Explore Filipino regional food specialties from Luzon to Mindanao. Your essential guide to authentic dishes, restaurants in US, UK and Australia.
For food enthusiasts craving the bold, complex flavors of authentic Filipino regional cuisine, the journey no longer requires booking a flight to Manila or Cebu. The Filipino diaspora has brought the archipelago’s diverse culinary traditions to major cities across the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, creating vibrant food scenes where sisig sizzles on hot plates, lechon arrives crispy-skinned and aromatic, and the comforting spice of Bicol Express warms diners thousands of miles from its Luzon origins.
The global spread of Filipino cuisine tells a story of migration, community, and cultural preservation. Filipino communities have established themselves in cities where their culinary heritage serves as both comfort food for homesick expatriates and an introduction to one of Asia’s most underappreciated cuisines for curious food lovers. Unlike Chinese, Thai, or Japanese restaurants that have long dominated Western dining scenes, Filipino establishments are relative newcomers, often family-run operations that prioritize authenticity over adaptation, serving recipes passed down through generations with the same care and traditional techniques used in provincial kitchens back home.
What makes exploring Filipino restaurants abroad particularly exciting is their commitment to regional specialties rather than generic pan-Filipino menus. While adobo and lumpia remain ubiquitous gateway dishes, discerning diners can now find Ilocano bagnet in Los Angeles, Kapampangan sisig in Sydney, authentic La Paz batchoy in London, and even the fiery coconut-rich dishes of Bicol in Auckland. These restaurants don’t just serve food—they preserve culinary traditions, educate new audiences about regional differences, and create gathering spaces where Filipino culture thrives in foreign lands.
Australia’s Filipino food scene centers primarily in Sydney and Melbourne, where Filipino workers and families have established thriving communities since the mid-20th century. Australian Filipino restaurants often emphasize the islands’ Spanish colonial influences alongside indigenous flavors, with many establishments serving as cultural hubs offering not just meals but also Filipino groceries, baked goods, and community bulletin boards connecting diaspora members. The integration of native Australian ingredients into traditional Filipino recipes has created interesting fusion approaches, particularly in Sydney’s more contemporary Filipino establishments.
The United Kingdom’s Filipino restaurant landscape presents an intriguing pattern, with London naturally dominating but surprising pockets of excellence emerging in Belfast, Birmingham, and Manchester. Historical ties through the Commonwealth and significant Filipino healthcare worker migration have contributed to growing demand for authentic Filipino food. British Filipino restaurants tend toward traditional home-cooking styles, with many owners recreating the exact dishes they grew up eating in provinces like Pampanga, Ilocos, and Cebu, offering British diners an unfiltered taste of regional Philippine cuisine.
Whether you’re a Filipino seeking the familiar taste of home, a food adventurer eager to explore one of Asia’s most diverse culinary traditions, or simply someone who appreciates bold, layered flavors built on generations of technique, Filipino restaurants in these three countries offer remarkable accessibility to regional specialties once difficult to find outside the Philippines.
From the crispy perfection of properly prepared bagnet to the complex, slow-cooked richness of kare-kare, from the bright acidity of sinigang to the creamy heat of laing, the flavors of the Philippines await discovery in cities far from tropical shores.
This guide explores where to find the best Filipino regional cuisine across the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, highlighting restaurants that honor traditional preparations, showcase specific regional styles, and serve as ambassadors for one of the world’s most exciting culinary cultures.
Here’s a list of restaurants where you can find regional Filipino cuisine:
UNITED STATES
Chicago Area
Kasama – Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant known for contemporary takes on regional dishes
California (Los Angeles & San Francisco Bay Area)
California has the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines, particularly in Daly City (near San Francisco) and the Greater Los Angeles area
These cities have numerous restaurants serving Ilocano, Kapampangan, and other regional specialties
BAY AREA / SAN FRANCISCO
ABACÁ (San Francisco) Website: restaurantabaca.com
FOB Kitchen (Oakland) Website: fobkitchen.com
Kusina Ni Tess (San Francisco) Website: kusinanitess.co
Mestiza (San Francisco) Website: mestizasf.com
Irma’s Pampanga Restaurant Website: irmaspampangarestaurant.com
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / LOS ANGELES
Kuya Lords (Los Angeles) Website: kuyalord.com
Spoon & Pork (Los Angeles) Website: spoonandpork.com
Sampa (Downtown Los Angeles) Website: sampa.com
New York City
Multiple Filipino restaurants in Queens and Manhattan
MANHATTAN
NAKS – naks.nyc
Kalye NYC – kalye.com
Tadhana NYC – tadhananyc.com
Tradisyon – tradisyonnyc.com
Mama Fina’s – mamafinas.com
Pig and Khao – pigandkhao.com
QUEENS (Woodside – Little Manila)
Ihawan – ihawan-ny.com
Renee’s Kitchenette & Grill – reneeskitchenette.com
Tito Rad’s Grill – titorads.com
Kusina Pinoy Bistro – instagram
Seattle, Washington
Archipelago – Serves Filipino regional specialties
Portland, Oregon
Charleston, South Carolina
AUSTRALIA
Sydney
Sydney has multiple Filipino restaurants serving classic regional dishes including chicken adobo and specialty desserts
Mama Lor
Takam
Descanso
Rey Jr.
Melbourne
Mama Lor
GJ’s Grill
Inasal Express
UNITED KINGDOM
London
Kilig
BIRMINGHAM
D’Cocina Birmingham
Website: dcocina.co.uk
Manila Flavours
Website: manilaflavours.co.uk
Tambayan Filipino Kitchen
Check Tripadvisor or Google for contact details
BRISTOL
Aurora Kusina
Website: aurorakusina.com
Lorenzo Kusina
Website: lorenzokusina.com
MANCHESTER
Tarp’s Filipino Fusion Street Food
Instagram: @tarps_filipino_fusion
SCOTLAND
Glasgow
Mama Del’s Started as a concept to bring tasty Filipino food to Glasgow, a relatively unknown cuisine in the area (Donia)
Operates as a food stall/pop-up
Check their Instagram (@mamadels) for locations and schedule
Edinburgh:
Limited options currently available. Check Tripadvisor for the most current listings.
WALES
Currently, Wales has very limited Filipino restaurant options. Your best bet would be:
Filipino community events and pop-ups
Travel to nearby English cities like Bristol or Birmingham for more options
Check local Facebook groups for Filipino community gatherings
NORTHERN IRELAND (BELFAST)
Belfast has emerged as a surprising hub for Filipino cuisine in the UK!
KUBO Belfast Authentic Filipino food in the heart of Belfast.
Specialties: Kamayans, Filipino BBQ, vegan and vegetarian options
Rayles Diners Offers an authentic taste of the Philippines with excellent service and a cozy atmosphere (Yelp)
Manong’s Filipino Food Northern Ireland’s very first ever Filipino food buffet, the perfect place to experience a vast array of Filipino dishes (Yelp)
Specialties: Grilled food and seafood boil, buffet-style dining
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Auckland has a growing Filipino community with several excellent restaurants:
Boracay Garden Restaurant Holds
Other Notable Auckland Restaurants
Mabuhay BBQ & Grill
Sarap Restaurant and Grill
Chicken Republique Filipino Restaurant
Lucky Buddha Eatery
3 Kings
Ensalada Cafe
HomeCooked Filipino Cuisine
Jholene’s Filipino Cuisine
Kabayan Bistro NZ
Jeepney Filipino Restaurant
Filipino Regional Food Specialties to Look For:
When visiting these restaurants, ask about:
Ilocano dishes: Bagnet, pinakbet, empanada
Kapampangan: Sisig, tocino
Bicolano: Bicol Express, laing
Visayan: Lechon, chicken inasal, La Paz batchoy
Classic dishes: Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang, lumpia, pancit
Tips for Finding Filipino Food:
Follow on social media: Many Filipino restaurants post daily specials and menu changes on Instagram and Facebook
Check Filipino grocery stores: They often have bulletin boards with restaurant recommendations
Ask about regional dishes: Even if not on the menu, chefs can often prepare regional specialties with advance notice
Look for buffets: Great way to sample multiple regional dishes
Attend Filipino cultural events: Often feature authentic regional food vendors
Your Filipino Culinary Journey Starts Now
The beauty of Filipino regional cuisine lies not just in its flavors but also in the perfect crispness of bagnet, the fiery comfort of Bicol Express, the herb-infused perfection of Cebu lechon, and in the stories these dishes tell.
Each regional specialty represents centuries of cultural exchange, adaptation, and innovation across more than 7,000 islands. From the resourceful vegetable-focused cooking of Ilocos to the bold, spice-laden dishes of Bicol, from Pampanga’s culinary sophistication to the Muslim-influenced specialties of Mindanao, Filipino cuisine offers a diversity that rivals any of the world’s great food cultures.
What makes this moment particularly exciting for food enthusiasts is the unprecedented accessibility of authentic Filipino regional cuisine beyond the Philippines. The dedication of Filipino restaurateurs in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia has created opportunities to experience these remarkable flavors without international travel.
Whether you’re discovering sisig for the first time at a family-run eatery in Sydney, savoring properly prepared pinakbet in Birmingham, or experiencing elevated Filipino cuisine at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago, you’re participating in a culinary movement that’s bringing long-overlooked regional traditions into the global spotlight.
Every meal at a Filipino restaurant supports these family businesses, validates their commitment to authenticity, and helps ensure that regional specialties continue thriving for future generations, both in the Philippines and throughout the Filipino diaspora.
The regional diversity explored in this guide from Luzon’s northern reaches to Mindanao’s southern provinces, represents just the beginning of what Filipino cuisine offers. Each province, each island, each family has their own versions, their own secrets, their own interpretations of dishes that have nourished communities for generations.
The more you explore, the more you’ll discover layers of complexity, unexpected flavor combinations, and cooking techniques that demonstrate the sophistication and creativity inherent in Filipino culinary traditions.
The more you explore, the more you’ll discover layers of complexity, unexpected flavor combinations, and cooking techniques that demonstrate the sophistication and creativity inherent in Filipino culinary traditions.
For those planning to visit the Philippines, understanding regional food specialties enhances the experience immeasurably. Knowing that Cebu’s lechon differs fundamentally from Manila’s version, that authentic La Paz batchoy can only be found in Iloilo’s La Paz district, or that the best bagnet requires a trip to Ilocos creates purpose and direction for food-focused travel.
For those unable to visit the Philippines immediately, the restaurants featured in this guide offer genuine gateways to regional flavors, prepared by chefs who learned their craft in the very provinces these dishes originated from.
Your Filipino Food Journey Awaits
The rich, diverse, endlessly fascinating world of Filipino regional cuisine is no longer hidden or inaccessible. Whether you’re sitting down at a family-run turo-turo in Los Angeles, enjoying elevated Filipino fare in London, or finally booking that flight to Manila to taste these dishes at their source, you’re about to experience one of Asia’s most exciting and underappreciated culinary traditions.
Every regional specialty tells a story of island geography, cultural fusion, indigenous wisdom, colonial influence, and family tradition. Every bite connects you to centuries of Filipino culinary evolution and the passionate people keeping these traditions alive across the globe.
The flavors of the Philippines are waiting. Your table is ready. Kain na! (Let’s eat!)
Have you tried any Filipino regional food specialties? Which dish are you most excited to discover? Share your Filipino food experiences and restaurants in your are that are not on the list in the comments below and help others find the best regional Filipino cuisine in your area!
Save this post and share it with your friends. Find us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for your next culinary adventure and follow us for more regional food explorations around the world.
English