I’ve got more Quezon City restaurants in my latest article, 50 Restaurants in Try in Metro Manila Before 2015 Ends.
There’s a growing habit among internet-savvy Filipino foodies nowadays: looking up a restaurant online before they actually go and experience dining there. 49% of smartphone users search a restaurant first before heading there. And it’s creating a unique persona in the community ~ there’s bound to be at least one person in your group during evening out with friends or lunching with coworkers who almost memorizes the entire menu, knows the restaurant’s bestsellers, courtesy of their friendly neighborhood, Google. I bet Mr. Foodie almost knows what the dish tastes like before actually eating it!
It surprises me that the humble Quezon City is more popular than central business districts of Makati and Ortigas as the places that people look for where to eat. What’s not to love about Quezon City? It’s quiet, down to earth, and houses some of the best hole-in-a-wall restaurants in Quezon City where you can have quality time with your friends and loved ones.
I’m not saying the list below is 2014’s Best Restaurants in Quezon City, as 2014 isn’t over yet. Some of the restaurants in this list also aren’t new, but continue to be a favorite among people as they continuously find more information about the place online. But these places could very well be vying for the top spot if people continue to keep on looking for these restaurants and return for an awesome food experience.
Quezon City Food Festival 2014: First Maginhawa Street Food Festival to Celebrate Quezon City’s 75th Anniversary
As proof that Quezon City is becoming a hub for foodies, Quezon City will also be celebrating its 75th Anniversary this October 11 and will be having a first of its kind Food Festival at none other than Maginhawa Street at Teacher’s Village. Many restaurants will also be participating including RBY’s Steak and Shake, Hillcrest Wellness Cafe, Roasterrific, Jek’s Ku-bo Bulalo at Ulo-ulo, and Snow Creme. You’ll definitely get a wide variety of dishes including lechon, Snow iced desserts, juice cleanse, Filipino home cooked meals, and more. As most restaurants will be participating in this event, Maginhawa Street will be closed to traffic due to this special event so everyone can hop from one restaurant to another and enjoy the food trip.
Top 10 Most Popular Restaurants in Quezon City 2014 Map, Directions
Top 10 Most Popular Restaurants in Quezon City 2014
So in no particular order, here are the Top 10 Most Popular Restaurants in Quezon City. (Popular here in the context means people continuously look for more information about these places in Quezon City online.)
1. The Breakfast Club (TBC), Sto. Domingo, Quezon City
Why people search for TBC: The P299 Breakfast Buffet
For those not from Quezon City: Worth to try if you’re a fan of Erich Gonzales
Just the beginning of 2014, Erich Gonzales’ and her boyfriend’s restaurant begins to draw crowds of fans to the quite street of Sto. Domingo. And it all started when Kris Aquino featured this in her morning show KrisTV. The food isn’t awesome. In fact, people don’t rave about the food, but they do rave about the P299 breakfast buffet that gives them a great start and a happy ending.
2. Casa Verde, UP Town Center, Katipunan
Why people search for Casa Verde: Cebu’s pride comes to Manila
For those not from Quezon City: Brians Ribs are a must try
People love Cebu, and are ecstatic now that Casa Verde’s Brians Ribs are finally in Manila. And what better place for college students of Ateneo and UP Diliman to spend their time with their groupies than at UP Town Center. The crowd favorite? Certainly the Mighty Ton which is more of a fun way to spend dinner rather than eat an awesome burger. I’m hearing people love this place during UAAP season.
3. Don Day Korean Buffet Restaurant, Sunset Boulevard, Quezon Avenue (Also in Timog Avenue)
Why people search of Don Day: Unlimited Samgyeopsal
For those not from Quezon City: Great for those on a budget and love Korean food
All that K-Pop draws quite a crowd to Don Day where it ultimately wins the Filipino’s search for the cheapest Korean restaurant in Quezon City. This is where you can order plates and plates of Samgyeopsal and not care whether you smell like yakiniku. At less than 400 bucks, you can get your tummy fill with a vast choices of Korean favorites such as Bulgogi and Jap Chae.
4. Tok-Yu Sushi Bar, Panay Avenue
Why people search for Tok-Yu: Affordable sushi platters
For those not from Quezon City: Skip if you’re from Makati because Kikufuji and Tsukiji might have raised the bar for you
Filipinos have a knack for finding the cheapest sushi restaurant in the city. And Tok-Yu delivers a clean platter, though its not the most authentic sushi in the city, nor its the freshest sushi you can find.
5. Ramen Nagi, SM North Edsa and Robinsons Magnolia
Why people search for Ramen Nagi: Convenience of not going to SM Aura or SM MOA
For those not from Quezon City: If you happen to be in the area only, but it’s the same as in SM Aura
Northerners rejoice as the best ramen in Manila (supposedly) opens branches at SM North Edsa and Robinsons Magnolia. One no longer has to go all the way to SM Aura for Ramen Nagi’s Black King. (And you want a serious tip? There’s a shorter queue at SM North Edsa. Interiors at Robinsons Magnolia are quite cramp, so stay away during peak hours if you don’t want to get bumped by your seat mate while slurping your bowl of Butao King.)
6. Third District Coffee Shop, Esteban Abada
Why people search for Third District Coffee Shop: Sam Milby
For those not from Quezon City: If you love coffee and have a bucket list for 3rd wave coffee
While not exactly the best third wave coffee shop in Quezon City, Third District Coffee Shop draws quite a ladies crowd from Ateneo and UP in hopes to spot Sam Milby, the part owner of Third District Coffee Shop. It’s a great place for bookworms and hippies to have working sessions too or simply have a quiet time.
7. Snackaroo, Judge Jimenez, Kamuning
Why people search for Snackaroo: Most Affordable Steak Restaurant in Quezon City
For those not from Quezon City: Worth combing Kamuning. Better take a taxi as parking can be quite unsafe.
The place has no air-conditioning, cleanliness is questionable and yet the most decent locals in Manila find themselves having a porterhouse steak at Snackaroo Specialty Foods. People don’t care about smelling like grilled meat but the sweat adds to the excitement of cheapest steak restaurants in Quezon City.
8. Senor Pollo, F7 Scout Rallos, Quezon City
Why people search for Senor Pollo: Side dishes and Chimichurri
For those not from Quezon City: Worth the long drive, and I mean it.
Perhaps could very well be on the list of Top Restaurants this 2014, Senor Pollo makes people extremely curious at their side dishes Patatas Bravas and Chimichurri that have made F7 at Scout Rallos an extremely popular destination for people to grab a beer or two. Yes, people love bars in Quezon City. The line can be extremely long, customer service bad, and cooking the chicken (supposedly the star of the restaurant though not as stellar as their Quesadillas) can go as far as 60 minutes waiting time, but people continue to keep on coming back for more.
9. Brazo, Maginhawa, Teacher’s Village
Why people search for Brazo: Brazo de Mercedes
For those not from Quezon City: Skip this place.
People love something new and I think its what Brazo is capable of pulling a group of foodies, especially when its right along foodie’s area, Teacher’s Village. Brazo’s food is far from perfect but its Brazo de Mercedes and freshly baked breads make it more of a bakery stop rather than a restaurant to hang out. The location where Henry’s formally once was makes it one of the top restaurants in Quezon City that people look for.
10. Greeka Kouzina, TCC Building, D. Tuazon, Quezon City
Why people search for Greeka Kouzina: A surprising location choice for a well-known restaurant
For those not from Quezon City: Not worth the drive especially since Greeka Kouzina has branches in SM Aura and P. Guevarra Kapitolyo, Pasig
Parallel to Banawe, the road of D. Tuazon Street in Quezon City is paved with manufacturing businesses that is hardly impossible for restaurants to succeed, but Greeka Kouzina has taken its first step in making it one. Greeka Kouzina has just opened this second half of the year and during weekends, the restaurant can go full and hardly any parking spots are available. (Serious tip? If you want to secure a seat, drop by the restaurant when it’s less full, during weekdays for lunch and dinner.)
11. Bonus #1: Sincere / Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant, Banawe, Quezon City
Why people search for Sincerity: A more convenient location to have their famous Chicken versus Binondo
For those not from Quezon City: This place should be in your bucket list.
Sincerity could very well fight for its crown as the best fried chicken in the city and its certainly one of the go-to restaurants in Banawe, Quezon City. No longer do we have to go all the way to Binondo and maneuver the traffic maze for this exotic, oriental flavored and extremely affordable fried chicken. It’s available at Banawe Street, the home to Chinese food restaurants and various tea spots.
There you have it, 11 popular restaurants in Quezon City that people keep looking for online. I hope this helps if you ever you want to know where to eat in Quezon City.
What do you think about this list? Would you go to Quezon City to try out each of these places? Drop a comment and let me know!
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