The Filipino street food taho, silken tofu with tapioca pearls and caramelized syrup, levels up at The Café. The omelet corner features 100 percent cage-free eggs, known to be more food safe and more humane to animals.
The best breakfast places in Metro Manila
Rice and shine
Mar 12, 2023 08:22 AM
At a glance
There are two types of people—the morning person, who needs a huge breakfast to merrily start their day, and then the night owl who can’t stand mornings, who needs a huge breakfast to make up for needing to wake up so early. Either way, everybody loves a really good, unapologetically large breakfast, as there are few things that celebrate life, and the blessing of waking up to a brand new day, more than a hearty meal. Here, we’ve rounded up a few spots in the metro that are worth trudging so early in the morning to.
Rustic Mornings by Isabelo
11 Isabelo Mendoza St. San Roque, Marikina City
Imagine having a breakfast in a beautiful garden setting, replete with a rustic vibe that’ll transport you to a kitschy countryside retreat. This Marikina mainstay has been around since 2012, a secret spot for many foodies who want to get away from it all, and with good reason. Crystal glasses and romantic lamps hang from the wood-clad ceiling, and seashell curtains give diners on a romantic date a semblance of privacy.
Paintings and trinkets, which complement the boho vibe, are touches from chef and owner Portia Baluyut’s mother, Stephanie, an artist. Filipino favorites include beef tapa (P370), and don’t miss some of the best, fluffy pancakes this side of the metro. Our personal favorite is the blueberry buttermilk pancake, but sweet-toothed diners will have plenty to choose from, including the chocolate chip bestseller.
Guevarra’s
387 P. Guevarra St, cor Argonne, San Juan, 1500 Metro Manila
Sundays are pretty special at Chef Laudico’s Guevarra’s, because that’s when this well-loved Filipino buffet restaurant offer its breakfast buffets at just ₱499 per person. As a famous go-to Pinoy fiesta-type buffet, the selection is comfort food you grew up eating—except these are much fancier, think beef tapa but Angus beef.
“My inspiration for our breakfast buffet is based on Pinoys’ love for silogs (sinangag-itlog) so you can pretty much create your own garlic sinangag rice with any style of eggs and mains,” chef Lau says. “But of course, we offer much, much more than just silogs.”
The breakfast buffet features roughly 40 dishes, which are more than enough to satisfy any morning craving. The best way to start the morning feast is with the sumptuous bakes. The restaurant’s bread corner is filled with local bread like the ensaymada, pan de coco, Spanish bread, alongside pizzas inspired by Filipino flavors such as tocino and tuyo.
To round up the morning feast, the restaurant’s kitchen is also serving classic Filipino porridges like the champorado and arroz caldo. Sweet indulgence is courtesy of its waffles, pancakes, cereals, and yogurt, and its dessert table’s delectable kakanin offerings.
“Everything is prepared from scratch using the freshest and best ingredients,” chef Jac says. “No shortcuts, no artificial flavorings, and no MSG.” (With a report from John Legaspi)
Tivoli Royale Country Club
Yakal Street, Tivoli Royale Subdivision, Quezon City
Tivoli Royale Country Club is an oasis in the city—with beautiful manicured lawns and huge pools and tennis courts. It’s country club living at its finest, nestled at the highest point of Batasan Hills facing the Sierra Madre (so a great view is part of your breakfast)—and its F&B outlets are no slouch either. Apart from the bougie experience, the food here is topnotch, helmed by the young and vibrant executive chef Jonnel Roxas, who makes food that’s simple, honest, and familiar.
In line with chef Jonnel’s vision of offering uncomplicated and homemade food, Tivoli’s menu is more focused on comfort food. A cult-in-the-making, the pulled pork sandwich is robust and filling, with slowly roasted pork marinated in a Tex-Mex sauce served in ciabatta bread. The “Bogey” sisig is another dish that is simply melt-in-your-mouth.
The club’s version of chicken inasal is also a must-try, outstanding for its careful marination with an inventive cooking technique that brings out its umami-rich flavors. Great for sharing and equally appealing, the Royale club sandwich is a delightful take on a classic. Think layers of ham, bacon, tomatoes, and chunky chicken spread sandwiched between thick slices of perfectly grilled bread.
Don’t miss as well the Caprese salad, along with its wholesome accouterments such as red beets and goat cheese. If you’re on a diet, they can whip up super healthy acai bowls as well.
Mister Kabab
West Avenue, Quezon City
Clubgoers in the Aughties, when all the action happened in Timog or Libis, associate Mister Kabab with recovery food—i.e., the place you crash at after a long night. Now, the beloved Mediterranean joint is offering a ₱399 buffet breakfast, which comes with unlimited coffee and juices. Apart from the usual breakfast fare, you can feast on bread like pita, yogurt pancake, Iranian flatbread, baguette. Dip them in hummus, use it to wrap your kebabs, or just enjoy as is. The buffet choices changes every day, but if you’re a fan of the steamed kababs, you’re in for a special treat.
Baker J Manila
Crimson Hotel, Filinvest City
If you’re in the mood for a fancy breakfast, Baker J is reminiscent of Parisian cafés. Open at 6 a.m., the café offers classic favorites like eggs Benedict, which you could enjoy with sautéed spinach (eggs Florentine), or with smoked salmon (smoked salmon eggs Benedict); tangy and savory Shakshuka, available in a vegetarian-friendly version and a meaty iteration featuring the house-made spicy beef and lamb sausages, and of course, French pastries like crisp and flaky croissant, petite Madeleine (made traditionally using techniques from Northeastern France), and the indulgent kouign-amann, also known as “butter cake” from Douarnenez, France.
Some of the must-tries from the new menu is Chef Nicolas’ take on the classic French dish coq au vin from Burgundy, which beautifully showcases the exceptional wines of the famous wine region; rich yet light quiche Lorraine from the region of the same name; Baker J’s signature confit de canard made with duck confit croquettes and served with green lentils and mizuna leaves in balsamic vinaigrette; the bestselling pan-seared salmon steak with ratatouille; and of course, what would a visit to a French café be without the ever-favorite French breakfast tartines, which include the salmon tartine with avocado and goat’s cheese and the brunch-perfect traditional croque monsieur with grùyere.
The Cafe, Hyatt Regency
City of Dreams
The Café, Hyatt Regency Manila’s breakfast buffet is perhaps one of the best in the city. It has interactive show-kitchen restaurant where your breakfast is freshly prepared at vibrant live cooking stations.
A popular corner highlights local favorites—tocino, tapa, chicken longanisa, friend bangus, and pork sausage that go well with unlimited servings of plain or garlic friend rice. For a warm and comforting Filipino dish, there’s the arroz caldo station. The Filipino street food taho, silken tofu with tapioca pearls and caramelized syrup, levels up at The Café. The omelet corner features 100 percent cage-free eggs, known to be more food safe and more humane to animals.
What also defines a good breakfast is good coffee. It serves 100 percent Filipino coffee beans purchased direct from local farmers through the Philippine Coffee Board—and all roasted, blended, and brewed onsite.
The Café is open daily for buffet breakfast from 6:30 to 11 a.m., and goes for ₱1,150 net per person. Children below six years old dine for free and those who are six to 12 years old enjoy the buffet at half the price.
Panco
10 Don Carlos Palanca, Legazpi Village, Makati City
“Panco” combines two of Filipinos’ favorite breakfast staples—pan de sal and coffee, but with a twist. Panco’s unique offering is their coffee, sourced from Market Lane Coffee, which is a famous coffee roaster in Australia.
The food is what you’d call fusion, where Filipino dishes are injected with Australian elements. You can choose Manila style, where the dishes come with rice and atsara, or Australian style, where the meats are made into sandwiches, except the bread used is the Pinoy pan de sal. Don’t miss the chicken silog and the Dirty Mocha, which is made with Davao tablea.