12 Best Binondo Food Trip Spots: Restaurants & Must-Try Dishes for Your Chinatown Food Crawl
Photos by Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant and @bors.jd on Instagram
Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world, is one of the most visited towns in the Philippine capital city of Manila for a cultural and gastronomic experience. In fact, a Binondo tour is one of the popular day tours near Manila aside from a Manila bike tour, historical places in Manila tours, or instagrammable places in Manila tours.
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You can spot both well-known tea houses/restaurants and hawker-style stalls in the streets of Binondo. Aside from the well-known Chinese staple delicacies amidst historical places in Manila, there are also restaurants serving international and Filipino cuisine.
Whatever Binondo food trip budget or preference you have, you will never run out of options for guided tours in the Philippines.
Here are the top 12 Binondo restaurants and food establishments that remained relevant throughout the years, perfect for a Binondo food crawl during your vacation in the Philippines:
12. Lan Zhou La Mien
Photo by Lan Zhou La Mien
Lan Zhou La Mien is known for Lanzhou-style noodles that you can cut into smaller strands are their specialty among other Chinese dishes. While in here, make sure to try their hand-pulled lamien noodles. These long strands of noodles may be made by extending a lump of dough at arm's length and folding it over and over again.
Two to three people can already have one bowl of noodles, which includes stems and soft slices of your choice of meat. The broth can be refilled as well if you want more of it.
Address: 1356 Masangkay St, Binondo and Lucky Chinatown Mall
11. The Great Buddha Cafe
Photo by The Great Buddha Cafe
The Great Buddha Cafe is a homey Chinese restaurant/ The 1.2-ton golden buddha at the Great Buddha Cafe, located on the second level of Eng Bee Tin's flagship shop, symbolizes happiness and satisfaction. Its violet and gold interiors are similar to Eng Bee Tin and its sister restaurant, Cafe Mezzanine.
The most popular dishes in their six main categories include beef tendon, clay pot rice, pork & shrimp siomai, shrimp hakaw, xiao long bao, ham sui kok, and many others.
Address: 2F UBE Tower, 628 Ongpin St, Binondo
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10. Tasty Dumplings
Photo by @mrvcnon on Instagram
Get your dumpling fix at Tasty Dumplings. This 2-floor restaurant is known for its delectable dim sum servings. Prices are reasonable for various dim sum options — steamed, fried; name it, they have it.
Aside from their tasty dumplings, try their top-selling fried pork chop, fried meatball rice, spare ribs rice, chicken leg rice, and other rice plates. The restaurant also sells soup such as dumpling soup and meatball soup.
Address: Wellington Building, Norberto Ty St, Binondo
9. Chuan Kee Binondo and Cafe Mezzanine
Photo by Chuan Kee Binondo
Chuan Kee Binondo first opened its doors more than 70 years ago. Considered the oldest fast food in Chinatown, this restaurant serves authentic and freshly-made Chinese food in turo-turo style. Beside it is the famous hopia shop Eng Bee Tin, and on the second floor lies Cafe Mezzanine, an upscale Binondo restaurant serving delectable dishes.
Photo by Chuan Kee Binondo
If you’re eating at Chuan Kee Binondo, give their dim sum specials a try. This includes xiao long bao, shrimp hakaw, and pork dumplings. If you’re feeling adventurous, try their unique Soup No. 5 or their famous kiampong and gokong. They also offer rice toppings like beef tendon and steamed chicken.
On the other hand, Cafe Mezzanine offers an extensive menu featuring dim sum dishes like xiao long bao, shrimp dumpling, and lava pao. They also have main entrees such as beef broccoli and chop suey.
Address: 650 Ongpin St, Binondo
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- Burn off all those dumplings and noodles with a bamboo bike tour in Intramuros
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8. Masuki
Photo by Masuki
Masuki, a "younger" version of the mami pioneer Ma Mon Luk, serves old-time favorites and adds a variety of proteins to their mami. Masuki's simple set-up is very similar to how Ma Mon Luk used to look, with wooden chairs, white tables, and glass-paneled shelves that hold the mami bowls. The strong smell of its broth makes a satisfying eating experience.
Make sure to try their best-selling fresh, original mami. Other mami flavors in Masuki include chicken, Asado, beef, and wonton. They also sell different siopao and siomai, perfect for a quick dim sum fix.
Address: 31 Benavidez St, Binondo
7. New Po Heng Lumpia House
Photo by New Po Heng Lumpia House
The lumpia filling in New Po Heng Lumpia House makes up for the difficulty of finding this not-so-secret hideaway. The Uy Su Bin Building is a pink Art-Deco structure with a tiny Roman fountain that features this family-owned eatery. Since it is an al-fresco canteen, you can dine outdoors without being surrounded by Binondo's traffic and chaos.
Photo by Department of Tourism
Based on the food establishment’s name, their best-selling dish is lumpia. You can also try their other famous dishes such as kiampong, pork maki, fish maki, misua soup, and misua guisado. They also sell frozen lumpia if you prefer to take some home with you.
Address: 621, 1006 Carvajal St, Binondo
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6. Dong Bei Dumplings
Photo by Dong Bei Dumplings
When it comes to Dong Bei Dumplings, less is more. It contains a dumpling counter, an eating area, and a kitchen all in one little space. Watching quick hands wrap flat dough over pork filling is entertaining, but it's also a labor of love. Dim sum is also quite affordable, making it a go-to place to satisfy your cravings.
Photo by Department of Tourism
They are known for their variety of dumplings, including pork dumplings, kuchay dumplings, cabbage dumplings, and shrimp dumplings. Other delectable dishes in Dong Bei include xiao long bao, pancake, beef noodle, and soybean sauce noodle.
Address: 642 Yuchengco St, Binondo
5. President Grand Palace
Photo by President Grand Palace
Serving Chinese and seafood cuisine, President Grand Palace Restaurant was first established in 1979. This classic restaurant in Ongpin St. opened as an authentic Chinese food establishment that has since been popular with visitors and residents alike, especially those looking for stops to include in their Ongpin food trip.
As one of Manila's most iconic eateries for more than four decades, this restaurant is easy to adore because of its genuine Cantonese food. After all, the delicate, refreshing, and genuine taste of Cantonese food makes it one of China's best regional cuisines.
Photo by Department of Tourism
When dining at President Grand Palace, try their shark’s fin dishes, bird’s nest dishes, pigeon dishes, duck dishes, scallop and oyster dishes, fish dishes, crab and prawn dishes, beef dishes, pork dishes, chicken dishes, vegetable dishes, soups and noodles, and cold cuts.
Address: 746-750 Ongpin St, Binondo
4. Quik Snack
Photo by Quik Snack
Located in the middle of Carvajal Street, which has a long stretch of stalls that are also worth seeing, Quick Snack has been a favorite since 1968. Homecooking made to perfection; their classic comfort foods have super-rich flavors perfect for a delectable trip.
Since this is near dine-in restaurants like Sincerity, it is recommended to order something light. Choose one of their stir-fried noodles like miki bihon guisado and beef guisado. Try one of their noodle soups like their lomi and duck misua. If you prefer vegetarian noodles, you may try their veggie misua guisado or veggie bihon soup.
Address: Carvajal St, Binondo
3. Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant
Photo by Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant
Fried chicken might seem like an out-of-place concept in Binondo, but at Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant, you can't go wrong with their version of oriental chicken. This well-known restaurant also sells a variety of Chinese cuisine to satisfy your cravings.
There are tables on both restaurant levels, but try to secure one on the ground floor for faster service if you can. If you can, try their best-selling Sincerity fried chicken. They also have other chicken flavors, which include curry and honey.
Other must-tries are their fried oyster cake, shrimp omelet, and adobo frog. They also offer delectable soups like duck misua soup, yuchitikwa misua soup, crab corn soup, and more. Try their machang, kikiam, and fresh lumpia if you want some light snacks.
Address: 519 Quintin Paredes St. Binondo
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2. Wai Ying Binondo
Photo by Wai Ying Binondo
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly dim sum in Binondo, it may be enjoyed at a reasonable price at Wai Ying. Their two-story branch at Benavidez Street often has a long queue, but its classy interiors and delicious food make the wait worthwhile. Plus, the service is quick and attentive, so you won't have to wait long for your further orders. They also have other branches in Binondo if the main branch is full.
At Wai Ying, it is highly recommended to try their best-sellers such as beef mami, mixed meat congee, curry beef brisket rice, honey baked rib rice, roasted duck rice, broccoli flower with oyster sauce, hakaw, siomai, steamed spareribs, chicken taro roll, vegetable dumpling, roast Peking duck, roasted suckling pig, fried-style noodles, lemon chicken, fish fillet, and more.
1. Ying Ying Tea House
Photo by @bors.jd on Instagram
Hailed as one of the classics in Binondo, you can't miss this well-known tea house called Ying Ying Tea House at the corner of Yuchengco Street. This three-story restaurant gets very busy during weekends, holidays, and peak hours, regardless of its three floors. Despite the long lines, the food service is very good, and you will be accommodated properly.
With an extensive menu, make sure to try their bestsellers like Hakao, which is a traditional kind of Chinese dumpling. You can also try their other pork, beef, chicken, vegetable, and dim sum dishes such as pork shrimp siomai, sweet and sour fish fillet, chicken feet, and more.
Address: 233-235 Yuchengco St, Binondo
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Have a Great Binondo Food Crawl
Whether you plan to spend here your Chinese New Year, are looking for unique vacation packages for couples, or just have a fun time in Binondo, you are bound to have a great experience as the majority of restaurants in Manila's Binondo district are open all year round. No need to look further on what day tour or where to go near Manila. Most of the food establishments are near each other, with some located on the same street or near the best hotels in Manila and quarantine hotels in Manila, making your Binondo food trip worth your time and money.
Get in touch with culture through food when you tour the Philippines by joining a Manila Chinatown food tour. Take note that you can DIY or go on a travel booking website like Guide to the Philippines for your online trip booking. Learn about the oldest Chinatown in the world and get a taste of tradition. You can include this in your Philippine honeymoon package or date ideas in Manila itinerary.
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Photo by Department of Tourism
Visit other Manila tourist spots and have a roadtrip near Manila, appreciate various museums in Manila, lounge at beaches near Manila, stay at Philippine luxury resorts, 5 star hotels in the Philippines, or affordable resorts near Manila, to get the full Philippines experience. You can also extend your stay by going on a Manila staycation. Don’t forget to follow the safety protocols to have a safe Binondo food crawl adventure and read our Manila travel guide.
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