Our Favorite Restaurants In The Luzon Island, Philippines

POSTED JULY 3, 2017

Eating in the Philippines was one of our favorite activities and a time to spend quality time with family. Filipino food is influenced by many cultures including Spanish, Chinese, and Malaysian among others. All you need is your hands to devour all the yummy food served throughout the many eateries in the Philippines. If you are not used to eating with your hands, then use a spoon and fork just like any other Filipino person. The fresh seafood exceeded our expectations and we were always happy to find a variety of dishes that kept our tummies happy!

 

Mama Piping

This is one of the go to places for locals that live near the San Fabian region. This restaurant is located near the water and its setting is made of many small bamboo huts lined down the river bed. The restaurant has food servings that are big enough to share with the whole family. We loved their garlic rice, their fried fish, their bangus belly dishes, and their shrimp selections.

 

Jacobo’s Seafood Grill

We highly recommend this beautiful restaurant in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. You can witness the beautiful sunsets and enjoy a relaxing evening with friends and family. On weekends, they have live music that adds magic to this awesome place. This restaurant not only has an amazing location over a fishing pond, but it provides the best seafood dishes in the area. Our favorite was the bangus dish and their coconut shrimp. We loved this place so much that we ended up going there about three times to continue trying their excellent Filipino and Pangasinan-style dishes.

 

Matutina’s Seafood House and Restaurant

This restaurant is so welcoming and delicious. This restaurant is rated very high in the area and we, of course, had to try it. We were not disappointed! The service is excellent and we felt as if we were eating at one of our family’s house. The grilled calamari is to die for, even for those who are not crazy about the calamari texture. The boneless bangus is also very popular here. In general, the seafood was so good. For dessert, we had the most exquisite leche flan we’ve ever tried. That says a lot especially since it is a well-known dessert to Filipinos. The restaurant accommodated us with great service and we will keep coming back the next time we are around.

 

50’s Diner

If you are craving Western comfort food, try the 50’s Diner in Baguio. This diner is located near the Mansion House and across from Wright Park. It is casual-dress and has affordable prices. They also serve Filipino food but most people go here for burgers, pork chops, fries, and milkshakes. We had a combination of both and ordered some yummy shrimp with its sauce and a side of fries, pancit-palabok, and garlic bread. For a quick bite, this was perfect!

 

Mushroom Burger Restaurant

If you find yourself in Tagaytay, make sure you head over to this mouth-watering place. For those vegetarian friends, this is a must for burgers! You can find mushroom fries that will melt your senses with their amazing flavor. The burgers are incredibly tasty and big enough for you to indulge. We went during lunch time and there was a long wait to order, but it was definitely worth it.

 

Shabu One

Located in the heart of Manila and not too far away from the Mall of Asia, is this restaurant that offers excellent customer service, fresh ingredients and cuts. We kept getting meat and it seemed like it was never ending. One thing that was different from this location than those in the U.S., is that they also serve seafood that you can combine with your hotpot. For dessert, we had the best fresh, ripe mangoes we’ve ever tasted. We enjoyed the fun and positive energy from this place. And the price was very reasonable too.

 

Jolliebee

Although we are not into fast food chain restaurants, when in the Philippines, we had to try the popular fast food chain Jolliebee. Filipinos swear that there is a difference in taste from the rest of the franchise restaurants outside of the Philippines. And we believe them! In fact, our first meal after landing in Manila was a yummy meal from Jolliebee. The fried chicken and the Filipino-style spaghetti loaded with sausage, beef, and cheese were our favorite meals there. Give it a try and tell us what you think! If you live around the Bay Area, you are also gifted with this treat.