Not a lot of people know that San Juan City is a treasure trove of restaurants and coffee shops waiting to be discovered. So we asked locals to recommend their favorite food spots around the city; here’s what they answered!
Note: Restaurants listed in no particular order
1. Tomo Japanese Dining
Instagram, Facebook
137 Araullo Street, Addition Hills, San Juan City
Tomo is one of the stand-outs in San Juan when it comes to Japanese dining, particularly for its vast menu of delicious and authentic Japanese meals. Because this “hidden spot” is so well-loved by the locals, it’s recommended to call ahead to reserve a table.
2. ICHŌ
Instagram, Facebook
6 Annapolis Street, San Juan City
ICHŌ, named after the gingko trees in Japan, is an upscale Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar where you can watch the chefs work their magic. Whether you’re after your usual favorites or eager to discover a new dish, you can definitely satisfy all your cravings here while enjoying the zen vibe of the entire place!
3. Xiu
Instagram, Facebook
115 Connecticut Street, Northeast Greenhills, San Juan City
Xiú Fine Cantonese Dining serves an array of traditional Cantonese dishes with a modern and elegant flair, giving you a taste of Hong Kong without having to leave Manila. This is a great location to celebrate special occasions with friends or family.
4. Ricksha
Instagram, Facebook
6 Missouri Street, San Juan City
Ricksha Streetside, which was originally located in Kapitolyo, specializes in home-cooked Tandoor meals, all inspired by the food that the owner grew up eating and loving back in India. Ricksha is best known for its Butter Chicken, with grilled chicken pieces marinated in tandoori paste swimming in a creamy and flavorful sauce of tomatoes, cream, and butter, but you shouldn’t miss any of the other dishes, including dessert, either!
5. Antonio’s at PGA Cars
Instagram, Facebook
6 Missouri Street, San Juan City
Yes, Antonio’s Tagaytay has a branch here in Manila and you would never have guessed its location: inside the PGA Cars Showroom along EDSA. Antonio’s offers a unique atmosphere to its diners, with its elegant dishes served amid a display of luxury cars. Don’t feel intimidated by it though; in fact, it actually elevates the experience ensuring that your meal is nothing short of excellent.
6. BASK Coffee + Kitchen
Instagram, Facebook
180 A. Mabini Street, San Juan City
An aesthetic cafe with great coffee? BASK is the place to be. This concept kitchen was opened by Aurora Coffee Roasters which means you’ll definitely get quality coffee with comfort all-day breakfast food, filling mains, and indulgent desserts. They’re open from 8 AM to 9 PM every day!
7. Tra Vinh
Instagram, Facebook
691 Jose Abad Santos, San Juan City
Looking for authentic Vietnamese food? Tra Vinh has a massive menu featuring all kinds of Vietnamese food—from the classic pho to savory rice meals. Must-tries are the Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake), Grilled Lemon Chicken, Combination Beef Noodle, and BBQ Pork Noodle with Spring Rolls. Check out our full feature on the restaurant here!
8. Yakitate Pork Chop House
Facebook
32 F. Manalo, San Juan City
Don’t be fooled by first impressions. Yakitate Pork Chop House may seem like a humble eatery that serves delicious, crispy, and satisfying pork chops that you’ll gladly break your diet for. (Hey, we all deserve a treat every now and then!)
9. Tori Tori
Instagram, Facebook
197 Wilson Street, San Juan City
Hidden somewhere along Wilson Street, ToriTori Kushiyaki Snack Bar is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it food spot serving yakitori sticks, sushi, sashimi, rice meals, and more Japanese comfort food! With store hours going as late as 12 midnight, ToriTori is a great place to unwind after a tiring work day over drinks.
10. Tittos Latin BBQ and Brew
Instagram, Facebook
G/F O Square 2 Greenhills Shopping Center, Ortigas Avenue, San Juan City
Tittos, a Latín-American cuisine restaurant, offers mouthwatering food that’s nothing short of delicious. Packed with different spices and flavors, each dish is an explosion of enjoyment for all! Read our full review of the Greenhills branch here.
11. Crosta Pizzeria
Instagram, Facebook
G/F O Square 2 Greenhills Shopping Center, Ortigas Avenue, San Juan City
Crosta just opened its newest branch in Greenhills Shopping Center so you can now get your fix of piping hot pizzas around San Juan City! Get your hands on their best-sellers like the Shroomed Out pizza, Morty & Ella 2.0, Drunken Bismark, and Pepperonley, as well as their unique and tasty desserts!
12. Francesco’s
Instagram, Facebook
863 A. Mabini Street, San Juan City
Francesco’s prides itself in serving brick-oven pizzas that are baked to perfection and tons of authentic Italian dishes made with love. This is a great spot to treat a date to or to celebrate special occasions with loved ones.
13. Cafe Mabini
Instagram, Facebook
863 A. Mabini Street, San Juan City
Located right beside Franceco’s is Cafe Mabini, an all-day breakfast spot that welcomes diners who are looking for a more casual vibe to eat or have coffee at. Enjoy any of their delicious Filipino meals and comfort food!
14. Konbini Store
View this post on Instagram
Instagram
Northeast, 57 Connecticut, San Juan City
Did you know that this Japanese grocery is also a restaurant? Konbini Store doesn’t only sell imported goods from Japan but allows you to indulge in your favorite Japanese meals such as ramen, sushi rolls, gyoza, and tonkatsu at an affordable price!
15. Suzhou Dimsum
Instagram, Facebook
837 A. Mabini Street corner Araullo Street, San Juan City
When you want some dim sum, Suzhou Dimsum is the place to be! This long-standing Chinese restaurant is well-loved by its patrons precisely because of the quality of its dishes which are made without all the bells and whistles. Simply satisfying—like how great Chinese food should be!
16. Mien San Noodle House
Instagram, Facebook
Unit C, Fox Square Bldg, 53 Connecticut, San Juan City
Rain or dry, Mein San Noodle House is the perfect place to satisfy your noodle craving as well as to indulge in authentic Taiwanese dishes. Whatever type of noodles it is you want—with soup, fried, or dried—you’ll love the vast selection they have to offer here.
17. Eat Fresh
Facebook
92-93 Jose Abad Santos corner Gen. Segundo, San Juan City
This San Juan branch may have trended on social media a while back for not being an “official” branch of the Hong Kong restaurant, but it’s still well-loved by patrons all the same. They’re famous for their laksa, Hong Kong roasts, fried noodles, and salted egg spare ribs just to name a few.
18. Flossom Kitchen + Cafe
Instagram, Facebook
187 N Averilla, San Juan City
Don’t write off Flossom Kitchen + Cafe as just another restaurant that’s purely for the aesthetic; it serves delicious, hearty, and comforting meals too that are worth every cent! Read our full review on Flossom Kitchen + Cafe here.
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message on WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! We also share our stories on Viber, join us!
