I have been traveling to the Philippines yearly since 2007, as well as staying there over longer periods of time. It is a country that is difficult to eat cheap in with a restrictive diet, unless you are okey with rice and grilled chicken every day. If you have access to a kitchen, you could cook at home, but if you are staying in Metro Manila there are more and more places with allergen knowledge. Below are some inside tips when it comes to the Philippines and being gluten free in Manila and other Filipino cities:
- Gluten is an unfamiliar term in general in the Philippines. You will therefore risk getting many stares of wonder if you ask about a dish containing gluten. It is strongly encouraged that you follow up with questions about the ingredients of a dish, primarily if it contains “harina” (flour), “toyo” (soy sauce) or oyster sauce. You should also ask if the meal contains pasta or bread, andif it is fried. Do note that soy sauce is widely used in Filipino dishes, as is flour and pasta.
- You may also need to underline to staff that cross contamination is a health risk to you as well.
- When you receive your dish, feel free to follow up again to confirm that the dish is without X mentioned ingredients.
- Filipinos are extremely service oriented and will do their utmost to make sure they do not disappoint you. This means that you may experience that your waiter does not ask you what you mean when you mention gluten. You may therefore risk having servers informing you that a meal is gluten free when it may in fact not be gluten free. This does not come from a place of malice, and is why asking additional questions is advised to avoid misunderstandings. I would also recommend stating you have a serious allergy to underline the severity of your condition.
- One reason why some waiters may inform you that the meal is/is not gluten free when it may be the opposite, is that there is something called “glutinous rice” in the Philippines. I have seen it fairly often, and it has nothing to do with gluten. Thus, always ask about ingredients.
- When you order cocktails, make sure to also double-check the ingredients. I have ended up with drinks that are supposed to be gluten free, but had beer added.
- All of the fast food chains will be off limits for any Celiac, except the ones selling grilled chicken. I have never had any reactions at Mang Inasal nor Bacholod Chicken Inasal, but as recipes could change you should always confirm the ingredients.
- There is a brand of soy sauce in the Philippines, the cheapest you can find and widely used, which based on the ingredient list is gluten free. As you may know, Asian products often have incomplete ingredient lists, and I have never been given any feedback when contacting the company producing the soy sauce. The brand is called Datu Puti. I cannot recommend it as being Celiac safe since it doesnt specifically say it is gluten free, but hardly any Asian products will have such a marking. At the same time, I am an extremely sensitive Celiac and have been using the brand for years without any reactions.
GLUTEN FREE IN MANILA (MAKATI AND BGC)
100 % Gluten Free
There are no 100% gluten free cafes nor restaurants in Manila, Makati nor BGC. If you find one, do let me know! There are, however, some gluten free online bakeries where you can order gluten free bread and pastries. One of them is the following:
Amores Gluten Free Manila
Celiac safety: 100% safe
I messaged the bakery on Facebook and they informed me the following: “we bake our products in a fully gluten free environment. So no risk of cross contamination”. They delivery within Metro Manila. More details here.
PLACES WITH GLUTEN FREE ON THE MENU
These are places that have “GLUTEN FREE” marked specifically on their menus, either in a separate section or through allergen marking (always keep in mind that cross contamination could be a risk for Celiacs at any establishment that is not 100% Celiac friendly).
HAPPY GARDEN CAFE
56 Jupiter, Makati, 1201 Metro Manila
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
An excellent restaurant in Makati for any Celiac. The staff is aware of allergens and the menu is clearly allergen marked. The variety and options of gluten free dishes is fantastic, and the food itself is really good. This is also a place where you can try out classical Filipino dishes made with gluten free ingredients. More details here or click the address above to map it.
THE WHOLESOME TABLE
Ground Floor Greenbelt 2 Esperanza St, Cor Greenbelt Dr, Ayala Center, Makati
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
This has to be the restaurant I went to the most during my last visit to Metro Manila. They have branches in Rockwell, BGC, Makati and other cities. This means that there will always be at least one restaurant nearby with gluten free options at hand. The menu is clearly marked and the staff are also aware of what gluten is and how to make certain gluten containing dishes gluten free. The food is good, but is a little on the pricier side. More details here or click the address above to map it.
CORNER TREE CAFE
150 Jupiter, Makati, 1209 Metro Manila
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
I have eaten at Corner Tree Cafe many time without any problems. The menu is clearly marked with allergens. You should, however, note that the staff may not necessarily be fully aware of the various allergen markings (which is common in the Philippines as gluten is not a known term). It is therefore recommended that you emphasize that the meal needs to be gluten free and without bread if you order soup. More details here or click the address above to map it.
GREEN PASTURES
Net Square Building, 1634 28th St, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
This restaurant is located in BGC, but may have branches elsewhere by the time I am writing this. The menu is allergen marked and staff friendly. I did have an “incident” here, when I ordered breakfast without toast. The waiter was about to place bread on my plate when I got the plate from the kitchen, as he assumed the kitchen had forgotten it. I had to run over to stop him. The waiter was not the same one as took my order, so it was just an example of being very service oriented. More details here or click the address above to map it.
PEOPLE’S PALACE
Greenbelt 3, Esperanza St, Makati, 1223 Metro Manila, Philippines
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
Located in Greenbelt, this has been one of my to-go-to restaurants as it has been around for many years. Due to the sheer number of expats going here, they are fully aware of gluten and has an allergen marked menu. The food is good, and while it is a little on the pricier side it is worth it for the security and ambiance. I would recommend sitting outside. More details here or click the address above to map it.
Places with Gluten Free Options when you Ask
At these places, there menus did not have any information on allergens or ingredients, but staff was able to assist when asked about gluten free options (always keep in mind that cross contamination could be a risk for Celiacs at any establishment that is not 100% Celiac friendly).
WILDFLOUR + BAKERY
V Corporate Center, Salcedo Village, Ground Floor, 125 L.P. Leviste Street, Makati
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
WILDFLOUR + BAKERY has some gluten free pastries to chose from. They are clearly marked on the menu and they are displayed on a separate tray (at least at the branch I went to). As cross contamination may be an unfamiliar term, it is recommendable that you inform you “have an allergy” and that the pastry has to be taken out using a new set of utensils. This cafe has many branches in Rockwell, BGC, Makati and other cities. More details here or click the address above to map it.
BACOLOD CHICKEN INASAL
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
I love grilled/BBQed chicken, and Bacolod city is famous for this. The fast food chain Bacholod Chicken Inasal therefore has such chicken as its specialty. I inquired about the ingredients while there, and they use a special marinade consisting of vinegar and oil (meaning it is gluten free). If you go, please feel free to ask again as recipes may change from time to time. This restaurant has many branches in Rockwell, Manila, BGC, Makati and other cities. More details here or click the address above to map it.
MANG INASAL
140 Jupiter, Makati, Metro Manila
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
Mang inasal is the cheaper and faster fast food chain when comparing with Bacolod Chicken Inasal. It has always been my safe bet when eating on a budget in the Philippines, but I have never been able to get a confirmation of the ingredients used in the marinade. I have till this day never been sick/had any reaction from eating there, but if you are Celiac you have to make your own risk evaluation. Mang Inasal has branches in Rockwell, Manila, BGC, Makati and other cities. More details here or click the address above to map it.
PHO HOA
Various branches
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
Vietnamese food – in particularly pho – is normally a safe choice for Celiacs. I have eaten at Pho Hoa at least 10 times over the last years, and I have never encountered any issues. Do ask about the ingredients when you order though. You can find branches all over Manila, Makati, BGC and other cities in Metro Manila and the Philippines in general. Read more here.
MANAM
Central Bus. Dist. Unit 105 G/F Greenbelt 2, Esperanza St. cor. Greenbelt Dr.
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
Manam actually hardly have any gluten free options and you will not really get a clear answer if you ask what is safe to eat or not. The only reason why I mention it here, is due to the only gluten free dish I dared trying – the famous bulalo. If you do go here, make sure to double check the ingredients in case they have changed. More details here or click the address above to map it.
CYMA RESTAURANTS
G/F Greenbelt 2 Ayala Malls, Makati City, Philippines
Celiac safety: Be aware of potential cross-contamination risk
CYMA is located in Greenbelt in Makati, but may have branches elsewhere. They offer gluten free pasta, but you need to make sure that it is prepared using new water to avoid any cross contamination risk. More details here or click the address above to map it.
STEAK/BEEF RESTAURANTS
International food is quite popular in the Philippines, and most American and Argentinian restaurants serve beef, steak and other grilled meats. Some examples are Thank God it’s Fridays, Outback Steakhouse, El Gaucho Argentinian Steakhouse, Wolfgang’s steakhouse among many. These can easily be prepared gluten free, but be aware that the cost for beef/steak in the Philippines is quite high.
GLUTEN FREE IN GROCERIES/STORES
HEALTH STORES
HEALTHY OPTIONS (Ground Floor, Glorietta 2 Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati)
Healthy Options has many branches in Rockwell, BGC, Makati and other cities. It is a health focused outlet that sells vitamins, sugar free products and, most importantly, a lot of gluten free items! For Christmas I even saw them promoting a gluten free holiday basket. You will be able to find gluten free bread, pasta, cookies and more. Some of the branches have a frozen section with gluten free items as well. Is it expensive? Yes. Are there many other options around? Definitely not.
GROCERIES
In the past, I would hardly be able to find anything gluten free in Filipino groceries. Lately, things seem to have changed. I have now spotted gluten free cereals, candies, pasta and cookies in both SM mall groceries and Robinson’s mall groceries. It is up to each branch what and how much they will order of gluten free options, so if you find very little in one grocery you can try another one.
FINAL NOTES
These are just some of the many places offering meals when you are eating gluten free in Manila. There are many more places that can serve you gluten free meals, so get ready to explore. Just remember – ask about ingredients in addition to underlining that you are “allergic to gluten”.
