Food with a View, The Most Picturesque Restaurants in Manila

With a skyline this beautiful, it only makes sense to find a restaurant with a view.

There are so many incredible restaurants in Manila, that sometimes it can be really difficult deciding where you’d like to eat of an evening! Whether it’s something as simple as fried chicken, or as elaborate as a Michelin-starred tasting menu, the choice is truly overwhelming. One thing that tends to make the restaurant experience that little bit more special, though, is a table with a view. Manila is spoilt for scenery and these restaurants truly make the most of that.

La Piazza & Enbu, Okada Manila

Okada Manila is a stunning and exclusive resort set in 44 hectares of picturesque oceanfront landscape. We’re here for the restaurant, but it’s really worth checking out everything else that the resort has to offer too. The casino offers the greatest range of table games in the country, including no less than six different types of poker. Whilst each type of poker has its own flavor, they all share certain basic rules since each game involves betting on the strength of your poker hand.

Not only does Okada Manila offer choice at its poker tables though, but they also have a wide selection of some of the best restaurants in town. However, only two of their restaurants have uninterrupted views of the grand fountain. La Piazza is the first of the restaurants. It serves upscale Italian cuisine, with a menu perfectly curated by Cheg Gleb Snegin. If freshly made pasta and pizza, with a glass of fine wine, is your favorite dinner choice, then this one is for you.

Enbu is the other restaurant with a beautiful view of the fountain and serves fresh, local produce, cooked using authentic Japanese methods. The chefs work in the center of the restaurant, surrounded by firey red chochin lanterns, which makes for a pretty incredible view itself! Chef Atsushi Yoshida has created a punchy menu, which has been paired beautifully with sakes.

The Nest Dining, Vivere Hotel

If you love a subtly spiced curry then opt for the Beef Rendang at the Nest Dining.

Although it’s a Manila mainstay, The Sunset Lounge isn’t the only place to watch the sun go down. This restaurant is adored by many for its great food and beautiful atmosphere, but The Nest Dining at the Vivere Hotel could possibly topple its crown. The Vivere is one of Manila’s premium five-star hotels and The Nest is its top dining establishment. The restaurant itself is set on the 31st floor of the building and looks out over the Alabang district and Laguna de Bay. Grab yourself a seat by the outside pool and look past the beautiful plants and decorations into the city skyline.

As well as having a breathtaking view, The Nest also boasts a relatively simple, but perfectly executed menu. Start off with a handmade cocktail, the white peach and lychee sangria is particularly good, and then treat yourself to at least two courses. Perhaps the most comforting item on the menu is the Beef Rendang, which comes in an unctuous and rich sauce, with coconut rice, soft boiled egg and incredibly moreish crispy fried anchovies. If you still have space for a dessert then the salted caramel brownie is a guest favourite and when paired with their candied bacon ice-cream, it really is the ultimate treat.

Gloria Maris, Pasay City

Chinese food can be a divider of the people, when it’s done well it can be the most exciting culinary experience on the planet and even when it’s done poorly, a sticky sweet and sour chicken can be a guilty indulgence for many. Thankfully the team at Gloria Maris are true experts in authentic Chinese cuisine, with a particular penchant for seafood. They take all of their own staff from Hong Kong to ensure absolute authenticity and the results speak for themselves.

Book yourself into a table in the VIP room for the best views out over the bay. The room itself is bright and airy and looks out over miles and miles of cerulean ocean. Once you’re seated choose from an extensive menu of old favourites and new experiences. The Lapu Lapu with chili is one of the most exquisite dishes here. Firey heat from the chili combines with the sweet and delicate flavours of this most prized fish. Another favourite, of course, is the shark fin soup, which earned the restaurant its notoriety.

About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.