Top Italian Restaurants In The Philippines

Paper Moon

With sweeping floor-to-ceiling views from the 65th floor of the Knightsbridge Residences, Paper Moon has brought delightful Italian cuisine from the heart of Milan to Makati. Elegant interiors combined with authentic home-made pastas make for a memorable fine dining experience. 

TATLER TIPS

• Spacious seating areas make Paper Moon ideal for both large gatherings and more intimate dining experiences.
• The antipasti menu features authentic favourites like carpaccio di manzo, rucola e Parmigiano-Reggiano, and prosciutto e melone.
• The insalata romana (Caesar salad) is made in the classic way and is mouth-watering to the last bite.
• The spaghetti alla chitarra Bisanzio is made with delicious home-made pasta married with cherry tomatoes and basil.

Paparazzi

If you live or work in the Ortigas or Greenhills area, this is an ideal place for a meeting. Like authentic Italian establishments, the menu makes use of fresh ingredients available and spans many traditional Italian dishes such as the burrata de Altamura, porchetta, and freshly-made maccheroncini and has a large enough selection for most palates. 

TATLER TIPS

• The zuppa di funghi is thick but not creamy—good for people with a healthier outlook. The small dash of truffle oil gives it a lift.
• The stinco di agnello, on the other hand, is flavourful and tender due to the slow cooking, with the sauce permeating into the flesh. The mashed potato makes it a perfect meal.
• The fusilli, baked with scamorza and pancetta, is tasty and small enough of a serving to provide the right balance to the meal.

Lusso 

It's the go-to place for comfort food with a luxurious twist made possible by the chef Margarita Forés' inventive style. Exceptional hospitality by tuxedoed wait staff complements the intimate dining experience.

TATLER TIPS

• Let the warm soft boiled organic egg salad with Pommery mustard glaze tickle your palate for a refreshing start.
• Follow with a satisfying main of lightly flavoured saffron risotto partnered with oh-so-tender lamb shank osso buco.
• Then let the jiggly lavender panna cotta transport you to breathtaking Provence, for a truly perfect meal ender.

Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen

The welcoming atmosphere flows freely from the al fresco to the indoor area. You’ll feel right at home as you wine and dine.

TATLER TIPS

• The menu presents a tempting parade of carbs, but make sure you get a taste of everything when you order.
• The hot-off-the-fryer mushroom chicharon will kickstart your appetite.
• For a thoroughly filling pasta dish, the Vesuvio should do the trick. The tomato sauce flow out of the mountain of rigatoni like lava. Inside, the meatball, mozarella, and ricotta hold the structure and the flavours together.
• For pizza, the Mama Lou’s Special will delight the palate with the sweet, salty, and tangy mix of prosciutto, tomato, mango, and balsamic cream.
  Have some of Mama Lou’s cheesecake to end your satisfying meal.

Foo'd by Davide Oldani

Foo’d by the Michelin star chef Davide Oldani stands out with its elegant interiors, delicious tasting menus, and five star service. It has struck the perfect balance between pop cuisine and fine dining. 

TATLER TIPS

• The four-course tasting menu is a complete culinary feast that offers antipasto selections such as the cipolla carmellata (caramelised onion with 24-month aged grana padana gelato, hot cream, and Maldon salt).  
• A must-have at the primo selection of home-made pasta is the truffle cacio e pepe, which was perfectly aldente and delicately flavoured.
• For your main dish, the Ibérico pork ribs (black pig with Porcini mushroom sauce and muscovado bread crumbs) or the cochinillo (crispy black pig with red raddish, shimeji mushroom, and Maldon salt) come highly recommended.

Finestra

Finestra boasts impeccable service, beautiful interiors, and a breathtaking view of Manila Bay and the Solaire pool. The friendly and helpful staff will more than gladly help you navigate its extensive Italian menu.

TATLER TIPS

• Start your meal off with the octopus carpaccio, a dish of thinly sliced octopus that bursts with flavour.
• Each pasta pocket of the highly recommended agnolotti tartufo carbonara is generously filled with truffle-infused cream that leaves you wanting more.
• For your main course, have the porterhouse steak, which is perfectly cooked and seasoned, and heartily portioned.
• For dessert, ask for their recommendations or for the specials of the day. The custom chocolate and tartselection that is brought up to the tables will leave you satisfied and wanting to come back for more.

Cibo

Go for comfort food and your old childhood favourites. You are sure to be satisfied by the classics that have brought happiness to many stomachs in the Philippines, as well as the chef Margarita Forés’ exciting new additions. Always a reliable stop!

TATLER TIPS

• You cannot dine at Cibo without eating Forés’ oh-so- memorable and delicious spinach dip! Gooey, creamy,
  and jam-packed with cheese—it’s the perfect match for the crunch of the accompanying crispy mini crostini.
• The porchetta sandwich makes for a traditional Italian meal.  The pork is wonderfully roasted and marinated with a glorious mixture of fragrant herbs, embraced by fluffy ciabatta.
• For a decadent pick and perfect for cheese lovers, try the spaghettini tartufata. This is a truffle mushroom, three-cheese pasta with fontina, goat, and parmesan. The smell alone is to die for!

Caruso Ristorante Italiano

Caruso's service is warm and homey yet knowledgeable and attentive. The ambience is unpretentious and comfortable— perfect for a date night or a family gathering when one is craving good Italian food.

TATLER TIPS

• Make sure you try the fresh burrata con pomodori flown in from Italy.
• Then have the rolled crépe with Porcini mushrooms. Absolutely to die for.
• Caruso has a firewood brick pizza oven,therefore the pizzas are a must and good for sharing.
• Go for the pasta sampler to give you a good cross section of their amazing home-made pasta. Highly recommended are the ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese in a butter-sage sauce; the tagliatelle with tartufo, Parma ham and asparagus; and the garganelli with Porcini.

Alta

The chef Margarita Forés has a winner in this hotel outlet, with its sleek and polished contemporary interiors bathed in light, and its next-level Filipino and continental fare—all at very reasonable price points. 

TATLER TIPS

• Try the sous vide pork chop, which is mouthwateringly tender. The deconstructed sisig is a meat-lovers dream— with its crackling skin and heaping serving size.
• The Tinola Moderna was a surprise delight—a dressed up version of Rizal's favourite dish, presented like one would a fine dining version of Hainanese chicken rice. Overall, an experience worth coming back for.

Acqua

Indulge in mouth-watering Italian cuisine by the chef Andrea Burzio who brings with him extensive experience from Michelin starred restaurants in Italy. 

TATLER TIPS

• Besides the signature Fiorentina steak and the lemon and seafood risotto, do try the tagliatelle verdi all’aragosta— home-made pasta swimming in a rich and flavourful lobster creamy tomato sauce.
• Cooked to your preferred doneness,the bistecca di salmone con salsa alla senape is light yet satisfying. The modest portion of grilled salmon fillet is well-seasoned and is enjoyable with the sweet and tangy mustard and honey sauce, sautéed parmesan-spinach, and potato chips.
• Complement the meal with a Chef Franco Limoncello Mojito, or splurge on a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal or Dom Perignon.