We went on a food tour in Manila during our trip to the Philippines. Here’s more about A Chef’s Tour and our food tour in the Binondo area.


Disclosure: I’m an affiliate partner of A Chef’s Tour, meaning I earn a small commission from bookings through my links. I truly appreciate your support in keeping this blog running!
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I love food tours, especially when I’m traveling. So, it made sense to try a food tour in the Philippines. We specifically wanted to go on a food tour in Manila’s Chinatown, called Binondo.
A Chef’s Tour
When you’re traveling, food tours are a great way to give you the lay of the land in a new location. They teach you about local cuisine, culture, and history. You’re guided by a local who can give you more insight and will show you all the best spots. It’s a meal and a history lesson all in one.


A Chef’s Tour has food tours throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These tours are a few hours long with multiple stops to visit restaurants and see significant sights. Local foodies work with the founders to research the best eats in an area. Yes, the research involves a lot of eating! There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes coordination to determine the final route and stops.
Food tours are great for adventurous people who love to eat. You’ll learn a lot while enjoying some of the best bites along the way!

Manila Food Tour
When it comes to food tours in Manila, Binondo, Manila’s historic Chinatown and the world’s oldest Chinatown, is the place to try Chinese-Filipino fusion cuisine. We enjoyed exploring the area with and learning history from Jace, our tour guide and a Filipino local.
You’ll get a mix of places on this tour, including a convenience store, a dim sum restaurant, an alley food stall, and an ice cream shop. Many of them are recognized with being a long-standing restaurant, and one stop is even the oldest restaurant in Manila!
Here’s where we stopped on our tour.
Polland Hopia Factory – making baked goods since 1966. We enjoyed a kuchai empanada – empanada with pork and chive filling.


Ying Ying Tea House – a favorite spot for Cantonese dim sum and barbecue. We had dumplings and barbecue pork here.


New Po Heng – alleyway shop known for its fresh lumpia


Toho Panciteria Antigua – the oldest restaurant in Manila, established in 1888. We tried their fried lumpia, pancit (noodles), and fried rice.


Big Scoop – a classic ice cream shop where you can get halo-halo


Between our food stops, we did some sightseeing, including a walk through the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz, commonly known as Binondo Church. We also took a fun tuk-tuk ride through the neighborhood.


Are you ready to book your Manila food tour?!
Book Your Food Tour
If you want to book a food tour when you travel, check out A Chef’s Tour. They have tours across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, and are expanding to South America and Europe. Book your tour here.
Looking for food tours in other places? Here are some posts to read:





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