Adobo, silogs, and halo-halo reign supreme in this stretch of the Peninsula known as Little Manila. Others connect with a new generation of Filipino Americans through contemporary versions of classic dishes. These 8 spots are a great place to start, especially for the uninitiated. Restaurants in this map are listed geographically from North to South, not ranked. When friends are visiting from out of town and you want to take them to a nicer sit-down Filipino dinner, this is your joint.
All of the classics are on the menu, including impressive versions of kare kare stewed oxtails with a peanut-based sauce , pata crispy pork leg , and caldereta a tomato-based stew. The place gets busy on weekends, so make a reservation or get there early. All they serve is skewers. The cooks mean business here, constantly churning out piles of beautifully charred, juicy, soy-sauce-marinated pork and dark-meat chicken over a flaming grill.
The smoky scent hits you before you even walk in. One of the best dishes is the sisigsilog, which features moist, garlicky shredded chicken with a delightfully sour kick. Be sure to get an order of the tiny, habit-forming lumpia Shanghai, too.
The local mini-chain also has two shops in San Francisco. Lucky Chances is a cardroom in cemetery-filled Colma, but real ones come here for Cafe Colma, serving Filipino, Chinese, Italian, and American comfort foods. The Filipino food here, however, is the star, with silogs highlighting longanisa or tocino with eggs and garlic rice; pork sparerib sinigang; and hearty kare kare with oxtail. Best of all? The diner is open 24 hours a day to accommodate card players, yes, but also night owls and service industry folks who head here for a fix of food at all hours.
Locals know to come here for cakes for any celebration or family get-together. If you have to grab just one thing, go with their famous ensaymada, preferably the dulce de leche or ube version, which are perfectly soft, buttery, and lightly sweet. This casual local favorite serves some good Filipino comfort food like lechon kawali fried pork belly , bangus milkfish , sisig a sizzling meat dish , and pancit stir-fried rice noodles. The menu is full of classic dishes done reliably well, including a great version of short rib sinigang, a savory and sour soup flavored with tamarind β a wonderful dish to share on a cold day.
