12 Best Halal Restaurants in Manila Philippines

Aside from visiting tourist spots near Manila or staying at 5-star hotels in Manila, trying the best restaurants in this metropolitan area shouldn't be missed. The culinary scene in Manila is growing in popularity among local and international travelers in the Philippines. From modest local eateries to fine dining establishments, Manila offers everything. A trip to the best restaurants to try out the best cuisine in the Metro should be in your itinerary when planning your Philippine tour packages.

If you want to know where to go near Manila for a day tour that is Muslim-friendly, there are many halal-friendly restaurants that you can add to your Manila itinerary when you tour the Philippines. We've listed down the top 12 halal restaurants in Manila that you should add to your where-to-eat list: 

12. New Bombay 

The New Bombay is an Indian restaurant that has multiple branches in Metro Manila. The restaurant offers authentic Indian food that is accessible since their branches are located in some of the biggest malls in the metro. 

While dining here, make sure to try their traditional food like tawa kheema chicken, a chopped boneless chicken meal cooked in yellow gravy and spices, chicken tikka masala, tender pieces of boneless grilled chicken cooked in rich tomato sauce and gravy, and chicken madurai, a boneless grilled chicken meal cooked with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Address: Multiple branches in Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, and BGC

11. Gilak by Hossein

Chef Hossein originates from a family that values Middle Eastern culinary traditions, which he introduced to Hossein's in 1985. Hossein's is a forerunner in the Philippines when it comes to Middle Eastern food, presenting classic Persian, Arabic, Indian, and Mediterranean fare with a contemporary touch. Chef Hossein oversaw all aspects of the restaurant's growth, from cooking to cleaning to marketing, until it expanded from a three-table operation to what it is now and a spin-off restaurant called Gilak by Hossein.

When dining here, try some of their top dishes which include sabzi curry with sauteed vegetables cooked in South Asian curry sauce, and dopiaza, a South Asian dish in which meat is carefully cooked in low fire and with a thick curry sauce. Other curry meals include fish curry, chicken curry, and lamb curry.

Address: 2nd Level, Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center, Makati Ave, Makati, 1223 Metro Manila

10. Warung Indo 

Warung Indo, which first opened in 2016, is one of Manila's acclaimed halal eateries. This restaurant, which specializes in Asian and Indonesian cuisine, will certainly fulfill your appetite for spicy Indonesian dishes. Warung Indo offers rice dishes, noodles, and tasty desserts.

Warung Indo is spacious and nicely designed, with cuisine that includes bakmie goreng ayam, a type of fried chicken noodles, and sate ayam, a chicken satay dish with peanut sauce. Their best-sellers include beef rendang, claypot chicken, sesame oil chicken, and chicken curry.

Address: LPL Manor, Salcedo Village, San Augustin, Makati, 2133 Metro Manila

9. Arya Persian Restaurant

Arya Persian Restaurant specializes in halal Iranian cuisine, such as kebabs, and the menu assists guests with unique dietary requirements by including vegetarian options. Arya has multiple branches in Manila. The interiors of this restaurant is one of its most remarkable features which includes bright yellow accents and expensive Persian decor. 

Best-selling dishes in Arya include Royal Joojeh Kabab with pita rice, Arya Chef Kabab with pita bread, mourgh, koobideh, beef barg, beef tanoori, falafel, musaka, shirmal, hummus, motabal, and mazeh sini.

Address: Multiple branches in Manila, San Juan, Quezon City, and Mandaluyong

8. Hassan Kabab and Steaks 

Dubbed as the only Persian restaurant that serves 8 varieties of garlic sauce and frosted beer, Hassan Kabab and Steaks is ideal for those seeking some quality Meditteranean food. You can get your halal lamb and chicken fix even in late hours as the restaurant is open 24/7, with its interiors reminiscent of a 90’s eatery. Hassan Kabab and Steaks has multiple branches in Manila.

You will never go wrong with their extensive menu that includes shawarma wraps, kabab wraps, beef and chicken burritos, koobedeh combination plates, sizzling steaks, snacks like beef and chicken dynamite, chicken meals, curry meals, and other savory dishes.

Address: Multiple branches in Quezon City, Marikina, and Cainta Rizal

7. Shawarma Snack Center

Shawarma Snack Center (SSC) is a halal restaurant in Manila that has been serving authentic Arabian and Middle Eastern cuisine at a reasonable price for over 25 years. As implied by its titular name, SSC's crowning achievement is their special shawarma, which may be packed with beef, chicken, or both. 

Their other top-selling dishes include their complete Arabian breakfast meal, egg & cheese meal, hummus, hom with roul, falafel, motabal, foul plain, fried potato, and mix pickles. They also offer hot and cold drinks like taqueri tea, glass tea, and softdrinks in can.

Address: 484 Salas St, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila

6. Ababu

Another restaurant chain with a few branches in Manila is Ababu Persian Kitchen. You can get anything from shawarma to kebabs and hummus here. Unlike other restaurants, the atmosphere is more casual and homey in Ababu. It is popular among students and young professionals for its budget-friendly meal options.

Some of Ababu’s top-selling meals include their oven-roasted shawarma rice meals, charbroiled beef kebab rice meals, chicken kebab rice meals, sheik’s pie, and chicken kebab salad. All meals are served with garlic yogurt sauce and hot sauce.

Address: Multiple branches in Quezon City and Manila

5. Beni’s Falafel 

Beni's Falafel has garnered a lot of accolades for its halal-certified meat and Middle Eastern cuisine, which is often considered as one of the finest in the metro Their best-selling falafel is prepared every day from scratch at the restaurant by Beni, an Israeli national who owns it.

Inside the falafel is a creamy mixture of chickpeas, parsley, and a generous dusting of herbs and spices that keep the chickpeas' nuttiness. Other food choices include jachnun, which are slow-cooked Yemen delicacies with crushed tomatoes, lentil soup with pita, hamutzim, malawach with crushed tomatoes, and their various salads like tabbouleh, Mediterranean, green salad with schnitzel straps, and cabbage and carrot island.

Address: 5343 General Luna St, Makati, 1210 Metro Manila

4. Mister Kabab 

Mister Kabab is known for budget-friendly halal chicken and lamb dishes that are tasty and well-made. They provide a variety of cuisines, including Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Persian. It's one of the most popular go-to restaurants for locals in the metro craving for kabab rice meals.

They are well-known for their kebabs, which are enhanced by their homemade garlic sauce. Other delectable dishes in their menu include keema, which is ground beef sauteed in tomatoes and chilies, and beef abgousht, a beef stew with beans and garbanzos. Their yoghurt shake, a bestseller, is a must-try too.

Address: Multiple branches in Quezon City, Pasig, Pasay, Parañaque, and Bulacan

3. Hummus Elijah

Chef Elijah wanted to bring real Mediterranean food to the Philippines, so he came up with Hummus Elijah. As its name suggests, this vegetarian restaurant’s main specialty is hummus. Simple, fresh, and tasty ingredients from the kitchen are what give the food its original taste.

The hummus is light and airy, and the tahini and lemon provide a nice balance. Other top dishes in this restaurant include mashawsha, which are cooked chickpeas topped with various spices, and burekas, which are filled puff pastries with a hard boiled egg and pickle on the side.

Address: Multiple branches in Makati, BGC, and Alabang

2. FETA Mediterranean 

Buy your groceries and eat at the same time at FETA Mediterranean, an online grocery store and restaurant that uses halal-certified goods for cooking. Even though they have a wide variety of everyday essentials, they're most recognized for their authentic Mediterranean cuisine. 

Some of the best-selling dishes in this restaurant include their Mediterranean pizza topped with minced meat, minced vegetables, and other spices, their fajita marinated with spiced strips of meat, and beyti kebap, which is ground beef charcoal-grilled on a skewer. Feta Mediterranean also offers both cold and hot beverages such as fruit shakes and tea.

Address: Unit 101 G/F Intrawest Center, Annapolis, San Juan, 1504 Metro Manila

1. Meshwe

Meshwe began as a modest take-out shop in a food park on Malingap Street in Quezon City, owned by a Lebanese cook, but has now expanded to Fairview Quezon City. This restaurant serves inexpensive and tasty Lebanese food, such as their popular beef and chicken shawarma,

Other food choices in Meshwe include falafel combined with their special sauce, chicken tenders, roasted chicken leg with arabic fries, and shawarma rice plates. Food trays are available here, including kebab and shawarma trays.

Address: Multiple branches in Quezon City

Dine at the Best Halal-Friendly Restaurants in Manila

Photo by Hummus Elijah

Manila is one of the best places to visit in the Philippines. Travelers seeking day tours near Manila mostly come to see the historic district of Intramuros and other historical places in Manila. There's no shortage of things to do in Manila, date ideas in Manila, vacation packages for couples and families. 

Some of the top activities that you can do in the Metro include Manila bike tour or riding a bamboo bike in Intramuros, finding instagrammable places in Manila, visiting museums in Manila, having a road trip near Manila, staying at the best hotels in Manila, and pet-friendly hotels in Manila, taking a dip at beach resorts near Manila and affordable resorts near Manila, and eating at restaurants in Manila. 

One of the reasons why you should visit the Philippines is its halal destinations. Manila has some of the most varied selections not only limited to restaurants inside Muslim-friendly hotels. You can find a plethora of halal foods produced by world-class chefs and experienced cooks around the Metro. 

You won't have to worry about hunger pangs now that you have our list of the best halal restaurants in Manila to choose from. These halal restaurants in Manila are guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for halal cuisine, whether it's for your Muslim friends and family or those who just like to eat halal food.