Manileño will bring a taste of home-cooked Filipino food in South Grand, Missouri

Photo from Manileño/Facebook

Filipinos are rice-loving people, and soon South Grand, St. Louis will have a taste of this often underrated cuisine as Manileño is set to sizzle in this busy area of Missouri.

This new addition to the already thriving Tower Grove South scene will set your tastebuds whirling with the different flavors of Filipino cuisine, thanks to the Torio family.

While palates are sure to feast in this new food spot at 3611 Juniata St. 63116, off Grand Blvd, their aesthetically designed place will also be a treat for the eyes.

Raquel “Rocky” Torio gushes over how “The space itself was absolutely gorgeous and pretty much a semi-turnkey restaurant.”

Manileño, with all the glory of Filipino cuisine, is set to take you back home. Think of delightful favorites, which are a fusion of Spanish and Asian flavors, like adobo.

Elsewhere, sinigang na bangus (milk fish stew), pinakbet (vegetable stew with shrimp paste), kare-kare (beef peanut stew with vegetables), dinuguan, and three kinds of pancit (stir-fried noodles) await anyone keen on exploring Filipino cuisine.

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Meet the brains behind Manileño

The Torio family may be bringing in this new cafe, bakery, and restaurant to South Grand but they’re not new to the food business—they actually have a barbecue stand back in the Philippines.

Manileño, which means originating in Manila (capital of the Philippines), was built from the dreams of Rocky’s mom to have a restaurant business in St. Louis.

While she worked for 17 years in the hotel industry as a manager and her brothers were truck drivers, COVID-19 eventually propelled their idea of starting their own business instead.

What sets Manileño apart from the others? They’ll offer the type of food you can find at a Filipino family’s gathering. “It’s more fun,” Rocky says.

And here’s a secret: Some of their dishes take up to two days to prepare, mostly due to the longer marination time.

“It’s traditional. We put a lot of love in our food,” Rocky shares. There is also a bakery and cafe downstairs if you prefer something sweet.

Flavor chaser or food explorer, Manileño is the ultimate food spot for you. Check out their socials for the exact date of their opening.