Your cheat sheet for 2017.
We capped off last year with the best food trends that made 2016 the best year in food. In this post, we share with you some of our predictions on what’s going to make headlines (and Instagram posts!) in 2017 so you can start on those food bucket lists early.
1. Healthy Eats
Watching what you eat is definitely here to takeover the food scene. We can tell that this is not just a fad because a number of healthy desserts and snacks are now more commercially available to promote healthy snacking. Organic packed snacks, smoothie bowls, fat-free yogurt, meal plans, and more avocado-infused dishes are a few examples for this category.
Smoothie bowls, Chia bowls
Where to get it: Bliss Bowls (full feature here), Wildflour Café + Bakery
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Healthy frozen yogurt
Where to get it: llaollao (full feature here), BLK 513
Meal plans
View the top meal plan delivery services here.
Avocado dishes
Where to get it: Green Pastures
2. Quick Lunch Meals
Grabbing “a bite to go” is definitely an essential part of everyone’s daily grind. It’s a no brainer that these small kiosks are serving quality and affordable meals packaged in such a way that you can eat it in your car! Some popular choices include crunch Vietnamese banhmi and the ultimate comfort food: sushi. Interestingly, a unique noodle in a box concept also made headlines with its “portable” dan dan noodles.
Banh mi sandwiches
Where to get it: Banh Mi Kitchen (full feature here), Bon Banhmi
Takeout sushi
Where to get it: Sushi Nori, Ta Ke Ho Me Sushi Stand (full feature here)
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Noodles in a box
Where to get it: Pappare (full feature here)
3. Asian Cuisines
2017 may just finally be the year for our local specialties. Ube-infused dishes are now a common sight at popular restaurants in New York and California so it’s not a surprise that these purple treats are here to stay. Another predicted headliner is one of the healthiest cuisines in Asia which is Vietnamese food.
Filipino food
Where to get it: 7107 Culture + Cuisine (full feature here)
Vietnamese food
Where to get it: Tra Vinh (full feature here), Annam Noodle Bar by NamNam Singapore (full feature here)
Also read: 13 Must Visit Restaurants for Authentic Vietnamese Street Food
4. Instagram-worthy food
The days of the OOTD posts are over (thank God!) because almost everyone’s grid is filled with gorgeous desserts, yolk porn, and beautiful cheese dishes. We don’t see this trend slowing down this 2017 so you’ll still have to deal with those sudden food cravings while scrolling through your phone at night.
Where to get it: Lost Bread HQ (full feature here), Chesa Bianca Swiss Restaurant
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5. Premium Meats
There’s a new breed of meat lovers in Manila hence the sudden boom of smoked rib joints and affordable steak places at key locations in the city. More people are definitely learning the art of a perfectly cooked steak and fall off the bone ribs so we expect more restaurants to up their protein game this year.
Slow-cooked BBQ
Where to get it: Fat Daddy's Smokehouse, Smokin' Pig Legendary Rib Joint, Mighty Quinn's (full feature here)
Also read: 11 Places to Get Tender Slow-Smoked BBQ in Metro Manila
Affordable quality steaks
Where to get it: Sear Steak Scullery (full feature here)
Also read: 15 Amazingly Affordable Steaks In and Out of Metro Manila
6. Street food
There’s something about eating outdoors that gives certain dishes that plus factor. The great thing about this food trend is more small local business are joining forces to build these awesome food parks that serve the most unique plates in the metro. Taco places are also gaining a steady following for after office grub and drinks so you can expect more places serving this Mexican favorite on their menus.
Food parks
Read: 17 Trendiest and Upcoming Food Parks in Metro Manila
Tacos
Where to get it: La Chinesca, Lo de Alberto
7. Third wave coffee
Good coffee has somewhat become the norm for the local food scene. More coffee addicts now prefer small and homegrown cafes or fusion coffee shops that serve unique concoctions like nitrogen coffee and strong blends like cold brew bottles.
Nitro coffee
Where to get it: Nitro7 Coffee and Tea Bar, Mentoré Coffee + Bar by UCC
Also read: 16 New Cafes in Metro Manila for the Hipster in You
Cold brew coffee
Where to get it: Yardstick Coffee
8. Brunch dates
“Brunching” is the perfect term for tita dates or just that perfect in-between for breakfast lovers and non-morning persons. Who can resist a plateful of eggs, bacon, and that occasional mimosa?
Where to get it: Single Origin (full feature here)
Also read: 15 New Beautiful Restaurants for Ladies Who Brunch
Also read: 12 Cool Coffee Shops by Day, Bars by Night
9. International Franchises
Manila is definitely the place to be when it comes to the variety of international restaurants in the area. The adventurous palate of the Filipino foodie surely attracted more foreign franchises to open in the city.
Soon to open: Roll'd from Australia, Sarabeth's from NY (full feature here), Gen Korean BBQ from LA (full feature here)
Also read: Metro Manila’s 20 Best New International Franchises of 2016
10. DIY concept restaurants
Making diners feel like a kid again definitely has a certain appeal for some foodies. Hence, more restaurants are offering DIY dishes that showcase your inner cooking skills ala Cooking Mama style.
Where to get it: DIY okonomiyaki at Dohtonbori (full feature here), DIY takoyaki at Kenshin (full feature here)
Also read: 16 Fun Do-It-Yourself Concept Restaurants in Manila
Celebrate your best food moments with us by tagging us on Instagram @bookyapp and by using our hashtag, #bookymanila for a chance to be featured on our page and on the blog.
Get in touch with the team if you’re a restaurant owner or a food find hunter at support@phonebooky.com to get listed on our database of over 15,000 restaurants in Metro Manila.
