8 Best Restaurants in Philippines

Serving arguably the best Italian food on Boracay, Aria also enjoys one of the best locations, at the beach end of D'Mall. There are several tables inside the small but modern, elegant dining room, but an altogether better experience is to be had at one of the al fresco tables on the sand, beneath the palm trees—especially at sunset, which puts on a show most nights. The food is as authentic as if you were halfway around the world in Naples or Milan: the cotoletta alla Milanese and gamberoni al forno are excellent, as are the fresh pasta dishes. But the stars are the filling and flavorsome pizzas, cooked in a wood-fired oven. The homemade focaccia bread from the same oven is another standout.

Along the beach road, you can watch the famous Boracay sunset at any number of establishments, but this place adds a touch of sophistication that many neighbors lack. Chef Joshua Sacapaño Boutwood learned his craft working in many of Europe's top restaurants, and now he brings his talents home to Boracay, blending modern European and Asian styles to create a delicate and mouthwatering array of flavors. The minimalist all-white interior allows your mind to focus on the food, where the accent is placed on producing the finest cuisine using local and sustainable ingredients wherever possible. If you can't make your mind up, opt for the eight-course tasting menu.

Set back away from White Beach and its wall-to-wall string of glitzy but not always reliable European-influenced restaurants, the small and friendly Bay Leaf Café offers up a surprisingly rare find on Boracay: authentic Filipino food. With only a handful of tables in the light-colored, brightly lit café, the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. Several regional specialties appear on the menu, and the excellent house signature dish, adobo (marinated, then twice-cooked pork or chicken), is a classic.

D'Talipapa is not so much a restaurant as a seafood market surrounded by restaurants. Buy your own dinner here from one of the market stalls—anything the tropical seas have to offer is usually available, from clams, crab, and grouper to lobster, tuna, and many other brightly colored fish you may never have even heard of, let alone sampled. Then take your catch of the day to any of the surrounding restaurants, and for a small fee they will cook it up for you and serve it in any style you and the chef agree is best. The atmosphere is lively and convivial, and patrons often hang out at long tables swapping stories and cooking tips.

Acclaimed by many as the city's best seafood restaurant, this long-running establishment also offers one of the best dining experiences in terms of scenery. Occupying a house right by the water's edge, looking out onto Manila Bay, it's the perfect place to enjoy sunset during your meal. As a testament to its enduring popularity, the walls here are decorated with photos showing the procession of celebrities who have stopped by to enjoy the food. Specialties include steamed grouper, deep-fried "drunken" shrimp, and spiced crab. If you're looking for something simpler for lunch, a range of gourmet sandwiches are also served.

Located in an area of Makati known as Little Tokyo, Kikufuji is surrounded by other Japanese restaurants, but this one stands out for consistently earning rave reviews. The fish used in the sushi and sashimi dishes here is always the freshest, and the prices won't have you falling off your bar stool. The set lunches offer the best value, but if your pockets go deeper there are several different types of precious tuna to select from. The combination of quality and value ensures sizable crowds, creating a lively atmosphere.

The café is one of the friendliest and best dining values on the island, earning it a loyal local following. Mediterranean specialties include such dishes as thyme-roasted chicken with potatoes, but lighter fare, including sandwiches, is also available. Those with a sweet tooth should consider the excellent tiramisu or the rich carrot cake. Better still is the homemade lemon tart, which enjoys legendary status on the island.

The Aristocrat's enduring popularity since it first opened in 1936 has only increased—it's now a chain of restaurants with around 10 branches scattered across the city. But this original location in the central district of Malate is the best. Although the menu covers a range of dishes, the perennial favorite for most is the barbecue chicken, sold at almost giveaway prices. The less ravenous may opt for Asian- and European-tinged soups, or for one of the healthy salads. For early risers there is also a choice of American and Filipino breakfasts.