You’ve probably heard the colloquial term “tita cafe” or “tita resto” being thrown around by young people, and while it often means that a dining spot is for aunties (read: the “older” crowd), it also means that these places serve awesome and reliable comfort food. Asking for a tita cafe is actually a great tip for balikbayans, since you’ll almost never be disappointed in any of the places you’ll be pointed to.
We’ve listed some of the more famous tita cafes around Metro Manila and beyond below. While they all serve great comfort food, always try their coffee and their pastries (which are good and often the reason why titas hang out in these places for hours). Always be on the lookout for holes-in-the-wall too, as you may just find a diamond in the rough on your next visit to the Philippines.
1. Mary Grace Cafe
Locations and Menu
Contact details: marygracecafe.com
Price per head: Approximately PHP750
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Through the years, Mary Grace Cafe has become synonymous with titas’ brunches and merienda (snack time). Its popularity has resulted in many branches across the metro, each with a very cozy Filipino vibe that’s full of personalizations (check out the customer messages that decorate their tables).
Mary Grace Cafe is very popular for its tsokolate (hot chocolate), cheese rolls, and ensaymada (a sweet dough pastry topped with butter, brown sugar, and grated cheese, in their case queso de bola)—the last two a popular pasalubong abroad as well—but has since expanded its menu to include salads, pasta, sandwiches, rice meals, and cakes.
We highly recommend two starters that have cheese in it: Cheddar Cheese with Tomatoes and Capers with Batard Bread and Kesong Puti with Batard Bread. Kesong Puti (“white cheese”) is local heritage cheese made from carabao’s milk, salt, and white vinegar, resulting in a salty and tangy product that’s easy to spread. For pica-pica to share, order the Crispy Cassava Chips With Onion Dip.
To get more bang for your buck, try any of their Perfect Plates, which give you salad, pasta, a viand, and a slice of their cake for the day. We recommend their Dory & Saffron Cream Perfect Plate for a light but filling meal. It’s hard to pick a favorite if you’re to have cake for dessert, but we’d recommend getting their Chocolate Rum Tiramisu—simply heavenly!
2. Mom & Tina’s Bakery Cafe
Branches and Menu
Contact details: momandtinas.com
Price per head: Approximately PHP650
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Mom & Tina’s has been around for a long time and is famous for their delectable shepherd’s pie. But of course, this isn’t the only thing that’s good on the menu. Food at Mom & Tina’s will remind you of the meals that tita who likes to cook would serve you whenever you dropped by.
For starters or a snack, try their homemade queso de bola spread served with toast rounds. For your mains, order a bowl of Paella Valencia. It has everything in it: chicken, seafood, and rice, sauteed well in olive oil with garlic, chorizo, and tomatoes. You only need a spoon for this. Rice for breakfast is a Filipino love language. Order the fan favorite Beef Tapa, which comes with rice, egg, and atchara (pickled papaya strips).
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Still have space for dessert? Don’t miss out on their Strawberry Cheesecake or Mocha Buttercreme Cake—a classic which they’ve managed to take up a level. Complete the whole tita experience by ordering something to go, like a box of empanada.
3. Nono’s
Branches and Menu
Contact details: nonos.ph, Viber
Price per head: Approximately PHP800
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Nono’s became famous for Chef Baba Ibazeta Benedicto’s Nono’s Chocolate Oblivion, an ultra-decadent chocolate cake that put a small cafe called “Classic Confections” along Brixton Street in Kapitolyo, Pasig on the map. Named after her father, the ultra-moist cake features whipped chocolate cream, walnuts praline bits, and cocoa powder. Later, Chef Baba moved on to start a bigger cafe that would not only serve pastries and cakes but also comfort food, and Nono’s was born.
Today, Nono’s has more than 20 branches in Luzon and is a well loved tita and family cafe. It has a huge menu of comfort food, ranging from creamy pasta variants to deliciously roasted meats.
A dish that this writer usually orders is the Salmon and Lemon Cream Pasta. While it may seem quite rich, it’s not at all heavy to eat and is contrasted by just the right amount of tang from the lemon. If you want a new take on your favorite adobo, try their Pork Belly Balsamic Adobo. The meat’s melt-in-your-mouth goodness isn’t something you’ll easily forget. Craving a full breakfast meal? Go with Chicken and Waffles, featuring Nono’s crispy, boneless chicken fillet served with newly-made waffles; best ordered with coffee. If you want something light, a popular appetizer is their Fried Truffle Cheese Wontons.
Of course, you’ll need to try Nono’s Chocolate Oblivion. One slice can be good for two if you’re taking it easy on sweets. Another must-order is their Burnt Basque Cheesecake, which is a deliciously fluffy affair. Call to reserve a table if you’re visiting with friends since their branches easily get full.
4. Wildflour
Branches and Menu
Contact details: wildflour.com.ph, +63917-8520950
Price per head: Approximately PHP1,200
Wildflour is probably the peak titas-who-brunch cafe/restaurant, because not only does it have an extensive menu, it’s also pretty expensive compared to others in this list. They have a great breakfast menu as well as breads, though, and you’ll be glad to know that some branches open their bakeries really early.
Crowd favorites that are part of their Breakfast Menu include their Kimchi Fried Rice, Bacon Fried Rice, and Steak & Eggs. One of their must-try dishes is their Chorizo and Gambas plate. It comes with bread that’s so good to soak in the sauce. If you want more items in one order, go for their Soup, Salad, Sandwich, which is a classic grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup with a side salad.
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Don’t miss out on their pastries and cakes, too. How about a cookie croissant? Lastly, do yourself a favor and buy bread to go.
5. George and Onnie’s Filipino Restaurant
Locations: Ground Flr., Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall Building D, EDSA, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong | Ground Flr., The Stratosphere, 136 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati | Ground Flr., World Plaza, 31st St. cor. 4th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Website and Menu
Price per head: Approximately PHP800
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George and Onnie’s is the place for titas who brunch. This all-day brunch cafe presents the robustness of Filipino cuisine transformed into plates that are perfect for those near midday meetups. As almost every Filipino breakfast comes with rice, George and Onnie’s serves the traditional silog. We vouch especially for George and Onnie’s Breakfast, which is basically longsilog (longganisa, sinangag or fried rice, and itlog or egg) and Beef Tapa (tapsilog or cured beef, fried rice, and egg).
They also offer heavier meals, such as Binagoongan, which is a simple but ultra-flavorful dish of crispy pork, bagoong (shrimp paste), and sauteed vegetables. Craving seafood? Don’t miss out on their Fried Bangus (fried milkfish) topped with Thai herb salad, pickles, garlic, and peanuts. Of course, don’t forget dessert. Go for the traditional Halo-Halo to cool things down, or for Maja Blanca if you’re up for something rich.
6. Conti’s
Conti’s branches, Restaurant Menu, Fabulous Cakes, Baked Goodies, Large Food Orders
Contact details: contis.ph, [email protected], +632-85808888
Price per head: Approximately PHP700
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Conti’s is popular for their empanadas and their cake Mango Bravo, which is a pretty tall cake and requires a lot of fridge space. With over 70 branches around the country, this bakeshop-restaurant is pretty hard to miss—which is also a good thing, as aside from Mary Grace, this often becomes the default go-to place for titas since it serves comfort food and lots of great cakes.
If you’re craving silog, we can vouch for Mom’s Garlic Longganisa. Longganisa, which is the local sausage, has many versions depending on the province it comes from—some are sweet, some are salty, some are garlicky—and those that Conti’s serves are the latter. Another substantial option is their Roasted Beef Belly, likewise served with rice. Our favorite Conti’s main, however, is Baked Prawns, which comes with Japanese rice and a salad.
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Conti’s has extensive experience with delivering large batches of food, so if you’re hosting an intimate party with family and friends wherever you’re billeted, this is one of the best options for tray orders.
7. Cafe Lyon
Location: GD-102 North Wing, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong
Contact details:+63977-0639947, +632-82524787
Price per person: Approximately PHP800
Menu here
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Cafe Lyon is famous for their French-inspired cuisine and the warm hospitality of their staff. Their menu consists of comfort food, ranging from All-Day Breakfast that has a mix of Filipino and Western dishes, to Hot Kitchen Specials that feature their popular Grilled Pork Chops and Roast Beef Belly. The servings are huge, too—you can actually request the staff to split a plate of Grilled Pork Chops into two, and you’ll just have to pay for additional rice, if ever you need more.
Cafe Lyon offers delicious dishes at fair prices. For something warm and filling, go for their version of Coq Au Van and Bouillabaisse (seafood stew). Don’t forget to end your meal with one of their deliciously light crepes.
8. Baking Therapy Cafe
Location: Ground Flr., Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong | Upper Ground Flr., Uptown Mall, BGC
Contact details: Bakery – Healthy Options, [email protected]
Price per head: Approximately PHP550
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Baking Therapy is an offshoot of wellness grocery Healthy Options’ bakeshop. They offer not only customizations to your drink, but also sugar-free and gluten-free pastries to accommodate health restrictions.
Try their Cafe Mocha for something that will wake you up but won’t get you all shaky. For their pastries, we recommend their delicious canelés, which are quick to sell out. Their Gluten-Free Mascarpone Puffs Gianduja is also seriously delicious, it almost comes as a shock that it’s gluten-free.
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Another gluten-free and vegetarian option is their Black Forest Cake. It’s liqueur-free, but tastes no different than the original. If you don’t like cakes that are too sweet, trust us—this tastes just right.
9. The Giving Cafe
Location: Sheridan St., cor. Pines St., Highway Hills, Mandaluyong
Contact details: +63985-1284751, +632-85189291
Price per head: Approximately PHP600
Website and Menu
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The Giving Cafe is a low-key cafe in Mandaluyong that began as a social enterprise by local coffee company Henry & Sons in support of the Foundation for Sustainable Coffee Excellence, which aims to bring Filipino coffee to the world. As such, their coffee is top-notch, and if you find Henry & Sons CEO Michael Harris Conlin in the shop, he’ll be more than happy to explain to you their different beans.
They also have yogurt and matcha-based drinks, or, if you’re up for some early drinking, you can try any of their refreshing cocktails. They have regular drinks on the menu, but it’s also a must to watch for their monthly or seasonal specials.
Aside from drinks, The Giving Cafe has a curated menu of well-loved Filipino dishes. They also offer Asian and Western-inspired plates. We recommend trying any of their silog (meat + sinangag/fried rice + itlog/egg) offerings for that delicious lutong bahay (home-cooked) experience. Dining at The Giving Cafe almost feels like you’re eating your favorite dish in your tita’s home. You’ll have to call to reserve a table, though, as space is limited.
10. Tablo
Locations: South Triangle, Quezon City | BF Home Parañaque | BF Resort Village, Las Piñas | South Las Piñas
Contact details: [email protected]
Price per person: Approximately PHP750
Menu here
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It’s almost always a full house at Tablo’s branches, and it doesn’t come as a surprise, as the service is top-notch. The staff is attentive to all customers and efficient in attending to your table, which is probably why titas love the place. The comfort food, of course, is delicious and almost always good for sharing.
Start things off with their Salt + Pepper Calamari. Be very generous in dipping them in the house-made ranch dressing. For something refreshing, try their Summer Salad, which features summer fruits, greens, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, honey balsamic, and pink guava dressing. If you want a satisfying main, try their Bourbon BBQ Belly.
Their coffees and cakes are delish, too! We highly recommend their Caramel Banana Cake Ala Mode. Since their spots are always full, it’s best to message and reserve a table prior to visiting.
