As a fresh college graduate navigating her very first job, I’ve learned that survive-and-thrive workdays come down to one crucial daily decision: What’s for lunch?
When fast food and convenience-store snacks become repetitive, I naturally crave homey, comforting meals reminiscent of home.
Conveniently located near major malls and office buildings, these 7 hidden eateries are open to all employees and to anyone near the area with an empty stomach!
1. Kusina Natin – SM Mega Tower Basement 1
Having just opened in August, this eatery is relatively new to the scene, but it’s already making waves among local office workers, and I was thrilled to have found out about it!
I wasn’t in the mood for rice that day, so I opted for their bright orange palabok paired with pork sisig (the first of many sisigSisigA sizzling Kapampangan dish of chopped pork head and liver, seasoned with onions, chilies, and calamansi. Served on a hot plate and often topped with egg, sisig is a popularGo to Sisig Glossary orders). And call me crazy, but eating those together really hit the spot.
2. Kusina ni Itay – Glorietta 4 Basement 2
Tucked away in the Glorietta parking in Basement 2, this eatery is good for when you’re craving classic comfort food and if you work in the Makati area.
I had their comforting monggo and savory menudo. They also sell nostalgic little snacks like candies and chips to satisfy your afternoon sweet or savory tooth.
3. Paige’s Kitchenette 1 & 2 – Unimart Parking
Located right in the Unimart parking area, Paige’s Kitchenette (split across two side-by-side locations) is a go-to among Estancia office workers.
When I chatted with the chef at the first location, they were kind enough to offer to send their latest daily menus straight through Viber.
They offer a huge variety of Filipino classics and midday meryenda. The day I went, I got to try their lumpiang toge, bangus steak, and adobong kangkong (an underrated adoboAdoboThe Filipino dish of meat or seafood braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Widely regarded as the national dish, adobo varies from home to home andGo to Adobo Glossary dish in my opinion!).
4. Canteen – RFM Corporate Center
My brother actually introduced me to this place as it was where he himself would eat with his co-workers from his old job. He was kind enough to tag along for my visit. I’d like to think it was a walk down memory lane for him and his stomach, even if it was just for one meal. We shared a hearty spread of pork barbecue, giniling, eggplant and okra, and dinakdakan. It was comforting, incredibly budget-friendly, and perfect for a quick, satisfying midday meal.
Hands down the most budget-friendly canteen on this list, this canteen proves that affordable prices don’t mean compromising on quality or flavor.
If ever you do decide to give this place a try, do take note that there is a separate line for RFM employees and non-RFM employees.
5. Ome Home Cooked Meals – Dela Rosa Carpark 1
I hope I understood the person I talked to, because I was surprised to learn that the Dela Rosa Carpark 1 branch of Ome Home Cooked Meals had been there for 20 years now!
They serve exactly what its name promises: honest-to-goodness, comforting home-cooked meals that taste like they came straight out of a family kitchen rather than a commercial restaurant.
6. 8 Rockwell Cafeteria – 8 Rockwell Tower Basement 1
Another veteran on this list, they’ve been serving hungry employees for 10 years.
Like all of the eateries on this list, they have a rotating menu. When I talked to the employees there, they said it was left up to the chef what they serve every week. They did want to share that their breakfast menu and food delivery options (fresh lumpia, chicken adoboAdoboThe Filipino dish of meat or seafood braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Widely regarded as the national dish, adobo varies from home to home andGo to Adobo Glossary, pork binagoongan, bangus sisig, and many more) remain the same. In store, they were also selling chichirya and even some ice cream options.
7. Dell’s Cafeteria – Greenfield Tower
Shoutout to my brother again who helped me explore and document this next eatery! This is yet another place he knew about from his work, and has personally eaten there a few times.
Nestled right by Greenfield Tower Steel Parking, it’s a convenient sanctuary for office workers looking for a quick, filling lunch away from the crowded food courts. I ended up trying their sisig with a complementary bowl of their pork sinigang soup, and I was definitely full after that.
Finding What Was Never A Secret
My biggest takeaway from this food crawl wasn’t just that I love sisigSisigA sizzling Kapampangan dish of chopped pork head and liver, seasoned with onions, chilies, and calamansi. Served on a hot plate and often topped with egg, sisig is a popularGo to Sisig Glossary (I already knew that about myself!). It was realizing how these amazing eateries operate right in plain sight. They weren’t intentionally hidden secrets, nor were they on a strict need-to-know basis. It just took me actually going out of my way to find them and try their food.
When I started this search, I didn’t know many spots off the top of my head, so I posted a desperate Instagram story asking for recommendations. I was pleasantly surprised by how many friends replied with their favorite hidden spots.
It makes me wonder: what other secret lunch spots are hiding in plain sight right under our noses?
Frequently Asked Questions
You can check out Kusina ni Itay in Glorietta 4 Basement 2 and Ome Home Cooked Meals on the 3rd floor of Dela Rosa Carpark 1.
Yes! Located in Basmement 1 of 8 Rockwell Tower, 8 Rockwell Cafeteria has been there for 10 years now. They have a rotating menu for their freshly made food alongside their static breakfast menu. They also offer food delivery to anywhere in the Rockwell area.
Out of all of the visited places, the Canteen in RFM Corporate Center was the most budget-friendly. Two ulam options with a cup of rice came out costing only a little over PHP100.
You can also check out Dell’s, which has an entrance located next to the Greenfield Tower steel parking.
Check out Paige’s Kitchenette located in the Unimart parking lot. You will see two separate eateries, but they are both under the same owners. They just serve two different sets of menus.
Opened just this year in August, Kusina Natin can be found in Basement 1 of SM Mega Tower. You can ask the guard to direct you to the elevator that is open of anyone.
