apparently. The thing she remembers we must include in her list? The famous Mang Larry in the State University and its isaw baboy. The girl's an Iska, after all, having finished her Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. (She graduated Magna cum laude.) "Mang Larry's isaw baboy is love," she says.

Mang Larry is located in E. Jacinto Street, U.P. Diliman, Magiting Street in Teacher's Village, and at University of Sto. Tomas. They accept orders online through Facebook and text.

Also read: Lumpia Queen Abi Marquez Is Going International With the Funniest Collabs