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What one finds comforting may not necessarily be the same for another. As such, comfort food can be subjective. However, one thing we can all agree on is these dishes evoke certain emotions and bring you back to childhood. They’re more nostalgic than they are flavorful.
Also Read: 15 Restaurants in the Greenfield District
With adulthood hitting us a bit too much, it’s nice to take a break and fall back to something comforting. We’ve rounded out the best places to get comfort food that makes everything better.
Pepeton’s Grill and Catering
Pepeton’s Grill and Catering offers different Filipino comfort foods that will transport you back to childhood. Their bulalo, chopseuy, and assortment of sinigang taste like home, the essence of comfort food. And if you’re looking for familiar street food, their barbecue hits the spot, especially the tenga q.
Banh Mi Kitchen
Banh Mi Kitchen is for anyone looking for a light Vietnamese meal. As you might have guessed, the star of the show is the banh mi. It’s comfort food that provides a warm, cool, crisp, and fragrant sensation that should bring back memories. Pair it with their Vietnamese coffee that’s perfectly strong and rich.
Tolit’s Peri Peri
Tolit’s Peri-Peri is known for its peri-peri chicken, fried chicken, grilled liempo, and back ribs. All these dishes are often part of family gatherings in the Philippines, making them the perfect comfort food when you’re feeling down. Tolit’s kebabs are equally tasty, with choices between beef, chicken, and shrimp.
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McArthur Hwy, Caltex Lolomboy, Bulacan, Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan
Harry’s Buffalo Wings
If pasta, chicken wings, and fries are what you consider comfort food, then Harry’s Buffalo Wings is for you. For only PHP 399, you can upgrade to their unlimited option. Harry’s wings come in different flavors, including salted egg, sweet & sour, soy honey garlic, and more. If you’re not up for unlimited food, you can get Harry’s chicken rice meal, which is a more familiar dish for Filipinos.
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Blk 3 Lot 8, Pampanga St, Phase 1, Pinagsama Vill, Pinagsama, Taguig, Metro Manila
Seoul Train
Seoul Train Korean Barbecue is a locomotive-themed Korean restaurant that will give familiar comfort food an added flair. Their samgyetang is a whole rice-stuffed chicken soup in ginseng broth. It’s essentially tinola or sotanghon in our culture, with similarities in taste. Japchae is stir-fried glass noodles, a staple in Korea. Imagine it as a sweeter pancit bihon.
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28 Sgt Esguerra Ave, Tomas Morato, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila
2nd Street Oysters
While comfort food is more about evoking emotions rather than pleasing the palate, 2nd Street Oysters does an excellent job handling both. They have different oyster dishes, from steamed to fried, that should remind you of eating by the beach with family or friends. Their premium baked oysters come in different flavors, such as cheese, wasabi, black garlic, Thai green curry, and more.
Under the Balete
With Under the Balete, you get comfort along with the food. This affordable fine dining-esque restaurant has immaculate vibes to go along with even better food. Their chicken and waffles is the perfect blend of salty and sweet, tied together by the marriage of maple and gravy. They also have a marinated tapa plated with atsara, tomato, garlic rice, and, of course, fried egg, elevating the typical Filipino breakfast.
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Lot 4 BW West Ave, West Ave, Paltok, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Good Don
Good Don is a Japanese-inspired food stall serving rice bowls, otherwise known as donburis. Try a sample of their menu that includes beef gyudon, milkfish teriyaki, pork mushini, pork katsudon, chicken karaage, and more. It’s a meal reminiscing of high school when we’d order from stalls and enjoy food with friends.
Friuli Trattoria
The most universal language is food, and what better way to communicate with your inner child than downing an entire box of pizza? Friuli Trattoria is a pizzeria that offers an assortment of classic pizza flavors, such as Hawaiian, pepperoni, and all meat. If you’re watching your health, you can get their vegetarian pizzas, such as the funghi pizza topped with different mushrooms, buono verde with seemingly all the veggies in the bahay kubo folk song, or a simple Antonio’s pizza with fresh tomatoes and mushrooms.
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79-A Maginhawa St, Maginhawa Street, Maginhawa, UP Village, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Pares Central
Pares Central takes one of the most well-known street foods in the country, pares, and upgrades it to a new ballpark. Their pares’ sweet and rich stew perfectly complements the soft melt-in-your-mouth beef. Paired with the garlicky fried rice and the bright and mild fried egg, you have a one-way ticket to your elementary days. Also try their sisig silog, tapsilog, and bangsilog if you want something on the saltier side.
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346 Maysilo St, Maysilo, Plainview, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Banh Beo Cafe & Bistro
Banh Beo Cafe & Bistro is a Vietnamese-themed place that offers classic Vietnamese dishes and drinks. Of course, the banh mis are must-tries, but the desserts are show stoppers. The matcha series is perfect for non-coffee drinkers, with different flavors like popcorn matcha, buko matcha, and honey cinnamon matcha latte.
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2/F, Daang Hari Rd, The Garland Bldg, Cavite, Molino IV, Bacoor, Cavite
Misfeats Pasta & Waffle House
Misfeats Pasta & Waffle House is a small but lively restaurant in the heart of Quezon City. They offer familiar desserts that are adored by many, such as their signature Mama Dheng’s puto, which has the perfect slight sweetness we all love. Their ice cream waffles are also must-tries, with flavors like mud pie, oreo, and cinnamon.
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Quirino Hwy, Q Square Lifestyle Center, Talipapa, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Cartel Deli
Located in Salcedo Village, Cartel Deli prides itself on bringing a piece of Spain to Makati. Their crispy fried chicken sandwich, fried calamari, and carbonara elevate the familiar flavors of popular childhood food. You can also try their popular Wagyu beef tapa, which is basically tapsilog’s wealthier and more expensive cousin.
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119 LP Leviste St, Salcedo Village, Makati, Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila
Chick’n Egg
You know how we used to hang out with friends in fast-food restaurants with chicken and fries after school? Well, Chick’n Egg recreates the same nostalgic flavors but with more impact. Their chicken sandwiches are phenomenal. Pick from different flavors like buffalo, chicken parm, buttermilk, and more. Get them with dirty fries and soda on the side to get the full Chick’n Egg experience.
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G/F , Pedro Gil St cor Adriatico St, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila, Metro Manila
Z Tapas All Day Breakfast
For most, comfort food is best represented by breakfast, specifically, tapa. Z Tapas All Day Breakfast has some of the best beef tapas around. It’s moist, soft, and tender while maintaining the tapa’s signature garlic flavor. Their lechon kawali, fried chicken, and spam silog meals are also equally satisfying.
Salt and Ice
Salt and Ice is a fine dining institution that takes comfort food to another level. Some familiar appetizers to get you started include their onion rings and truffle parmesan fries. For the main course, their wagyu sliders, Singaporean chili prawn, and Margherita pizza are all worth the money.
The Taste of Czaczacza
Comfort food doesn’t have to be a full-course meal, sometimes a simple sinigang from a quaint cafe like The Taste Of Czaczacza is all we need. The aforementioned sinigang has a salmon belly, perfect for a cold day. Their beef tapa, fried chicken, and Salisbury steak are part of Czaczacza’s all-day breakfast menu and are all worth the try regardless of time.
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4 J Chanyungco St, Marikina, Sta Elena, Marikina, Metro Manila
Czaczacza Cafe
A Filipino tradition that’s still respected and practiced today is pasalubong. A classic pasalubong is donuts, so why not pass down Filipino culture to the next generation by bringing a box of Czaczacza Cafe’s donuts? They offer unique flavors like pistachio, creme brulee, and yema, among others. Of course, there are also familiar ones like strawberry, chocolate, oreo, and ube.
Ikigai Ramen
A hot bowl of ramen from Ikigai Ramen could alleviate the stress and blues of adulting and remind you of the wonders of childhood. Their ramen flavors are Naruto Ichiraku (yes, from the anime), tantanmen, and Aka ramen. And for a Japanese place, their pizzas are surprisingly good!
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2/F, Reparo Rd, BSQ Plaza, Reparo, Baesa, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Auring’s
Located in Makati, Auring’s is a bar that serves good food along with exceptional and creative drinks. Their signature dish is, without a doubt, the chicken wings. While it comes in different flavors, the fan favorite is the salted egg because it has the perfect amount of saltiness, heat, and savor. As for the drinks, their strawberry soda pop is the perfect summer quencher.
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6073 R Palma St, Poblacion, Makati, Metro Manila
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