10 Restaurants in Manila for a Special Mother’s Day Celebration

That time of year to celebrate the most special person in your life is fast approaching. No, not Valentine’s in May. It’s Mother’s Day, of course! And what better way to honour the most special women than treating them to a nice meal this coming Sunday? These restaurants in Manila guarantee that they will serve only the best dishes for you and your mom the moment you order.

Also read: Food Itinerary Tips for an Exciting Gastronomic Escapade

Restaurants in Manila for a special Mother’s Day

1. The Blackbird

Image credit: Blackbird at the Nielson Tower Official Facebook Page

One of the classiest Manila restaurants for Mother’s Day, Blackbird used to be an old air traffic control tower at the country’s first commercial airport. Management at the Blackbird repurposed the former Nielson Tower to a gorgeous space to enjoy good food. The mix of postmodern and Art Deco design of this restaurant has such a posh vibe that we’re sure mom would love her photo taken inside. With her number one boys and girls, of course! (That’s your cue to flash your winning smile!)

Expect delicious Asian fusion dishes coming from their kitchen. Some of their specialities include sophisticated dishes like Iberico pork, crab laksa, and kerala chicken curry. While we’re sure that they’re not as good as your mom’s home-cooked specials, she would definitely appreciate dining inside this fancy restaurant — and not doing the cooking for a change!

2. Bugis Singapore Street Food

Image credit: Bugis Singapore Street Food Official Facebook Page

Singapore has an incredible selection of cuisines commonly found in any of its hawker centres. If you and your mom can’t fly to the Lion City just yet, or you just want to reminisce about the delicious memories, eating through Bugis Singapore Street Food could pass off as the next best thing. Anything and everything you can expect when going through Singapore’s hawker centres might just be inside this restaurant in Quezon City.

Bugis is one of the few Manila restaurants to serve delicious Singaporean cuisine. And by Singaporean cuisine, we mean the rich combination of Peranakan, Indian, Malay, and Chinese dishes, maybe even more! You and mom will be spoiled for choice once you dine in Bugis, but no matter what you eat, you can’t miss their laksa.

Also read: 10 Best Hawker Centres in Singapore That Locals & Travelling Foodies Swear By

3. Cai Hok Seafood Restaurant

Image credit: Cai Hok Seafood Restaurant Official Facebook Page

Even in their socials, the dishes served by Cai Hok Seafood Restaurant look irresistible. Heaps of seafood cooked to perfection, immaculately roasted pork, and premium versions of your favourite dimsum dishes are the social media stars of this restaurant. You might even get starstruck once you see the real thing on the table, as Cai Hok gives generous portions for its price.

Their portions make Cai Hok an excellent choice for family dinners. And we’re pretty sure Mom wouldn’t want anything more than to share a feast with her loved ones on her special day. 

Also read: 20 Quezon City Restaurants: The Ultimate Guide for Every Foodie

4. Sweet Inspirations

Image credit: Sweet Inspirations Official Facebook Page

Sweet Inspirations has a wide range of offerings for the sweetest person in the family. Their delicious pastries and cakes are surely the perfect gift to share with your mom and the rest of the family. While the restaurant’s name gives away its penchant for delectable desserts, Sweet Inspirations also has a really good selection of Filipino food and even exciting Mongolian bowls. Their extensive menu is worth trying out this Mother’s Day!

Also read: 10 Shangri-La Plaza Restaurants to Experience Gourmet Excellence

5. The Aristocrat

Image credit: The Aristocrat Restaurant Official Facebook Page

Never count out the Manila classics. The ever-popular and historic The Aristocrat is a mainstay in the capital’s palate. The main branch, located beside a gorgeous view of Manila Bay, still attracts droves of people almost every night. Since 1936, in fact! Their barbecue and java rice combo remains unmatched and somehow, grows even more delicious as years go by. As timeless as a mother’s care, this restaurant remains a solid choice when you’re looking for Manila restaurants to celebrate Mother’s Day, as its founder, Lola Asiang would tell you!

6. Hizon’s

Image credit: Hizon’s Cakes and Pastries/ Za’s Cafe Official Facebook Page

Almost hidden from Manila’s bustling streets is the corner lot where Hizon’s quietly sits. It is primarily known as a bakery, producing some of the best pastries and cakes anywhere in the Philippines. If she hasn’t tried them already, an ensaymada or cheese roll from Hizon’s is one of the sweetest gifts you could give your mom for Mother’s Day.

Hizon’s also has a decent menu consisting of simple but delicious continental dishes. Specials such as tanguige in lemon butter or stuffed turkey don’t only look good, their flavours are timeless as well. If you need even more convincing, you’ll be dining inside the favourite restaurant of none other than the late King of Comedy himself, Dolphy!

7. Guevarra’s

Image credit: Guevarra’s Official Facebook Page

It’s hard to imagine Guevarra’s without a crowd at any time of the week. So, what’s the secret behind the crowd? Well, the food, of course! This ancestral house repurposed as a buffet restaurant is a showcase of Chef Laudico Guevarra’s skills and talents working in the culinary industry for years. While the Filipino fusion buffet serves excellent dishes, the entire restaurant lot exhibits a timeless colonial design. It’s another restaurant that moms would enjoy because both the stomach and the eyes will eat. The fountain at the patio is an especially scenic background for a photo with the best woman in the world!

Also read: 8 Heritage Restaurants and Cafes You Can Find in Metro Manila

8. Nobu

Image credit: Nobu Restaurant Manila Official Facebook Page

We know you want the best for Mom. The atmosphere in Nobu does half the work because this world-class restaurant has that executive-level feel. From the open-air cabanas to their magnificent service, Nobu provides peerless food service. Paired with the superior quality of Japanese dishes, eating here might just be the most unforgettable Mother’s Day you’ll have.

Also read: 10 Manila Restaurants With Tasting Menus For Wining & Dining Your Date

9. Mamou

Image credit: Mamou – A Home Kitchen Official Facebook Page

Mamou serves dishes with only the finest ingredients, and despite their dishes looking simple, they taste quite elegant. This is evident through every faultless bite you’ll take from their steaks or as you indulge in their flaky sea bass. But make sure you eat early in Mamou this Mother’s Day. It is rare to see the restaurant without a crowd, especially on holidays and special occasions such as Mother’s Day.

10. Cafe Ilang-Ilang

Image credit: The Manila Hotel Official Facebook Page

Cafe Ilang-Ilang is where you should go when you want a Mother’s Day family gathering surrounded by good food. It is one of the best Manila restaurants for years now and for good reason. There’s just not a bad dish in Cafe Ilang-Ilang, and their dishes are consistently excellent by a wide margin. You can’t go wrong with this classic pick, especially when savouring their lamb shanks or their yummy premium sushi!

Also read: 10 Best Hotel Buffets in Manila for Your Family Celebrations

Scouring Manila restaurants always results in many pleasant surprises, since there’s always something new to try in the metro. And what better way to spend this gastronomic journey than with Mom? It doesn’t even have to be Mother’s Day. Just spend time eating through Manila’s flavours for some precious family bonding time through gastronomic excellence!


Featured image credit: Guevarra’s | Official Facebook Page

Aldous Vince Cabildo

Ever since growing up, Aldous learned how to look at things from an historical perspective. So whenever the opportunity to travel arises, he makes sure to go to places that contain local stories and memories. From there, he takes in the lessons from the past and picks out what to learn, or should it interest him, what to unlearn. At any chance he gets, he also makes sure to try out local cuisine. When not charting his next destination, Aldous likes to explore worlds found in video games, hip-hop, film, and professional wrestling. He is a proud resident of Tondo.