The 20 Restaurants that Won 2015

Señor Pollo is the home of the ‘Famous Latin Chicken’ and second brainchild of the team behind El Chupacabra. Their menus may be different but the crowd and attention both Latin-inspired restaurants draw are almost neck and neck. Their secret? Good food and cheap beer! It’s for the younger crowd who don’t mind breaking a little sweat while eating. It’s not for people looking for seafood options. We recommend the Roast Chicken with Spicy Rice and Chimichuri on the sides or the Lechon Asado. Our insider tip is to turn the black light on in the restroom for a cool surprise. P.S. Parking may be challenging.

The Lost Bread is a container shop that specializes in over-the-top, whimsical french toasts and milkshakes. It is one of the 12 new food concepts at the Streat: Maginhawa Food Park in Maginhawa. It’s mainly for the locals and students living, studying or working in the UP Village area. It’s not for huge groups as it may be difficult to look for seats. We recommend the larger-than-life Carnival (a.k.a. Cotton Candy) Shake and the Campfire (a.k.a. S’mores) toasts. Here’s a fun fact: Their store name, The Lost Bread, is a direct translation of  ‘pain de perdu’, the stale bread used to make French toasts. P.S. The people behind The Lost Bread just opened a new dessert shop at the new Box Park food park in Congressional called Mr. Diggins.

RUB offers no frills American grub with of course ribs as their specialty dish plus sidings of your choice (much like Tomahawk Chops and Mad Mark’s). It’s for people who don’t mind getting their hands, and maybe faces, dirty. It’s not for people who don’t like small crowded spaces while dining. We recommend Raki’s BBQ Ribs with spiced fried rice and the Pizzadilla. Our insider tip is Rub Rib’s other branches accept reservations, but Rub Ribs Tomas Morato still gives discounts for walk-in customers with Booky Prime cards.

Bad Bird specializes in fried chicken flavored with umami spices. Umami is actually Japanese for ‘pleasant savory taste’ and is widely coined as the 5th taste (categorically in line with salty, sweet, sour and bitter) because of its unique attributes, learn more about it here. It is one of the 11 new food concepts that opened at the Hole in the Wall, an upscale food court in Century City Mall. It’s for everyone who loves a good fried chicken with a twist and spicy kick. It’s not for people who shy away from deep fried food. We recommend the Waffle Plate plus dirty rice, corn cobs and hush puppies on the side. Everyone seems to love their corn. Our insider tip is their gravy isn’t free.

Faburrito is a quick serve and healthy Mexican restaurant that serves freshly prepared wraps, burritos and other Mexican specials. Faburrito prides itself in being a Christian-centered company, providing great service to customers, correct training and compensation for employees and giving back to society through the FabFoundation. It’s for the health conscious citizens of Makati and workers on the go. It’s not for people looking for greasy Mexican food. We recommend the Mango BBQ Chicken tacos, Steak Burrito Bowl, and Chicken Quesadilla. Our insider tip is check in on Foursquare and instantly get 10% off of your order. P.S. 10% of all Faburrito proceeds go to helping children in need.

El Chupacabra is a Mexican-American restaurant serving street tacos, barbecue and cheap beer. The place originally served as the comissary of Mexicali. It’s for expats and locals looking for great Mexican food at an affordable price. It’s not for people who don’t like a smokey and noisy ambiance. We recommend their Carne Asada and Cabrito soft tacos. Our insider tip is in case you haven’t heard, El Chupacabra already bore 2 sons in the form of El Hijo de Cabra in Pasig, and El Cabrito in Greenhills. Check their location on the Booky app directory.

Friuli Trattoria is a nondescript little Italian restaurant along the popular Maginhawa St. in Teachers Village. It serves authentic Italian pizzas, pastas and dessert at a very affordable price. It’s for both meat and veggie lovers. It’s not for people living in the far South, although the taste may far exceed the journey. We recommend the Tre Formaggi, Margherita Pizza, Tuna & Mushroom Pasta and the Toasted Ravioli. Our insider tip is you can order 2 pizza flavors in 1 pizza.

Casa Verde, one of Cebu’s most popular dining destination, finally arrived in Manila in late 2013. It is a family-style American restaurant serving their signature value-for-money ribs, steaks and desserts. It’s for families and barkadas who enjoy fully-plated dishes to share. It’s not for intimate affairs. We recommend Brian’s Ribs, the Mighty Ton and Death by Chocolate. Here’s a fun fact: Most of the signature dishes on the menu are named after some members of the family. They have a spin-off restaurant in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City called The Porch, and they’ve recently opened a 2nd branch in SM Megamall.

‘Alab’, which is Tagalog for flame, serves classic and non-traditional Filipino dishes that are ‘burning with passion’. It’s for adventurous foodies looking for more than just traditional Filipino food. It’s not for the conservative eaters. Our insider tip is aside from the restaurant’s signature New York Cubao Cheesecake and Pichi Pichi dessert, they also serve unique flavored Pinoy ice creams including Laing and Kamote Q.

The Wholesome Table  is an organic restaurant that serves comfort food opened by Bianca Araneta-Elizalde who previously opened Aria in Boracay. All produce is organic and sourced locally where possible, the meat is pasture raised and ingredients are not processed or refined. It’s for the hip and health conscious. It’s not for people who drink carbtrim or coke zero. We recommend their powerbowls and smoothies. Check out their new wholesome superfoods like Chia Seeds, Acai Berry, and more. Our insider tip is that it’s dog-friendly so bring along your best buddy.

Your Local is a neighbourhood bistro serving South East Asian dishes with a twist. Opened by Chef Denny Antonino and Nicco Santos, the restaurant has a hipster meets industrial vibe and serves all day brunch together with their standard menu. It’s for yuppies at lunch time and everyone at dinner. It’s not for people who enjoy a wide selection of main dishes. We recommend the Lamb Rendang and Torched Salmon Donburi. Impress your date with their value-for-money 24 Hour Sous Vide Corn Fed USDA Choice Beef Short Rib. Our insider tip is to hop over to Yardstick after dinner for coffee through their revolving wall partition.

Tim Ho Wan, one of the most anticipated franchises to open in Manila in 2014, has been everyone’s go-to-dimsum when visiting Hong Kong; after all it is the cheapest One Michelin star in the world. It’s for everyone who loves good and fairly affordable dimsum and more, it’s not for people who hate long lines. Their crowd stealer is definitely the Baked Buns with BBQ Pork, we also recommend their Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling and Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp. Our insider tip is you can now order for take out, which has a separate and faster queue from dine-in customers.

Gino’s is a Neapolitan style pizzeria that serves freshly made 12-inch pizzas using their own kesong puti ­(white cheese). Named after the son of owners Jutes and Cello Templo, it is a cozy neighborhood pizzeria, their second branch after Katipunan. It’s for anyone who prefer something casual or want to order takeout. It’s not for foodies who want firm and crispy crusts. (Neapolitan pizzas are not your usual American pizzas). We recommend any of their burrata dishes, the SMEG pizza and the Salted Egg pasta. Don’t forget to use their spicy honey syrup. Here’s a fun fact: Gino’s is from the people that brought us Cello’s Dougnuts & Dips.

Wildflour Café + Bakery Fort Bonifacio is the original branch of this popular restaurant group offering international fare and specialty breads and cakes. It’s a bakery at heart and was the first purveyor of cronuts in Manila. It’s for people who enjoy the feeling of slow Sunday mornings. It’s not for people who want a quiet or quick meal. We recommend their grilled cheese salad and soup combo and their mushroom salad. Their bestsellers are the pulled pork sliders and the kimchi steak fried rice. Our insider tip is to get pastries for 50% off after 7PM, then hop over to The Farmacy after for some ice cream and milkshakes.

Kanto Style Breakfast serves breakfast favorites 24/7. ‘Kanto’, which means street corner in English, is a local term for a point where friends decide to meet. They are the modern and upgraded tapsihan/carinderia. It’s for people who want a good meal and deal for their Php 100. It’s not for people who want to eat in an air-conditioned room. We recommend their Batangas Beef Tapa, Honey Garlic Chicken and Mixed Berry Pancake. Our insider tip is visit their branches with the carinderia setup to experience the real kanto street-style dining. P.S. Get ready Makati, Kanto is coming to a corner near you.

The first of its kind, Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina is a rustic local restaurant serving the best of Mexican comfort food with a Filipino twist. It is a homegrown concept from Dagupan, Pangasinan and is now part of the Kapitolyo food community. It’s for friends looking for value-for-money Mexican food with filling servings. It’s not for people looking to impress on a first date. We recommend the Beef Nachos, Lamb Soft Tacos and Calliente Wings. Our insider tip is servings are quite big so order in moderation and add when needed, service time is quick enough.

True to its name, Locavore serves only locally grown and produced Filipino dishes with a French touch from Chef Mikel Zaguirre, former head chef of La Regalade. The open kitchen and industrial interiors adds to the modern upscale vibe of the restaurant. It’s for people who enjoy a twist to the classics. It’s not for a no-rice diet. We recommend the Sizzling Sinigang, Lechon & Oyster Sisig, and Ginataang Kalabasa. Our insider tip is to watch out for their seasonal market specials and new menu items. P.S. They are set to open a 2nd branch at Forbes Town Center in BGC!

Todd English offers food from all over the world in an upscale food hall setting. A large restaurant with 9 different food stations, it is branded after American celebrity chef Todd English. It’s for people who like big menus or want to eat in a big group. It’s not for dieters who are vulnerable to temptation.  We recommend the Mac n Cheese Lobster, Brooklyn Meatball Spaghetti and their flat breads. Our insider tip is that this restaurant is open until 11pm, perfect if you’re getting a late dinner after a movie date. P.S. If you’re a big group of 15-50 pax, you can reserve ‘The Balcony’ for a bespoke dining experience by Chef Brett Halfpap. Watch out for more food concepts from Foodee Global Concepts group here.

Rib City is a fun and interactive restaurant specializing in ribs but they also offer dishes like pasta, salads, soups and other mains. In line with their restaurant concept, they encourage guests to play and build legos while waiting for orders. It’s for barkada night outs or Saturday playdates with the kids. It’s not for people who are looking for a quiet place to work in. We recommend the Big City with CTY rice or the Twin Tower. Our insider tip is watch out for their poster signage, the store is found inside a building and may be easily missed. P.S. They just opened a 2nd branch in Mandaluyong, check location in the app.

You can always rely on Little Tokyo restaurants to bring you a tiny piece of Japan. This category of restaurant prefers to focus on consistent quality of food over any marketing campaigns. Izakaya Kikufuji serves fresh sashimi and affordable and tummy-filling bento sets. It’s for people who want to experience authentic Japanese style dining–kimonos, tatami mats, Japanese families and all. It’s not for those looking for a quick ramen bowl. Aside from their sashimi selections, we recommend their Wagyu sticks and spicy salmon sushi. Our insider tip is to claim one coupon for every P500 spent, for a free glass of beer on your next visit. P.S. Reservations are only accepted until 7pm.