The best restaurants Luzon

Zoe's Kitchen is ideally located on the famous Boulevard. This restaurant, which was recommended to us by locals (we would probably not have turned over in front of it otherwise), serves a rather international kitchen a little revisited with the Filipino sauce as for the sisig pasta. We find a little of everything: meats, fish, burgers, pizzas (rather good), pastas, Mexican quesadillas, etc. The restaurant has a terrace on the second floor from which you have a nice view on the waterfront: go there at noon or at the end of the day to enjoy it.

Superb view of Mayon. Lovely house open all in bamboo. Excellent specialities from the region. You have to taste the gabi, a vegetable that looks like its taste and its appearance in Chile.

Korea Garden is above all a family story. The story of Kim Chung Ae, who when she fell in love with a Filipino soldier in 1952, left her country to come and settle in Manila. She started to cook for her friends and family and one thing led to another and a restaurant was born in 1974. For 50 years, all the great classics of Korean cuisine have been prepared here with great care (there is even a vegetarian menu) in a home-like atmosphere. kimbap, bibimbap, mandu... A treat! It is a must.

This beach and foot restaurant in the sand offers excellent German cuisine and seafood specialities. Very relaxed atmosphere. A pool is available for guests. A very good choice for a good evening at Marlou and Bernie (Marber!).

A chain that offers cooked chicken in all its forms and traditional Filipino. An institution.

It is the largest Chinese restaurant in Manila. The restaurant is specialised in seafood and is served in this environnement environment.

Ideally placed on the harbour, this hotel is especially suitable for good cuisine and for its superb surroundings.

In a rather exceptional setting since the restaurant is in the open air, on stilts, on the edge of the bay of Manila, one can taste fish specialities and Filipino dishes. To try: fried shrimps(nilasing na hipon), pork knuckles(crispy pata) or sizzling Gyudon (minced beef in sauce). You can also choose your own fish or crab and cook it as you like. The prices are a bit high for a quality and a service not incredible but the place makes up for it, especially at sunset.

It serves American dishes.

The former Josephine Buffet Restaurant, a Tagaytay institution, became Rosario Restaurant in 2023, with the same commitment to showcase the cuisine of the region, with fresh products and a "family meal" atmosphere. You can enjoy exquisite Filipino dishes such as shrimpcharon (fried shrimp marinated in rum), kilawing puso ng saging (mix of banana, pork, shrimp) for a small fee, while admiring the beautiful view of the lake and the Taal volcano, either from the air-conditioned restaurant or from its beautiful garden.

The restaurant serves Oriental inspired dishes and its specialty is kebab.

A small address for those who want to eat locally. The framework is rather nice. You can enjoy delicious Filipino dishes in the garden or in a house perched on the tree.

In this restaurant known for its good Filipino cuisine, you eat with your fingers, in the traditional way; moreover, you are served by a costumed staff who comes to sing some Filipino classics. The buffet is huge and offers all the Filipino classics as well as international dishes, at will. The less adventurous can always dine on the first floor where cutlery is accepted. If it's your birthday during the month, it's free for you if you come with two guests.

A renowned restaurant that serves Filipino and Spanish cuisine with international influences, often good, sometimes uneven: venison with vinegar and soy sauce (Adobadong Usa), goat stew (Kalderetang Kambing) and they are especially known for their paella. We dine in the heart of Intramuros, in a colorful decoration that recalls the colonial era (old house of the ^19th century restored). Adjacent, a café and a theater. Special menus are offered for occasions such as Father's Day or Valentine's Day.

The restaurant serves Italian specialities. Pizzas and pasta are very good and each dish is designed to be shared by two people.

The chicken is delicious. Mexican and Italian cuisine.

You can't spend the night, but accommodations (huts and grills) allow a picnic. There is also a restaurant, an amphitheatre, fruit stands, souvenir shops and a museum.

The restaurant is divided into two parts: the ground floor whose atmosphere resembles a fast-food and offers tea with meals. On the floor, the concept is different: We eat on poufs and there is a fairly varied wine and alcohol map. There is also a DJ that passes from the music of atmosphere. The rates are very affordable for each one and the specialty of the house is the soup of noodles in all its forms; they are delicious.

The kitchen is delicious.

International specialties. You can also take a coffee there.

It is certainly the most animated place in El Nido, on the water side (some tables on the beach). You can eat all sorts of things (including grilled fish). The atmosphere is pleasant, with concerts almost every evening.

Located near Burnham Park, this is one of the oldest restaurants in Baguio. It was built on the ruins of an old governor's house. The atmosphere is both rustic and warm with all the works of art and crafts. The place is popular with foreigners and Filipinos alike. It serves Filipino specialties such as longsilog (marinated pork pieces, fried rice with garlic, fried egg), kamote bread (sweet potato from the Cordillera)...

Here is a bar-restaurant decorated like a boat with a nice terrace on the beach. One of its specialities is to light a barbecue every evening and to propose grilled meat. Specialized in meats, vegetarians are not forsaken for all that, there are in particular good skewers of vegetables in the Satay sauce. We also appreciate its shrimps (succulent). Also rooms available. Very popular with travelers and especially very appreciated by the locals. It is one of our favorite addresses for the atmosphere and the quality of the dishes.

The restaurant serves excellent traditional Spanish cuisine. A good address to come and enjoy tapas.

It is an institution in Angono. The Balaw-Balaw restaurant takes its name from the speciality made of rice, fish and shrimps fermented in coconut wine. The cuisine (many specialties from the Rizal region such as Itik duck) is delicious, the decoration traditional and refined. While waiting for your meal, you can linger in its gallery of folk arts and antiques. Exhibitions of local artists are regularly organized.

This upscale restaurant is an institution, all the beautiful people of Manila come here just to have lunch or dinner in an enchanting setting. The interior is tastefully decorated with Filipino inspired wooden furniture. The beautiful outdoor terrace, lit up at the end of the day, offers a magnificent view of Taal Lake. Moreover, it is one of the best tables in the country, the European-inspired cuisine is refined, with exceptional meats on the menu (the duck confit is divine) and a menu that varies according to the chef's inspiration.

It offers Filipino and Chinese specialties: sinigang (bitter soup),crispy pata (pork shank) and the very popular barbecue chicken. Since then, this restaurant has had a lot of followers all over the capital. A restaurant as the Filipinos like them so much: large lively room, a relaxed and family atmosphere plus a menu full of meat specialties, the perfect combo for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cheap. A classic in Manila since 1936.

Although quite expensive, this Chinese restaurant is a safe value.

The decor is not terrible, but we eat it well.

It serves lumpias and spaghetti.

The French Alliance restaurant offers excellent French cuisine for very reasonable prices. The full menu changes every day.

Within the Atlantis Dive Resort, Toko's Restaurant is renowned as one of the best restaurants on the beach, with its shaded terrace right on the water's edge. The restaurant offers mostly international cuisine of high quality, which changes daily. With a speciality, the Mongolian wok with tasty meat. The atmosphere is certainly a little more distinguished but also friendly. The service is careful and attentive. Also on the menu, a wide selection of cocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks. We recommend it.

This restaurant, a little hidden in the vegetation, is a true haven of peace, in addition to serving, in the form of an all-you-can-eat buffet, a delicate and excellent food. It takes its name from the fact that here, the dishes are prepared with vegetables directly from the garden. It is delicious. The establishment also offers Bed & Breakfast formulas with of course breakfast and lunch or dinner included. A good address to go green.

Spaces have been arranged for picnic. 

Even if it's hard to believe when you see its faded yellow and green front, between fast food and supermarket, this restaurant is one of the institutions of the city since 1993! And nothing seems to have changed here, in the decoration or in the plate, since 30 years, for the greatest happiness of the nostalgic inhabitants and the travelers of passage. It is renowned for its Chinese and Filipino cuisine, including its delicious pancits, the best noodles in the region, or its sweet and sour lapu-lapu, a traditional Chinese fish dish.

It offers dishes based on fish or seafood as well as pizzas. Cocktails can also be enjoyed. The atmosphere is nice and the restaurant is open late in the night.

Prepares Chinese specialities.

This restaurant serves local cuisine in a modern yet cozy setting. There is also a terrace. On the menu are Filipino specialties such as pork adobo, fried fish or fish in sauce, grilled chicken, suckling pig (lechon), squid, spareribs with garlic and honey sauce, etc. The menu contains pictures so even if you don't know anything about it, it will be easier to make your choice. A good address to (re) discover a tasty Filipino cuisine! There are several Sentro 1171 in the rest of the city.

The Cable Cafe is one of the only places open in the evening in Bontoc, which is one of its big advantages. On the plate, you should not expect anything special. But it's better than nothing and it does the trick! Especially since it's a must since it's here, in the office right next door, that you can buy your bus tickets to go back to Manila for example. Nice to have a drink or a bite to eat before taking the bus next door!

There's a Mediterranean ambience both inside and outside the restaurant. The staff are very friendly. You can smoke hookah while enjoying oriental bread accompanied by halal meat or hummus. Try: lamb stew, Greek moussaka, souvlaki (marinated beef and chicken with vegetables and tzatziki), all kinds of curries, Middle Eastern salads and tea and coffee from all over the world.... In short, IMAM cuisine as they say: Indian, Mediterranean, African and Middle Eastern.

A not confused with fast-food Jollibee. It serves traditional, cheap cuisine.

Here is an address whose secret seems to be still well kept since even our guide, during our visit in March 2023, did not know it. Located in the heights of Banaue, near the Viewpoint, this very cosy and warm café-restaurant enjoys an exceptional view on the rice fields that you can appreciate from its terrace. You can enjoy very good breakfasts (pancakes, omelets and coffee!) as well as Filipino specialties such as chopsuey (vegetable dish), meats and curries, all accompanied... by rice, of course!

If the Ivatan kitchen does not seduce you, you can enjoy the good pizzas made by the Casa Napoli.

Ivatan restaurant restaurant, in a pretty rustic stone house. That is excellent. Sandwiches and fruit juices are also served. Also accommodation (rather summary but not expensive at all). For an evening not like others, you can organise a dinner at the Phare lighthouse.

Calle Arco is located in an old renovated house, with a neat, authentic and personal decoration. Here is a very good restaurant which proposes essentially a traditional Filipino cuisine and some western dishes. We recommend the sinigang na baka na may langka, a beef soup with tamarind. The place is very popular with local families who like to come and enjoy the large terrace of the restaurant (often quite full... but it's a good sign!). A good quality-price ratio.

A little away from the center of Vigan, this café-restaurant hidden in a garden of tropical and refreshing plants is a charming haven of peace. Nicely decorated, with its rustic furniture, in a well-kept garden, some come to buy plants and flowers, there are also bonsais. It serves mostly authentic Ilocana specialties in a relaxing atmosphere. The very fresh fruit juices are cheap and delicious. In the evening or on weekends, it is better to make a reservation, as it can be very crowded.

Located near Roxas Boulevard and Dolomite Beach, it's an unpretentious, no-frills spot but worth a stop if you're in the area at lunchtime. Fans of kebabs, hummus, falafel, tabbouleh and shawarmas cannot leave Manila without trying it here. It's simple, on-the-go food but made with good products and the portions are generous. The prices are quite reasonable and the atmosphere is friendly. A good place to eat on the go, in short!

Don't be fooled by the somewhat innocuous exterior of this restaurant. The interior, with its red brick walls, wooden tables covered with white tablecloths, and its bistro counter is reminiscent of Spain of course. The atmosphere (often with live music in the evening) is pleasant. In the plate, one has the embarrassment of the choice. First of all, you can enjoy some very good tapas before having a paella (the speciality) or roasted suckling pigs. An authentic and unpretentious address.

At the entrance of the charming San Luis passage, in an old colonial building where everything breathes the ^19th century, they serve a very good Filipino cuisine but also Spanish. Seafood paella, grilled meats, chicken Adobo, noodles... Try the seafood Amelie, a scallop, shrimp and crab meat puff pastry, served with a beef medallion. At lunch, a reasonably priced buffet is served. In the evening, a traditional dance performance enlivens the dinner.

At La Preciosa, we serve mainly typical quality Ilocana cuisine. We enjoy bagnet (fried pork), dinengdeng (vegetable and grilled fish soup) or pinakbet (local vegetables simmered with bagoong fish and pork chicharons). It is very good. For dessert, the local star is the carrot cake (literally covered with grated carrots). As for the atmosphere, the decoration seems not to have been changed for a long time, it gives a touch of authenticity and nostalgia, why not. A good address and for a good price.