The go-to spot for lechon, sinigang, and kare-kare in Toronto. Packed on weekends, family-run, and the kind of place where every plate arrives in generous portions.
Neighbourhood: Scarborough · Address: 4675 Sheppard Ave E, Toronto, ON · Hours: Mon–Sun 10am–9pm · Price Range: $$ · Phone: (416) 537-2222 · Editorial status: Not yet verified
Taste of Manila serves up bold, home-style Filipino classics in Scarborough, making it the city’s top spot for crave-worthy lechon and extra-tangy sinigang. Their weekend crowds don’t lie: this is where Toronto families go for real-deal comfort food.
Unlike many Filipino spots that dial down the flavors, Taste of Manila leans in—expect legit sour notes in the sinigang and a lechon that’s actually crispy. The portions could feed a small crowd, and if you're after hard-to-find dishes like kare-kare with real bagoong, this is one of the few Toronto restaurants that never skimps.
Toronto has one of the largest Filipino communities in North America, and the community's most authentic food culture concentrates in Scarborough, where Filipino restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores serve a community that has been building here since the 1970s. Taste of Manila on Sheppard East is one of the most reliable Filipino restaurants in the city — family-run, genuinely generous in portions, and cooking the dishes that Filipino-Canadians actually grew up with.
The lechon is the showpiece: a whole roasted pig prepared for a day before service, the skin crackling to a deep amber crunch while the meat inside stays tender and rich. It's ordered as a whole or half animal for groups, typically 24 hours in advance, and the quality is what makes Taste of Manila the place Filipino families go for milestone celebrations. On a Sunday afternoon, the parking lot will have several large family groups present for someone's birthday or anniversary.
The everyday menu is equally serious. Sinigang (a sour tamarind soup with pork or shrimp, vegetables, and rice) is the dish that defines Filipino comfort food for many diaspora families, and Taste of Manila's version is exactly right: properly sour, properly warming, properly generous. Kare-kare (oxtail and vegetables in peanut sauce, served with bagoong shrimp paste) is the other essential. The adobo — chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy, garlic, and bay leaf — is the everyday standard that reveals how good the kitchen is.
Everything arrives in portions designed for sharing. Come with a group, order widely, and expect to leave with containers.
The lechon (roasted whole pig, ordered 24 hours in advance) is the signature for groups and special occasions. For everyday ordering, the sinigang (sour tamarind soup, pork or shrimp), kare-kare (oxtail in peanut sauce with bagoong), and adobo (chicken or pork in vinegar-soy) are the essential Filipino dishes to try. Portions are generous and designed for sharing — order 3–4 dishes for a table of four.
Taste of Manila is at 4675 Sheppard Avenue East in Scarborough, in the eastern part of Toronto. The nearest transit is Sheppard-Ellesmere area bus routes — the restaurant is not walking distance from a subway station. By car, it's approximately 35–45 minutes from downtown Toronto. The Scarborough Filipino community has multiple excellent Filipino restaurants in the surrounding area.
Yes — Taste of Manila serves traditional Filipino dishes at a level that the Filipino-Canadian community endorses with consistent patronage. The restaurant is family-run and the cooking reflects the actual home-cooking and celebration traditions of the Philippines. Unlike more cosmopolitan Filipino restaurants, the menu is straightforward and traditional rather than fusion-influenced.
Lechon (whole roasted pig) at Taste of Manila must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance by calling the restaurant directly. Pricing depends on the size of the pig and portion ordered. It's typically ordered for groups of 8 or more. The restaurant can advise on sizing for your group. Walk-in orders of lechon as an individual serving are also available depending on daily availability.
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