The Ultimate Metro Manila Panciteria Guide

Two weeks ago, I published The Ultimate Metro Manila Burger Guide (check it out here). Today, I’m releasing The Ultimate Metro Manila Panciteria Guide (and someday, a carinderia or eatery guide).

But what is a panciteria? A panciteria is place that serves Chinese-Filipino dishes. These include chopsuey (stir-fried vegetables), the iconic lumpiang Shanghai (deep-fried spring rolls), and, of course, different kinds of pancit/pansit (stir-fried noodles; the word “panciteria” literally means “pancit place”), among many others.

So here are the panciterias in the Metro you should visit:

Dorys Wong Cuisine Restaurant (Quezon City)

Open since 1966, Dorys Wong Cuisine Restaurant, which we simply and affectionally call “Dorys”, is an institution in the northern part of Quezon City. They serve exceptional panciteria food!

My favorites here are the Dorys Chopsuey and Lumpiang Shanghai.

Counterclockwise starting from upper left: *Pata Tim*, *Pancit Canton*, Fried Chicken, and Beef with *Ampalaya*

Many relatives of mine live in the Fairview area. So when I was still a kid, we would usually celebrate special occasions in Dorys. So aside from good food, the panciteria also brings back good memories to me. And I believe it does for many people residing in the area.

Address: 6 Thessalonians St. (but entrance is in Commonwealth Ave.), Jordan Plains Subdivision, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 10AM-9PM | Contact No.: (02) 8938-9272 | Facebook

Lola Helen Panciteria (Marikina City)

Located in the Shoe Capital of the Philippines—Marikina City, Lola Helen (literally “grandma Helen”, who is the mother of the owner) is the first MICHELIN-recognized panciteria in the city and even in the entire country.

My favorites here are the Hototay Guisado (it’s like chopsuey but with more ingredients, I guess) and Miki Bihon Soup (soup with two kinds of noodles—miki/thick egg noodles and bihon/thin rice noodles).

Counterclockwise starting from upper left: *Lumpiang Shanghai*, *Miki Bihon* Soup, *Litson Kawali*, and *Hototay Guisado*

I’ll be honest: I’m underwhelmed with my experience at Lola Helen Panciteria. But I don’t want to close my doors to Lola Helen Panciteria just yet. Maybe we need to visit one more time and order their bestsellers (because we didn’t do in the first visit).

Address: 425 J.P. Rizal St., Marikina City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9:30AM-9:30PM; Friday-Sunday, 9AM-10PM | Contact No.: 0927-5470111

Luyong Restaurant (Marikina City)

Like Dorys, Luyong Restaurant is another childhood favorite. This legendary panciteria started in the 1950s, and my dad’s family has been eating there long before I was even born!

Hands down, they have the best lumpiang Shanghai and Tofu with Lechon (deep-fried pork belly) a.k.a. Tokwa con Lechon.

Counterclockwise starting from upper left: *Lumpiang Shanghai*, *Tofu with Lechon*, *Lechon Kawali*, and *Hototay* Soup

Address: 801 J.P. Rizal St., Concepcion Uno, Marikina City, Metro Manila | Operating Hours: Monday-Friday, 10AM-2PM & 4-9PM; Saturday & Sunday, 10 AM–9:30PM | Contact No.: (02) 8941-1694, (02) 7502-0354, 0930-1080000, 0917-5630012 | Facebook

New Silver Crown Panciteria, Inc. (Caloocan City)

New Silver Crown Panciteria is an institution in Caloocan City, known for serving generous portions at affordable prices. It’s easy to miss the panciteria if you’re not paying attention because they have no signages outside. But once you find it, you’ll be in for a treat!

The Signage-less New Silver Crown Panciteria Inc.

My favorite here is the Silver Crown Rice, which is rice served with asado (barbecued pork), chicken, fried egg, and veggies. And it’s only P130 (at the time of our visit)!

Counterclockwise starting from upper left: *Hototay* Soup, *Lumpiang Shanghai Frito*, Silver Crown Rice, and *Chitcharo* with Carne Guisado

Address: 255 Samson Rd., Caloocan City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 9:30AM-8PM | Contact No.: (02) 8361-3744 | Facebook

Ramon Lee Panciteria (Manila)

Located in the historic area of Santa Cruz, Ramon Lee’s Panciteria is a Manila institution founded in 1929 by Ramon Lee, an immigrant from Guandong province of China. The panciteria became famous because of his wife’s secret, Chinese-style fried chicken recipe, which they still use until today (more on this later).

The panciteria remained its retro interiors, with bright yellow walls, orange posts, and pink seats. This will definitely bring nostalgia to its loyal customers:

Now let’s talk about the food, starting with Ramon Lee’s Fried Chicken. Oh man, it’s juicy and tender. Then the sweet sauce on the side complements really well. I just wished that the skin is crispier, though I’m not sure if the photo-taking affected its crispness. LOL.

We also ordered their Pata Tim (braised pata or pork hock), which is also tender. Usually, a pata tim is sweet. But Ramon Lee’s is savory, which my wife and I loved. It also has kangkong (water spinach), which add color and crisp to the dish. This is my favorite at the restaurant.

Address: 540 Ronquillo St., Sta. Cruz, Manila | Operating Hours: Daily, 10AM-7PM | Contact No.: 0915-3545801 | Facebook

Salud Panciteria (Marikina City)

Founded in 1968, Salud Panciteria is another legendary panciteria in Marikina City. It’s known to be the inventor of Pancit Pinagulong, their version of Pancit Miki Guisado (a pancit made of miki or fresh yellow egg noodles). It’s called that way because of the way it’s cooked—pinagulong or rolled in the frying pan.

Salud Panciteria. It’s literally located on the first floor of a house.

But my favorite here is their Torta con Carne, which is an egg fuyong (Chinese-style omelette) with meat drenched in a special sweet sauce. It has a fluffy egg and tasty meat, with a thick, sweet sauce that’s surprisingly good, elevating the dish.

Counterclockwise starting from upper left: Salud *Pinagulong*, *Torta con Carne*, *Lumpiang* Shanghai, and *Chopsuey*

Toho Panciteria Antigua (Manila and Parañaque City)

Established in 1888, Toho (sometimes spelled as To Ho) Panciteria Antigua is the oldest restaurant in the Philippines. It’s located in Manila Chinatown, which happens to be the oldest Chinatown in the world! Some believe that national heroes Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio dined here. While these information are unverified, there is no denying that Toho is certainly historic.

But while Toho is more than a century old, its Chinatown branch doesn’t look like it. It has gone through a renovation, mixing vintage vibes and modern feels. Because of this makeover, the place looks clean as compared to other panciterias (no offense to others but it’s simply the reality).

My favorite here is the Asado (barbecue pork), which is tender, moist, and perfectly sweet. This is the best panciteria asado that I’ve ever had, because others tend to be on the dry side. Other favorites here are the lumpiang Shanghai and Toho Chicken, which is a fried chicken drenched in garlicky sauce.

Counterclockwise starting from upper left: *Asado*, *Lumpiang Shanghai*, Toho Chicken (we asked the sauce to be separated), and *Chop Suey*

By the way, I wrote a Manila Chinatown Food Guide. Check it out here.

Main Branch Address: 422 Tomas Pinpin St., Binondo, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-8PM; Sunday, 9AM-3PM | Contact No.: (02) 8242-0294

Parañaque Branch Address: 16 President's Ave., Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 10AM-9PM | Contact No.: (02) 8820-0669

What panciteria should I visit next? Comment below!