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Love in the Time of Celery (or, Valentine’s Day for veggie lovers)
The authors at Ashoka.
We also included one out-of-town location because it's a fantastic discovery and perfect for those who might want to venture outside the city. Here, then, is our list of 10 good food/dining options for vegetarians—whether on Valentine's Day or any other day.
Ime's list
(Ime has been a vegetarian for 4 months)
Greens. I have been coming here for as long as I can remember, even before I became vegetarian. Their papadams are good and spicy (and I'm not a big fan of spicy) even if I'm sure they're store-bought. You can't go wrong with the vegetarian barbecue, the sisig, the creamy pumpkin soup, the mango lassi and their carrot cake. Dishes are either soy-based or gluten-based. They also offer affordable lunch options (2 viands + 1 rice) and live music on some nights. You can have a hearty meal here for only P150-P200.
Location: Scout Castor near Tomas Morato, Quezon City
Waterdrop Teahouse. I have eaten at this simple and serene vegan dining place a few times and have tried their French fries (recommended by a friend, but not so remarkable), crispy veggie chicken, pasta and their rice dishes. A favorite would be the fried rice and the curry rice with tofu, which are quite modest but heavenly, healthy and filling. You will want to finish off the meal with a cup of hot tea or a glass of cold wintermelon tea. I heard the vegan shabu shabu is also worth a try. Prepare around P150-200 for a nice meal.
Location: Inside Mabuhay Temple (Fo Guang Shan) on P. Ocampo St., Manila (near Harrison Plaza)
The Vegetarian Kitchen. All photos by Ime Morales
The Vegetarian Kitchen. This small, homey resto offers big, elaborately presented servings of set meals. Downside is the price; I find it more expensive than the other vegetarian restaurants around the Metro. Set aside P300-400 if you want to enjoy a nice dinner here. I recently had the Korean Spareribs and their Caldereta sa Gata with Lumpia, Peanut Sauce and Organic Rice—which were all very good. I heard their cakes are also worth the trip, so they're on my agenda.
Location: Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City (near Capitol Medical Center)
Vegetarian Dinner Club. I wrote about the dinner club before and we have been going to their Friday and Saturday eat-all-you-can buffet dinners a few times each month. We have never been disappointed—it's good value for money considering you will get a delicious full-course vegetarian meal (soup, appetizer, rice, dessert, salad, 2-3 main dishes) all for P150. The club is run by the Pure Bhakti Yoga Society (a branch of the Hare Krishna movement) and is open every Friday and Saturday only, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: 37A P. Florentino St., Quezon City
Likha Diwa. Likha Diwa is not a pure vegetarian restaurant because they serve seafood, but I've been told that the kitchen staff uses separate utensils for veggie and non-veggie dishes. The restaurant serves a mix of soy- and gluten-based food items like sinigang, kare-kare, caldereta and many more. The menu is quite diverse and they have everything from pasta to rice dishes, noodles and congee to cakes and native delicacies. Art exhibits and other events like parties and small concerts also happen here. On Saturdays, they have eat-all-you-can buffet lunches and dinners for P200.
Location: Near Krus na Ligas and C.P. Garcia St., Diliman, Quezon City
Ramesh's list
(Ramesh has been a vegetarian for 18 years)
Being a vegetarian for almost two decades somehow means having the discipline to resist eating food that is either too salty or sweet, and making food choices from a healthy, nutritional standpoint. "Vegetarian" doesn't always mean "healthy" unless we get all the required daily nutrition from our diet. As a vegetarian athlete, a plant-based protein source is a must for me.
And as an independent artist at the same time, cost is always a consideration—I’ve always believed that a meat-free diet must be affordable in a developing country like ours. So here's my list of some of the healthiest, most affordable and most delicious vegetarian restos around.
Location: Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City (near Capitol Medical Center)
Vegetarian Dinner Club. I wrote about the dinner club before and we have been going to their Friday and Saturday eat-all-you-can buffet dinners a few times each month. We have never been disappointed—it's good value for money considering you will get a delicious full-course vegetarian meal (soup, appetizer, rice, dessert, salad, 2-3 main dishes) all for P150. The club is run by the Pure Bhakti Yoga Society (a branch of the Hare Krishna movement) and is open every Friday and Saturday only, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: 37A P. Florentino St., Quezon City
Likha Diwa. Likha Diwa is not a pure vegetarian restaurant because they serve seafood, but I've been told that the kitchen staff uses separate utensils for veggie and non-veggie dishes. The restaurant serves a mix of soy- and gluten-based food items like sinigang, kare-kare, caldereta and many more. The menu is quite diverse and they have everything from pasta to rice dishes, noodles and congee to cakes and native delicacies. Art exhibits and other events like parties and small concerts also happen here. On Saturdays, they have eat-all-you-can buffet lunches and dinners for P200.
Location: Near Krus na Ligas and C.P. Garcia St., Diliman, Quezon City
Ramesh's list
(Ramesh has been a vegetarian for 18 years)
Being a vegetarian for almost two decades somehow means having the discipline to resist eating food that is either too salty or sweet, and making food choices from a healthy, nutritional standpoint. "Vegetarian" doesn't always mean "healthy" unless we get all the required daily nutrition from our diet. As a vegetarian athlete, a plant-based protein source is a must for me.
And as an independent artist at the same time, cost is always a consideration—I’ve always believed that a meat-free diet must be affordable in a developing country like ours. So here's my list of some of the healthiest, most affordable and most delicious vegetarian restos around.
Ashoka
Ashoka. Probably the only dedicated Indian vegetarian resto in the country, Ashoka is like an oasis in the desert for strict and meticulous vegetarians who love Indian food. Owned and operated by an Indian national, you can rest assured that all the dishes are authentic. Daals, pakoras, palak paneers, chapatis, lassis, gulab jamuns—name it, they have it. Budget meals start at P80 and are enough to satisfy your craving for Indian food. The combo meals (P125/P160) have enough nutrition to keep you going throughout the day. The best thing about Ashoka is that all their dishes are customizable to mild, medium and super spicy—which solves the common problem of vegetarians who want to eat Indian food but aren't up for the hotness challenge. You'll taste that same exotic Indian flavor without sweating yourself through lunch.
Location: Ruby St., Umali Subd., Los Baños (near the UPLB Raymundo Gate)
Cafevegis. One of the few veggie restos open until 10:00 p.m., Cafevegis has one of the most varied menus I've ever seen. Best time to go there is during lunch (it closes at 2:00 p.m. and reopens at 5:00 p.m. every day) when they serve “themed” combo meals, from Chinese and Japanese to Thai and Western for P135. A best-seller is the Sinigang, but I've tried most of their dishes and they're all delicious. Take note though that they use mostly gluten here, so make sure you talk to the staff if you don't want any gluten or if you would rather have a soy-based dish. Standard meal price is around P150. They also have good Taro pie with ice cream for dessert (P65)! Plus they also have a mini veggie grocery of frozen and dried veggie products.
Location: Moomba Plaza, Mother Ignacia St. at the corner of Roces Avenue, Quezon City
Quan Yin Chai. This is by far my favorite vegetarian resto in Metro Manila by virtue of nutrition and value for money. They serve mostly Chinese and Filipino dishes that are affordable for the working-class dating couple! Combo meals here start at P75, with two viands and 1 rice. I usually don't mind travelling all the way from QC to Binondo just to satisfy my craving for Chinese noodles and soup. Their Lomiswa is the best I've ever tried and goes well with their fresh lumpia, both for less than P120, and good enough for two! If you're into soy products and fresh seaweeds and would like to taste a wide variety of vegetarian dishes without the MSG, this is the place for you. It's worth all the traffic along the way and the best place to eat at when you make that shopping pilgrimage to Divisoria.
Location: 821 G. Masangkay St., Binondo, Manila
Location: Ruby St., Umali Subd., Los Baños (near the UPLB Raymundo Gate)
Cafevegis. One of the few veggie restos open until 10:00 p.m., Cafevegis has one of the most varied menus I've ever seen. Best time to go there is during lunch (it closes at 2:00 p.m. and reopens at 5:00 p.m. every day) when they serve “themed” combo meals, from Chinese and Japanese to Thai and Western for P135. A best-seller is the Sinigang, but I've tried most of their dishes and they're all delicious. Take note though that they use mostly gluten here, so make sure you talk to the staff if you don't want any gluten or if you would rather have a soy-based dish. Standard meal price is around P150. They also have good Taro pie with ice cream for dessert (P65)! Plus they also have a mini veggie grocery of frozen and dried veggie products.
Location: Moomba Plaza, Mother Ignacia St. at the corner of Roces Avenue, Quezon City
Quan Yin Chai. This is by far my favorite vegetarian resto in Metro Manila by virtue of nutrition and value for money. They serve mostly Chinese and Filipino dishes that are affordable for the working-class dating couple! Combo meals here start at P75, with two viands and 1 rice. I usually don't mind travelling all the way from QC to Binondo just to satisfy my craving for Chinese noodles and soup. Their Lomiswa is the best I've ever tried and goes well with their fresh lumpia, both for less than P120, and good enough for two! If you're into soy products and fresh seaweeds and would like to taste a wide variety of vegetarian dishes without the MSG, this is the place for you. It's worth all the traffic along the way and the best place to eat at when you make that shopping pilgrimage to Divisoria.
Location: 821 G. Masangkay St., Binondo, Manila
Daily Veggie
Daily Veggie. This place is a haven for protein-loving vegetarians who like Chinese and inter-continental food. Most of the dishes here are loaded with tofu, tao pao (tofu skin—my favorite) and various kinds of veggie meats. This is where I go when I want a healthy protein overload in QC. Dishes start at P110 and comes with white rice (sorry, no red or brown). Combo meals are around P160, with main viands varying from veggie curry to veggie fish. They all come with soup and a side vegetable dish. The vegetarian whole wheat siopao made of mushrooms, soy and veggies is a must-try. I must say, this is where you eat before you hit the gym!
Location: 114 Sto. Domingo Ave. Quezon City (beside Siena College)
Wabi-Sabi. This for me is one of the coolest and hippest vegetarian restos in the Metro. If you worship veggie Ramen and Phoa and you want it tasting like the “real” thing, this is definitely your church! With a budget of P130 to P200, you'll get a heavy fix of your fave noodle and a side dish that includes mushroom shumai, siopao and veggie chicharon. Their lemongrass iced tea (P45) and Thai milk tea (P50) are worth crossing Makati traffic for. And it's located in a compound filled with art galleries and other counter-cultural shops that sure makes Wabi-Sabi the ideal dating mecca for artistic vegetarian couples.
Location: 7274 Malugay St., Makati. — BM, GMA News
Location: 114 Sto. Domingo Ave. Quezon City (beside Siena College)
Wabi-Sabi. This for me is one of the coolest and hippest vegetarian restos in the Metro. If you worship veggie Ramen and Phoa and you want it tasting like the “real” thing, this is definitely your church! With a budget of P130 to P200, you'll get a heavy fix of your fave noodle and a side dish that includes mushroom shumai, siopao and veggie chicharon. Their lemongrass iced tea (P45) and Thai milk tea (P50) are worth crossing Makati traffic for. And it's located in a compound filled with art galleries and other counter-cultural shops that sure makes Wabi-Sabi the ideal dating mecca for artistic vegetarian couples.
Location: 7274 Malugay St., Makati. — BM, GMA News
