Just Minutes From San Francisco Bay, California's 'Little Manila' Serves Up Fresh Filipino Flavors

San Francisco, California, has every type of eatery and cuisine imaginable. There's the Italian-inspired "Stinking" restaurant that puts garlic in everything and the late-night diner with a storied LGBTQ+ history and some of the city's best burgers. However, when you're craving Filipino food in the Bay Area, you'd be remiss not to visit Daly City. Situated minutes away from San Francisco, this is the place to go to savor the fresh, often sweet and rich, flavors of this Southeast Asian country. Daly City, dubbed "Little Manila," has a significant Filipino community that accounts for more than 30% of this destination's population.

Filipinos began settling in Daly City in the 1960s. This was due to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, a law that reduced barriers for relocating to the United States. As a result, you'll find several Filipino eateries throughout the city where you can enjoy a slice of the island's culinary delights. This includes Chibog. Once named one of the Bay Area's top restaurants by the San Francisco Chronicle, this spot features dishes like lechon kawali, or fried pork belly, and sinigang.

Lechon kawali, popular among Yelp users, can be served with garlic rice and eggs, a combination known as silog that is typically consumed for breakfast. Sinigang, on the other hand, is a classic Filipino soup made with tamarind, a common ingredient you'll find in Filipino food, and your choice of protein. With 4.5 stars on Google, Fil-Am Cuisine is another highly-rated eatery in Daly City. This restuarant's specialty is Filipino BBQ skewers, made with chicken or pork. "Wow their BBQ meat is so tender, juicy with a great char flavor," wrote an individual on Google. Note that several other reviewers say that Fil-Am Cuisine is a cash-only joint.

You'll find that most Filipino restaurants in Daly City, including Chibog and Fil-Am Cuisine are casual no-frills establishments. In fact, Fil-Am Cuisine lacks seating; guests will have to chow down in their vehicle or elsewhere. If you're looking for an eatery with a contemporary yet laid back vibe, Tselogs is a good option. On the menu are lumpia Shanghai (Filipino-style egg rolls made with pork) and spaghetti, which in the Philippines is prepared sweet, not savory.  Additionally, there are an assortment of silog dishes to choose from and this is arguably what they are best known for.

If you're new to this cuisine, silog is a must-have. In a sense, it offers insight into Filipino culture. As Chel Gilla, Tselogs founder explained to the San Francisco Chronicle in 2021, "Every Filipino grew up eating silog whether you grew up in the Philippines or outside the Philippines." That said, you can pair your garlic rice and egg with everything from tocino (sweet pork) to lumpia or longanisa, a sausage with Spanish roots. Tselogs is closed Sunday and Monday. 

To end your gastronomic journey in Daly City with a bang, make sure to indulge in a sweet treat. The Bread Basket Bakery, a long-standing Daly City institution, has a 4.2 rating on Yelp. Stop by and savor baked goods like an ube croissant or ube tart. Not familiar with ube? This delicately sweet yam is a staple in the Philippines. Jollibee, a Filipino fast food franchise, also deserves a shout out for its famous peach mango pie and for its significance to Daly City. The location on Mission Street was the chain's first in the United States, opening to much fanfare in 1998.

Daly City may sometimes be called "Pinoy Capital" but that doesn't mean its offerings begin and end with cuisine. Feeling full after your Filipino feast? Take a hike at Mussel Rock Park, known for its panoramic ocean vistas. "The short trails are easy to reach, with some steep parts leading down to a long beach," reads a review on Google. However, if you're way too stuffed for a walk, you could always take in the view in the comfort of your own car from the parking lot. You might even spot paragliders who come for Mussel Rock Park's various launch points.

As previously mentioned, Daly City is located near San Francisco, with these two destinations bordering each other. If you're planning to visit San Francisco, consider staying in Daly City, located only 10 minutes away from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Aside from having delicious food at your disposal, this decision could potentially save you money. While the selection for lodging is small, the Hampton Inn San Francisco-Daly City is a top-rated option providing free breakfast and Wi-Fi. You could pay less than $200 a night for a room here, especially if you visit outside the summer months, the Bay Area's high season.

For comparison, it's not uncommon for hotels to charge more than $200 a night in San Francisco. You'll also want to check Airbnb where a five-night stay in Daly City can cost under $500. Keep in mind that you can easily and affordably travel to San Francisco and back from Daly City thanks to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). To learn about another place where you can have a foodie adventure in the Bay Area, read about San Mateo, a charming city with waterfront parks and a trendy downtown.