Tag: quezon city

Outdoor dining and al fresco restaurants in Maginhawa

UPDATED: November 2021

With most tourism establishments still closed and travel still generally restricted, going to a restaurant to eat out is one of the few allowable activities people can do in the city. Dining out gives people a semblance of normalcy and a break from staying home and cooking the entire week.

While it’s still safer to get food delivered compared to dining in, if you do choose to eat out for special occasions or in between errands, it’s best to choose places with outdoor seating and good ventilation. A lot of restaurants in the area have evolved with pandemic times and changed their dining set-up to cater to meet the restrictions.

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Elias Wicked Ales & Spirits: Craft beer hangout in Quezon City

Craft beer is one of the few things that has kept me sane during this pandemic. While my friends have been filling their homes with indoor plants and collecting every possible BTS merchandise out there, I’ve been quietly drinking beer at home. Dining out and social drinking has not been allowed in the Philippines the months following the lockdown, but thankfully many local brewers have been able to adapt and started offering their beers for home delivery.

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Oldest & Most Nostalgic Restaurants in Quezon City

What is it with nostalgia these days?

I’ve been missing everything about daily life pre-COVID, especially eating out. Who else misses the simple act of dining in at a restaurant and just chilling out with friends over beers at a bar? Part of what makes dining out special is the ambiance of the restaurant, the service, and the company and laughter as you enjoy your meals together with friends and family.

Anyway, this got me thinking of the oldest restaurants and food establishments in the vicinity that I can patronize for delivery/takeout and hopefully revisit when they’re allowed to reopen. It gives me hope to see establishments that remain resilient and have managed to endure through various crises including World War II, fires, typhoons, economic recessions, and currently this global pandemic where the Philippines is facing the world’s longest lockdown.

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Biking in Quezon Memorial Circle

The Quezon Memorial Circle or QMC is a national park located in Quezon City, the largest and most populous city of Metro Manila, which once served as the official capital of the Philippines from 1948 to 1976. Commonly referred to as the “Circle,” this park is located inside a large traffic roundabout bounded an Elliptical Road. Back in the ’80s, my cousins and I used to go here a lot, for bike rentals, roller skating, picnics, or to just enjoy the green surroundings. It got a bit run down during the ’90s, but in recent years, it’s gotten upgrades and improvements. I’ve revisited QMC for various events over the years, but I tend to take it for granted. It’s just something that’s always been there. But the lockdown has left me with a newfound appreciation for any accessible urban destination that has greens and open spaces.

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Biking in Balara Filters Park

The Balara Filters Park is one of the oldest recreation areas in Quezon City. First opened to the public in 1953, this 60-hectare park (almost as big as Rizal Park) is located in the Diliman village of Pansol in Quezon City, adjacent to the University of the Philippines Diliman main campus. This intriguing place contains an assortment of Art Deco structures, an old windmill, a replica of a fountain designed by a national artist, a picnic grove, an amphitheater, and several playgrounds.

Despite being one of Quezon’s City major parks, the historic value of the structures, and natural beauty of the surroundings, the park now lies in a sad state of neglect and dilapidation, resembling an eerie ghost town rather than a public park. Biking through this area always makes me feel like I’ve just entered Silent Hill or a long-abandoned town in The Last of Us.

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Where to eat in Maginhawa: New restaurants to check out in 2020

A lot of restaurants have come and gone along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City. As a resident, I have top 10 personal favorites that I regularly go to including Friuli, Tomato Kick, Roberta’s Seafood Restaurant and Indonyaki, to name a few. While these days, the area seems saturated with food parks, Samgyupsal and milk tea places catering to the student crowd, some residences have been converted into restaurants ideal for quiet time or small gatherings. Here are some of the relatively newer restaurants (opened from 2017 to 2019) that offer unique food and a cozy homey ambiance in the Maginhawa neighborhood.

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Top 10 Places to Eat in Maginhawa (2019)

Maginhawa Street in Quezon City is one of the top go-to places for a food trip around the metro. However, the turnover rate in the area has become really high lately. I’m having a hard time keeping this list updated every time a new restaurant opens or closes in the area. To make my life easier, I’ve decided to just narrow down this list to 10 places to eat in the Maginhawa area (which are still open as of January 2019).

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How to Get to Maginhawa Street in Quezon City

Maginhawa Street in Teacher’s Village seems to be one of the most popular neighborhood food trip destinations in the metro these days. There are a lot of restaurants and food parks along the street as well as nearby streets like Malingap, Magiting and Mapagkawanggawa. It seems that every week, a new place opens up.

Once a quiet, residential neighborhood, the whole area surged in popularity with weekend food-trippers after being featured in various blogs (including my own Maginhawa: The Eat Street), television shows and hosting the first Quezon City Food Festival on October 2014. Since then, it’s become a “tourist destination” of sorts for people looking for good eats. For those not familiar with this street, here’s a quick guide on how to get there by different modes of transport.

how to get to maginhawa street sign

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Z Compound on Malingap Street

Updated February 2016

There are now several food parks in the Maginhawa area, but the original one that started the trend back in 2013 is the collective of food stalls known as Z Compound or “The Z”, which can be found in the garden area of an old house on #33A Malingap Street. The Zone has a good mix of budget-friendly and unique quality food, making this one of our favorites in the area. It’s also one of the most bike-friendly places to eat in the area, since you can park your rides inside.

z compound good food signage bikes

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Events: Quezon City’s 75th Anniversary

This October, Quezon City celebrates its 75th year of cityhood. October 12, 2014 marks the city’s Diamond Jubilee, and it looks like all six districts of Quezon City are gearing up for a lot of festivities.

Aside from commemorative events, the city will play host to arts festivals, concerts, health and wellness outreach programs, religious activities, and sports/fitness programs. There are a LOT of events lined up, but here are a few of the highlights that might interest the general public:

October 11: Quezon City Food Festival (9 am-midnight; Maginhawa Street)

The very first Food Festival in Quezon City intends to showcase Maginhawa Street as a major food hub and tourist spot while celebrating with the fun and festivities of a provincial fiesta. As a resident of the area, I’ve seen the transformation of the street from just an alternative road to get to UP to a major foodie spot, with friends and readers of this blog coming over just to go on major food tripping sessions. For a list of most of the restaurants in the area, check out Maginhawa: The Eat Street.

quezon city food festival maginhawa

Food stalls will be set up along the street, and participating restaurants will open their doors to visitors. There’s no entrance fee, but 5,000 lucky visitors will be given special gift certificates and a commemorative plate which they can redeem at participating Maginhawa establishments. Take note that there are over 80 restaurants in the area and 120 exhibitors (and counting). Come hungry! :p

Here’s a handy FAQ prepared by the people behind the QC Food Festival. (Click image for larger view). For updates, like Quezon City Food Festival on Facebook.

FAQ QC Food Festival in Maginhawa

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