9 restaurants serving Ube Ice Cream
San Diego, CA
“EsKiNiTa has earned an exceptional 4.9-star rating revolutionizing Filipino street food in San Diego with its interactive self-grilling concept that transports diners to Manila's street food culture. The name 'eskinita' refers to narrow alleyways in the Philippines where authentic street food thrives, perfectly capturing the restaurant's mission. Located in San Diego's South Bay, EsKiNiTa operates from a plaza where owner Rich and his welcoming staff create a family-like environment. The restaurant's unique format allows customers to select raw meat skewers inside--including chicken intestines (isaw), chicken liver, chicken hearts, and chicken feet alongside pork and chicken BBQ--then grill them personally on mesquite charcoal grills outdoors. This hands-on experience creates the communal, festive atmosphere that defines Filipino street food culture. Beyond BBQ skewers, EsKiNiTa serves Filipino comfort food including tapsilog, sisig, beef pares, and goto, plus ube ice cream for dessert. The exceptional rating reflects not just outstanding food but Rich's legendary hospitality.”
Tampa, FL
“Manila Eats has become one of Tampa's most celebrated Filipino restaurants, founded by chef-owner Veronica Meneses who transformed her pandemic-era food truck into a thriving brick-and-mortar establishment at 1601 S 22nd Street with 48-seat capacity, weekend karaoke, and live band performances. Featured multiple times on CBS Great Day Live Tampa Bay and FOX 13 News, this family-owned restaurant showcases Meneses's decades of cooking expertise learned from her Pampanga relatives, including her influential Tiya Rosing who taught her that patience is the number one virtue in cooking. The menu emphasizes authentic, home-cooked Filipino cuisine prepared entirely from scratch with exceptional attention to quality-from their famous lechon belly roll roasted for hours with aromatic spices, to their signature palabok with special sauce made from ground pork, smoked fish, and tofu, to homemade ube ice cream that customers rave about. Known for generous portions and stunning presentation, Manila Eats operates on an until sold out basis with daily menus posted each morning on Facebook, creating devoted fans who drive hours from across Florida and neighboring states. Meneses's warm hospitality, fluency in multiple Philippine dialects, and gift for storytelling make every visit special, while signature desserts like cassava cake with custard topping and leche flan with coffee flavor showcase traditional Filipino sweets.”
New York, NY
“Kalye has become Manhattan's Lower East Side sensation since opening in 2021, earning New York State Restaurant Association's Rising Star recognition in 2023 and acclaim from Eater, Time Out, and Food Network. Founded by Harvard-educated lawyer Rob Mallari-D'Auria and his husband Henry, Kalye-Tagalog for 'street'-started as a beloved pop-up before establishing its brick-and-mortar location on Rivington Street (now Broome Street). This proudly Filipino, queer-owned restaurant infuses Rob's mother's cherished family recipes into every dish, creating modern interpretations while maintaining authentic Filipino flavors. The restaurant operates as both culinary destination and cultural hub, featuring live jazz bands, DJ nights, and drag shows alongside signature dishes. Kalye's menu showcases innovative creations like the cult-favorite Pork Ube Sliders with pinakurat vinegar aioli and onion bacon jam, ultra-crispy lechon kawali, perfectly prepared sisig, and traditional favorites like chicken adobo and sinigang. The restaurant doubles as an art gallery showcasing local and Filipino artists, with all proceeds benefiting the creatives. Featured on Chef Harold Villarosa's Food Network series, Kalye exemplifies the evolving spirit of Filipino food while staying true to heritage. The intimate 40-seat space features an open kitchen, brown brick walls, dimmed lighting, and eclectic Bossa Nova background music creating a distinctly Lower East Side vibe. With Michelin Guide recognition and devoted following, Kalye represents Filipino cuisine's rising prominence in New York's competitive dining scene.”
St. Louis, MO
“Kain Tayo Filipino Cuisine Restaurant has become St. Louis's premier Filipino dining destination since relocating from Trenton, Illinois to Midtown in 2023. Husband-and-wife team Randy and Sally Arcega followed their customers, realizing 70% drove from St. Louis to their Illinois location. The name 'Kain Tayo'-let's eat in Tagalog-perfectly captures the restaurant's welcoming Filipino hospitality. Chef Sally's cooking draws from her Valenzuela hometown heritage and her sister's carinderia in the Philippines, preparing dishes that taste like home-cooked Filipino meals. With over 515 reviews and exceptional ratings, Kain Tayo has earned recognition beyond the Filipino community, landing on St. Louis Magazine's dining lists and receiving citywide acclaim. Located in the JC Midtown development near Citypark stadium, the spacious 2,000-square-foot restaurant features floor-to-ceiling garage doors, modern aesthetics, and seating for about 20 tables. The menu showcases Filipino classics: ultra-crispy lechon kawali with mango salsa, Chef Sally's signature sisig with over-easy egg, garlic-rich lumpia that crackles when broken, tender chicken adobo slow-cooked in vinegar and soy, and refreshing halo-halo with housemade ube ice cream. Everything is made fresh to order, with portions generous enough for leftovers. The Arcegas are pursuing liquor licensing to offer San Miguel and Red Horse beers. Kain Tayo introduced Filipino cuisine to St. Louis's Midtown, earning loyal following and critical acclaim.”
Jacksonville Beach, FL
“Abstrakt Filipino Essence has emerged as Jacksonville Beach's most acclaimed Filipino restaurant, evolving from a beloved food truck at Court Urban Food Park to a permanent Beach Boulevard location where chef-owner JoJo Hernandez showcases contemporary Filipino cuisine. As a leader of Northeast Florida's #morethanlumpia movement, Hernandez elevates Filipino food beyond the expected, incorporating traditional family recipes with sophisticated twists that highlight the complexity and nuances of diasporan Filipino cooking. The restaurant's modernist dining room features blonde wood tables and tropical accents including a photographic sugarcane mural, creating an atmosphere that balances contemporary style with Filipino warmth. Abstrakt's menu features accomplished dishes like kare-kare with pureed eggplant and fermented fish paste, chicken tocino with maple-Sriracha aioli, and exceptional desserts including cassava cake rich with coconut and condensed milk, plus turon with caramel and ube ice cream that critics call dazzling. With nearly 300 reviews earning a 4.8 rating, Abstrakt Filipino Essence demonstrates that Filipino cuisine can compete at high culinary levels while maintaining the soul and hospitality that define Filipino food culture.”
North Charleston, SC
“Lola's Lumpia Food Truck serves authentic Filipino comfort food across the Low Country, specializing in traditional lumpia and homestyle dishes that honor what 'Lola would make you.' Operating both as a mobile food truck and from their permanent takeout location at Mixson Kitchen, they focus on scratch cooking with locally sourced ingredients, bringing genuine Filipino flavors to North Charleston since 2019.”
Miami, FL
“Lan Halo Halo Snack Shack serves Miami's Filipino community with authentic Filipino cuisine from its location in Florida. With a strong 4.6 rating, Lan Halo Halo Snack Shack has built recognition. The restaurant prepares traditional Filipino dishes that serve both nostalgic Filipinos seeking authentic flavors and curious diners exploring Filipino cuisine. Lan Halo Halo Snack Shack provides essential access to Filipino food in the Miami area, specializing in the beloved Filipino dessert halo-halo.”
Chandler, AZ
“Nanay's Filipino Restaurant brings authentic homestyle Pampanga cooking to Chandler through owner Aurea Gonzales and her daughters Alicia Ferrer and Aida Sembrano. This 2,100-square-foot cafeteria-style restaurant opened in 2015, serving a rotating daily spread of classic Filipino dishes that capture the essence of home cooking from Central Luzon. The family's roots in Pampanga, known throughout the Philippines for exceptional cuisine, shine through in every dish. The cafeteria setup allows customers to see the day's offerings, which typically include sisig with spicy chiles and citrus, kare-kare stew with beef and peanut sauce, perfectly sour sinigang soup, and richly flavored dinuguan. The generous portions consistently earn praise, with combination plates offering exceptional value. Saturday mornings feature an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet from 9am to noon, showcasing tapa with garlic-cured beef, longanisa sausage, and perfectly cooked garlic fried rice with sunny-side eggs. The lechon kawali arrives wonderfully crunchy with traditional dipping sauces, while the adobo maintains authentic oily richness. With ube ice cream topping their halo-halo and consistent quality across all dishes, Nanay's has become a beloved destination for Filipino families throughout the East Valley, drawing customers who appreciate both authenticity and the warm, accommodating staff who help newcomers navigate the menu.”
Phoenix, AZ
“Halo-Halo Kitchen stands as Phoenix's premier Filipino restaurant, celebrating 15 years serving Arizona's Filipino community with authentic cuisine, attached karaoke bar, and comprehensive Filipino grocery. Owned by Bulos family since 2010, restaurant combines turo-turo cafeteria setup displaying prepared dishes with made-to-order specialties and all-day silog breakfasts. The unique dual-space design features bright dining room with Filipino bakery and groceries on one side, with darkened Kalesa pub offering karaoke, full bar, and dance floor on other, creating 'Filipino food business in front, Filipino karaoke party in back' atmosphere. With over 1,000 reviews maintaining 4.3 rating, Halo-Halo Kitchen has become Arizona institution featured on Phoenix New Times and Arizona Midday show. Restaurant's turo-turo line rotates nearly 20 dishes daily including standouts like chicharon bulaklak, sizzling sisig, and lechon kawali. The late-night weekend hours with karaoke until 1am create party atmosphere where Filipino families gather for both dining and entertainment. Comedian Jo Koy visited during Easter Sunday promotion, validating restaurant's cultural significance. Halo-Halo Kitchen serves as complete Filipino cultural center combining authentic food, entertainment, grocery shopping, and community gathering space. The 15-year milestone demonstrates sustained excellence serving Phoenix's substantial Filipino population.”
