The menu at this Tower Grove South restaurant spotlights homestyle Filipino cooking, with dinner portions designed for sharing. Three or four diners can comfortably split the pork adobo, although those chunks of braised pork, marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and various herbs and spices, are addictive. Be alert to co-eaters who may try to snag some of your share. Rice is so often under-appreciated, and it’s worth noting that Manileño’s is excellent, both on its own and as a foil for any leftover sauce.
The lechon kawali is another highlight: This deep-fried pork belly has a crispy exterior, but once you bite through to the meat, its succulence is something to relish. Brunch and dinner service takes place upstairs, while Manileño’s ground level serves as a daytime cafe and bakery. Stop by for a range of beautiful ube-based creations – from lattes to cream-filled ensaymadas – as well as strong coffee, pandesal and other sweet treats.
3611 Juniata St., St. Louis, 314.296.3131, Instagram: @manilenostl
This article appears in May 2024.
