These Are Melbourne’s Best Filipino Restaurants In 2026

Starting as a slow burn, Melbourne’s flirtation with Filipino cuisine is blossoming into a fully-fledged love affair. 

Seeking the finest flavours of the Philippines, we’ve found uber-crispy pork crackling, fragrant crab curry, and the many uses of ube (a sweet, nutty, purple yam). 

Here's a round-up of Melbourne’s best Filipino restaurants, from recipes steeped-in-tradition to meals with a modern take.

Askal

167 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Image: Harrison Moss | Supplied 

John Rivera won the S.Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year 2018. Now, he’s focusing on elevated yet approachable Filipino dishes in the sleek, marble and chandelier-laced dining room at Askal. 

Chargrilled tiger prawns are served with a rich, fragrant crab, curry sauce and crispy fried curry leaves. The wagyu sirloin is a showstopper, served with pares claypot rice and roasted bone marrow—a stunning interpretation of Manila street food.

A pre- or post-dinner tipple at Askal’s sister rooftop bar Inuman—led by his mate and drink genius Ralph Libo-on—is a must. 

INSIDER INTEL:

• Happy hour runs all night on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at upstairs bar, Inuman
• An express pre-theatre menu for $39 runs 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday
• An ecletic wine list also slaps.

CMD Supper Club

Roving Pop-Up, Various Locations

Chef Morris Danzen ran Filipino/Italian fusion restaurant La Bottega in Sicily for several years before settling in Melbourne.

Now, each month on a Monday night, CMD Supper Club (his roving pop-up) explodes with fresh Filipino flavours and a night “full of surprises”, as he puts it.

A stand-out is the tuna-based Kinilaw—marinated in macadamia milk with saltbush, ginger, red onion, vinegar and chilli.

INSIDER INTEL:

• A collab with Chef Nouel Catis (the originator of Dubai Chocolate) created Adobo Chocolate—ox cheeks, saffron potato puree, pistachio pesto, Kataif, beetroot emulsion, adobo choc jus.
• Chef Danzen uses rare artisanal salt Asin Tibuok—referred to as Dinosaur Egg Salt—sourced from Bohol Island. 
• Bookings for the 25 seat dinners are only via Insta DM with @chef_morrisdanzen.

Serai

Racing Club Lane, Melbourne

At Serai, Chef Ross Magnaye has replicated the spirit, vitality and fun of Filipino cooking—where you watch chefs work their magic at an open, wood-fire kitchen.

The feed me menu gets our vote, and includes Selat Lumpia (smoked pineapple, spiced coconut, caviar), Kare Kare (hash brown, peanut sauce, herbs, salted duck egg) and Lechon (Western Plains pork belly, peach palapa, Tanduay rum). An all-natural wine list pairs just right with the dynamic flavours of the Serai menu.

INSIDER INTEL:

• Gorgon Ramsay’s fave Serai bite is seared kangaroo “Kilawin": wood-roasted bone marrow, toast, served with a shot of rum.
• Book ahead. It’s not easy getting a seat at the table, and rightly so.

Halaya

285 Spring Street, Melbourne

Image: Halaya | Supplied

Last year, Elbert Estampador and Laurice Fajardo rebranded CEREE (café/grocery store) to Halaya (café/restaurant), both bringing a heap of hospo smarts to the new project. The café is all clean lines and neutral colours, leaning into a modern, minimalist mood.

Fresh Filipino takes include the Longanisa Pandesal Eggs Benny, with banana ketchup glazed housemade sausage, toasted pandesal, poached eggs and hollandaise.

The cake cabinet bursts with ube-laced desserts including an ube flan rol. Drink highlights include the dirty ube latte and turon iced coffee with caramelised banana, banana milk and espresso. 

INSIDER INTEL:

• Halaya likes to surprise with monthly savoury and sweet specials, so no two experiences ever have to be the same.
• Silog (garlic fried rice and a runny egg) is a staple Filipino dish. Have it for brekkie like a local.
• Pets are more than welcome in the huge outdoor dining space.

Busog

553 Barkly Street, West Footscray

Image: Busong | Supplied

Lit up by fairy lights, Busog also features a parol—a traditional Filipino star lantern that represents culture and hope.

Built on comfort food, it's a true family business. The visionary behind the recipes is Denis Valdejueza. His daughter Kyla executes the comfort Filipino food, while brother Kurt is also part of the biz, co-leading the team.

Papa’s Crispy Pork Sisig—deep-fried pork jowl, tossed in onions and chilli and topped with house-made Busog aioli—is a menu must-try. Or, go for the Crispy Belly or Pata Kare-Kare (rich meat stew served with veggies) lathered in a lush peanut sauce.

INSIDER INTEL:

• They’ve just lowered all menu items by around 2 to 3 bucks each. 
• Busog, known for its generous servings, translates to “feeling full and satisfied.”
• Pair your meal with iconic Filipino beers like San Miguel and Red Horse.

Palay

135 Greeves Street, Fitzroy

Chef Fhred Batalona draws deeply from his roots, finely balancing nostalgia with contemporary cooking at Palay—a space all about celebrating Filipino culture.

Long tables, a relaxed ambience and bright colours greet diners.

“Dishes are inspired by the way food is actually eaten in the Philippines: shared, generous and full of personality," Batalona says.

For a carb fix, opt for the Pandesal—a brown sugar bread served with truffle paté.

INSIDER INTEL:

• Cutlery is optional on Boodle Fight Feast nights, held every Sunday, as dishes are served on banana leaves—but bookings are essential.
• Exceptional tropical-leaning cocktails with ingredients like calamansi, pandan and coconut are a must-try. The ube martini is our top pick.
• Prepare for spontaneous karaoke, which often erupts as tables of strangers become dinner mates.

St Burgs

1042 Western Highway, Caroline Springs and 4/41-45 Edgewater Boulevard, Maribyrnong VIC 3032

Image: St Burgs | Supplied

In 2015, three siblings, Jed Soto, Kyne Soto and Dan Soto, left the corporate world of banking and finance to set up St. Burgs—a fast-food burger joint specialising in smash patties.

Six years ago, the trio introduced the Filipino touches. The Filipino Bento Box (available only at the Caroline Springs location) has classic Filipino style spaghetti, fried chicken, a durgersteak and mushrooms, gravy and rice, and the choice of an ube or pandan shake.

INSIDER INTEL:

• Some days the Filipino Bento Box sells more than the smash burgers
• St Burgs is one of the few places you can find crisp Filipino craft beer Engkanto.
• New to the menu (and worth a try) is the sinigang beef short rib and Filipino-style smoked pork belly.

Kalye Marinas Filipino Grill And Seafood

Various Locations 

Image: Kalye Marinas Filipino Grill And Seafood | Supplied

Across three restaurantsin Geelong West, Ashburton and Hampton, Kalye Marinas Filipino Grill And Seafood hosts an all-out Filipino seafood party.

“Filipino food is bold, comforting and meant to be shared. Every dish tells a story of family, celebration and culture,” co-owner Honey Lynne Caranguian says.

Fill your belly and get messy with the signature seafood boil, a mountainous platter of seafood cooked in rich sauces and spices. Or there’s the iconic sizzling hot plate piled with pork sisig, calamansi, onions and chilli.

INSIDER INTEL:

• Filipino BBQ skewers are a good intro to distinct flavours.
• Look out for Kalye Mix—Filipino-inspired sweets and drinks at night markets and cultural festivals.
• Halo-Halo Snow (piled high flavoured ice cream and shaved ice confection) is a top seller.

Pecks Road

Shop A6/1–7 Caroline Springs Boulevard, Caroline Springs

Image: Pecks Road | Supplied

Head chef Albin Lawang and his two brothers named Pecks Road after the street they grew up in, keen to share the foods and flavours their grandma taught them.

Describing Filipino cuisine as the ultimate fusion food (due to Chinese, Spanish, American influences on Malay-Polynesian roots), the brothers make innovatative pastry, doughnuts and other tasty treats.

INSIDER INTEL:

• Get the Calamansi Meringue Doughnut. Enough said.
• Ube Hot Cross buns are back for Easter. Get in quick, ‘cos the house-made, cream-filled creations sell out daily.
• Drinks are also top-tier, try the Ube Coconut Cloud and the Calamansi Mont Blanc.

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Main image credit: CMD Supper Club | Supplied