A Kapitolyo food trip, from kare-kare to Taiwanese beef noodles.

The place

Why Kapitolyo.

Kapitolyo is a quiet residential village once lined with narra trees. Its small restaurants built a reputation big enough that several later opened branches across Metro Manila. Many businesses closed during the pandemic; newer cafés and kitchens have since filled the drives again, and in 2026 it is still described as one of the city’s most dependable food corridors.

Eight stops

Eight Kapitolyo stops and what to order.

Addresses are as given by the 2024–2026 sources below. Check that each place is open before you set out.

The route

A route through the village.

1. West Capitol Drive firstFour of the stops sit on one drive. Start at Cafe Juanita, then share a plate each at Haru, Kko Kko and Cheech and Chang.
2. Cross to East Capitol DriveLao Taipei for a bowl of beef noodle soup, and Warung Kapitolyo for sate and es teler.
3. Finish on a side streetCosmic on San Rafael or Locavore on Brixton makes a sit-down dinner to end on — plant-based or sizzling.

Getting there

How to get to Kapitolyo.

• By MRT. Take MRT-3 to Shaw Boulevard station. From there, ride a jeep going along Shaw Boulevard toward Pasig (the Shaw–Pateros, Tipas or Morong routes) to Kapitolyo, then a tricycle to the drive you want.
• From Ortigas. The EDSA Carousel bus runs to Ortigas; change to the MRT for Shaw Boulevard.
• Share, then walk. Stops on the same drive are close together. One order per two or three people keeps five stops possible.

Copy this

Your Kapitolyo checklist.

• ☐ Kare-kare at Cafe Juanita — bagoong level: ___
• ☐ Korean fried chicken — sauce or plain: ___
• ☐ Chicken rice at Cheech and Chang — out of 5: ___
• ☐ Beef noodle soup at Lao Taipei: ___
• ☐ Sate ayam or rendang at Warung — which: ___
• ☐ A vegan dish that fooled someone at the table: ___
• ☐ Best stop of the day, with: ___

Keep the trip

Eight tables, one afternoon.

Snap each table in PlateDiary and every dish is cut out into a save, filed under the restaurant as a moment and pinned on the map of the village. If one person pays as you go, scan each receipt or jot the bill, then settle up later with the split bill calculator.