The best Filipino food in London: top 5 Filipino restaurants

Lutong Pinoy 

Tucked away on the corner of Earl’s Court Road is Lutong Pinoy, a family-run business open since 1996 serving home-style Filipino food to anyone in London looking for comfort outside their own homes. The restaurant offers Kamayan meals, a buffet, as well as an á la carte menu, representing the various regions of the Philippine Islands. 

Menu Highlights:

Meat lovers should try the Beef Kare Kare (£9.25), a peanut stew with cooked beef and vegetables, or the Kalderetang Kambing (£11), a traditional goat stew cooked in tomato sauce. Seafood enthusiasts should look no further than the Daing Na Bangus (£5.95 or £10.25), a marinated fried milkfish dish served with dipping sauce. Or for our veggie lovers, the Ginataan Gulay (£7.95), an eggplant dish simmering in coconut milk.

Romulo Café & Restaurant 

Opened by Rowena Romulo, the granddaughter of former President of the UN General Assembly General Carlos P. Romulo, Romulo Café London has quickly become one of the finest Filipino restaurants in London, serving family recipes that have been passed down for generations. Their food maintains the same authentic character found in Filipino cuisine, but also provides a twist of unique flavours and ingredients.

Menu Highlights:

Try the Gambas al Ajillo tapas (£9.50), in which prawns are sautéed in olive oil, parsley, tomatoes, green chilies, and served with pan de sal crostini. Taken from the family recipe book, Tito Greg's Beef & Oxtail Kare-Kare (£17) is another Filipino festive favourite. Or try the “Romulo Style” Truffled Chicken Adobo (£14.50), a chicken dish cooked in soy sauce, garlic and cane vinegar, served with bok choy and sweet potato, and finished with black truffle. 

Chef:

Trained under Michelin star chef Michel Roux Jr, Romulo's Executive Chef Jeremy Villanueva has worked at well-known restaurants such as Le Gavroche, Brasserie Roux, and Le Boudin Blanc. Villanueva honors the Romulo heritage by reproducing family recipes using the best ingredients, but also lets his voice be heard with new techniques, producing a special fine-dining Filipino experience.

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Rapsa@ 100 Hoxton

Rapsa@ 100 Hoxton is located in the trendy Hixton area, and just like the neighborhood, the restaurant bar’s atmosphere is lively and intimate. Accompanied with the inviting ambience is the elevated Filipino fusion food. From their eccentric small plates to ‘Boodle Fight’ menu, everyone can imbibe in the modern Filipino food culture. 

Menu Highlights:

The dish you’ll see on most people’s tables is the Slow Roasted Lechon (£12), or the Ginataan Coconut Pumpkin Curry (£9). Other dishes such as the Pan Fried Butterfly Mackerel served with Padron Peppers (£12), or the Oxtail Kare Kare Croquettes (£13) offer unique Mediterranean interpretations of Filipino favorites. Encapsulating the Filipino experience is the Maja Blanca dessert (£7), a corn coconut pudding served with sweet berries and popcorn. 

Chef:

After racking up invaluable experience at Yotam Ottolenghi’s NOPI in West London, Chef Francis Puyat took to his roots and opened RAPSA as an extension to 100 Hoxton to share his Filipino fusion across London. Celebrating the Philippines while also bringing an innovative perspective to the table, Chef Francis is able to create an accessible menu with simple yet exquisite dishes to its trendy customer base. 

If you want to learn even more about Filipino food, you can catch Budgie of Sarap BAon, Rex of Turo Turo, as well as other Filipino cuisine experts on the Rassa course of Filipino cooking, commencing in February of 2022. For more information, click here.

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