The Best Hong Kong Roasts in Manila

Succulence. It’s the qualifying measure that separates the best Hong Kong roasts from the rest. Lucky for many Filipinos, there’s no need to fly out to Hong Kong anymore—even if that might be easier to do than traverse EDSA from north to south on a weeknight—to have their fill of these insanely tender, unbelievably crisp hunks of meat.

The proper collective term for Hong Kong-style roasted meat is actually siu mei. Nope, not the same as the dim sum everyone adores. Cantonese in origin, this style of cooking involves marinating and basting meat then roasting them in pits or wood-fired ovens. Roasts have become popular in Hong Kong because of their ease in consumption, considering how the region's busy citizens no longer find time to cook their own meals.  

The roasted meat, which are distinctly hung in storefronts of restaurants or market stalls, have several varieties. More popular are the roasted goose or duck, char siu or barbecued pork, and roasted pig with super crisp skin. There are also chicken, either steamed or cooked with soy sauce, cuttlefish, and sausage.

In Manila, although some specialize in only one variety of siu mei, most restaurants follow traditional ways of preparation and serving. Some even hire Cantonese chefs to ensure the quality of the product. With the high quality of Chinese food in the country and our natural love for anything roasted (check our list of best lechon), you’d be hard-pressed to find siu mei you won’t enjoy. Here now are the best Hong Kong roasts you can find in Manila. 

This list is not ranked.

1| HK Little Kitchen

HK Little Kitchen was a game-changer when it opened in 2018. Its little kitchen produces roasts just as well as others do, but its efforts in branding and marketing make it stand out. This restaurant has proven that beautiful interiors make eating roast duck and char siu all the more satisfying.   

Esquire Recommends:

• Crispy Lechon HK
• Roasted HK Barbecue
• HK Roasted Duck

Sonema Square, 42 N. Domingo Street, New Manila, Quezon City

 

2| Mala Tang

It’s easy to miss Mala Tang when driving along the tiny street adjacent to Wilson Street in San Juan. But once you find this gem, you’ll be rewarded with comforting rice bowls topped with pork asado and lechonmacau. There’s also an option to enjoy the roasted meat atop noodle soups, which are the perfect choice on cool, rainy days. 

Esquire Recommends:

• HK White Chicken
• Roasted Duck
• Pork Asado

207 A. Mabini Street, San Juan

 

3| Kam’s Roast

Legit is the best way to describe this place. Kam’s hails from Hong Kong, where people line up for an average of one hour to have their fill of Michelin-grade roasts. In Manila, there are usually shorter queues, but the same promise of succulence. It's really one of the best roasts available here. Do yourself a favor and have some of its legit char siu.

Esquire Recommends:

• Toro Char Siu
• Roast Duck
• Roast Suckling Pig

Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City

4| Luk Foo

Luk Foo's kitchen is helmed by a Hong Kong chef, and that alone is an indication of the quality of food and attention to detail it offers. People often order its popular kingdaos and sweet-and-sours, but its roasts are also serious contenders.

 

Esquire recommends: 

• Asado with Soyed chicken
• Beef Kemchi 
• White Chicken 

Puregold Parañaque, Santo Niño, Parañaque City; Puregold Qi Central, Doña Imelda, Quezon City; S&R Shopping Center, Shaw Boulevard, Pasig; Puregold Mindanao, Project 8, Quezon City; more branches around Metro Manila

 

5| Hawker Chan

Hawker Chan has gained popularity for being the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. Originating from Singapore, this source of great HK roasts dishes out the same Cantonese-style roasted meat, either topped over rice or noodles. Imagine: You can enjoy a plate with two types of meat for just around P200. What a steal! 

Photo by Kai Huang.

Esquire recommends: 

• Soya Sauce Chicken
• Char Siew 
• Roasted Pork   

Glorietta 3, SM North EDSA, and SM Mall of Asia

 

6| 8 Treasures Roasting 

Good things come out of gas stations. If you find yourself low on fuel along EDSA, head over to the Petron on the corner of Arnaiz Avenue and fill up with some of Manila's best roasted meat, too. What is apparent here is how much it cares about its roasts: Meat is tender and juicy, skin is crisp and glistening.  

Esquire recommends: 

• 8 Treasures Platter
• Roasted Goose
• Lechon Macau 

Petron, EDSA corner Arnaiz Ave., Makati City; soon to open in Power Plant Mall, Rockwell

 

7| Cheech and Chang

Kapitolyo is not to be excluded in this Hong Kong roasts game. The neighborhood’s entry, Cheech and Chang, is a young and playful spot owned by young and playful restaurateurs. The same roasted meat are on the menu but they are served with a little more novelty. Roasted pork, duck, and chicken find their way in steamed buns, making for easy, grab-and-go treats. 

Photo by courtesy of Cheech and Chang

Esquire Recommends:

• Roasted Meat Baos
• Roasted Meat Platter

75 West Capitol Drive, Pasig City

 

8| Tuen Mun Roasts

Don’t expect much in terms of ambiance and interiors when dining at Tuen Mun. What you can expect, however, are good quality roasted meat. The whole experience actually feels like dining in an actual Hong Kong hole-in-the-wall sans the rude servers. The best part is you can bring home bigger portions of the meat without putting much of a dent in your wallet.  

Esquire Recommends:

• Roasted Duck
• Roasted Barbecued Pork
• Lechon Macau

81A Nicanor Roxas Street, Sto. Domingo, Quezon City

9| Choi Garden 

Heading to Choi Garden doesn’t require much thinking. What takes time is ordering from the extensive menu. Your best bet is the 5 Kinds Combination composed of duck, chicken, asado, century egg, and seaweeds. There are BBQ Chicken Wings, too, which the kids will surely enjoy. (P.S. They have an Express Roasting along Wilson Street for quick, take-home roasts.)

Esquire Recommends:

• 5 Kinds Roast Meat Combination
• BBQ Pork Asado with Honey Sauce
• BBQ Chicken Wings

12 Annapolis Corner Purdue Street, Greenhills, San Juan; Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan; Jinjiang Inn, A. Arnaiz Avenue, Pasay Road Extension, Makati; Winford Hotel and Casino, Sta. Cruz, Manila

 

10| Canton Road

Want to splurge a bit and treat your loved ones? Then Shangri-La at the Fort’s Canton Road is where you should bring them for indulgent reincarnations of roasted meat favorites. Imagine: a suckling pig stuffed with hibe and taro fried rice, char siu made with organic Iberico pork neck, and pork belly cooked to crispy perfection. You can’t find those anywhere else.

Esquire recommends:

• Roasted Honey-glazed Iberico Pork
• Roasted Peking Duck
• Macau-style Crispy Pork Belly

Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

 

11| Wai Ying

Wai Ying is a favorite among Binondo spots for a good reason. The humble eatery dishes out traditional meals with clean-tasting, spot-on flavors—and at affordable prices. The same goes for its roast menu, which may be some of the best Hong Kong roasts in Manila. For just about P240, you can have a plate of roasted duck, paired with asado, soy chicken, or white chicken, and rice. 

 

Esquire recommends:

• Roasted Duck
• Soy Chicken  

810 Benavidez Street, Binondo, Manila

 

12| Famous Kitchen

This franchise's numerous branches prove its dedication to roasting. Its entire menu is also a textbook on how to make delicious Hong Kong roasts so it’s hard to commit a mistake when ordering. Every option promises great flavors every time.  

Esquire recommends:

• Roast Pork Belly
• Peking Duck
• Char Siu

98B Xavierville Avenue corner Esteban Abada Street, Quezon City; 53 Scout Tobias Street corner Scout Gandia Street, Quezon City

 

13| Char Dining

While its original counterpart in Singapore is casual, Char Dining opts for a sleeker look in Bonifacio Global City. Here, it dishes out the classics done without blemish. Everything tastes as good as it looks and there is balance in terms of flavor and texture. 

Esquire recommends:

• Special Char Siew
• Soya Kampong Chicken
• Crispy Roast Pork Belly 

Uptown Parade, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; Corner Market, The Podium, Mandaluyong

 

14| Lugang

Though it specializes in Taiwanese cuisine, Lugang deserves to be on this list because of its Honey Barbecue Pork. This version of the classic asado hits the spot.

Esquire recommends:

• Honey Barbecue Pork

 

15| Hong Kong Roasting

Looking for a budget-friendly place serving Hong Kong roasts around Quezon City? Hong Kong Roasting is a good option. Its peking duck, lechonmacau, and pork asado are easy favorites, but it’s the selection of roasted chicken that sets it apart. There are four versions—Cantonese, Szechuan, crispy, and soy—to try every visit. 

 

Esquire recommends:

• Peking Duck
• Lechon Macau
• Soy Chicken  

Panay Avenue and South Triangle, Quezon City 

 

16| Honolulu HK Café

From pineapple buns to egg tarts, all your favorite Hong Kong eats are now in Manila via Honolulu HK Café. And, of course, that includes some of the best Hong Kong roasted meat in Manila. An absolute must-try is the Roasted BBQ Pork that features that distinct sweet-smoky taste—with charred bits to boot! 

Esquire recommends: 

• Roasted BBQ Pork
• Soy Chicken
• Double Roasted Meat Treasures Set 

Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila; SM Aura, Taguig

 

17| Eat Fresh

It’s time to go beyond the tiger rolls, laksa, and clay pot rice at this beloved hole-in-the-wall. You’ll just be as pleased to order its asado, lechonmacau, soy chicken, white chicken, roast duck, or a combination of all that over rice or braised noodles. When it comes to affordability, Eat Fresh is hard to beat. 

 

Esquire recommends: 

• Roast Duck
• Asado
• Lechon Macau

100A Maria Clara Street corner Banawe Street, Quezon City; 691 Jose Abad Santos Street, Little Baguio, San Juan; 32 General Ordonez Street, corner Bayan-Bayanan Avenue, Marikina Heights, Marikina

18| Gloria Maris

Whether big or small, celebrations at Gloria Maris are always a success. Its roasting selection is usually served as a starter in its lauriat menu, but it is just as satisfying eaten with plain rice and a side of vegetables in oyster sauce. 

 

Esquire recommends: 

• Gloria Maris Combination
• Asado with Honey Sauce
• Soy Chicken

Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan; Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City; beside Folk Arts Theater, Malate, Manila; Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa; gloriamarisgh.com

19| Lung Hin

All the way up on the 44th floor of Marco Polo Ortigas is a Cantonese restaurant that offers some of the most succulent roast meat in Manila. Helmed by Chinese chefs that trained in Michelin-starred restaurants, Lung Hin has been a go-to of the discerning crowd whether for leisurely lunches or grandiose celebrations. Its dim sum selection is always a crowd pleasure—thanks to the gold leaf-adorned hakaw and truffle siomai—but it’s the roasted and marinated section that’s filled with hard-hitters. You won’t go wrong with ordering the Roast Barbecue Pork, Roasted Pork Belly, or the seasonal Roast Goose. (P.S. Its Baked Barbecue Pork Bun is also an absolute must!)

Esquire Recommends:

• Roast Barbecue Pork
• Roasted Pork Belly

Marco Polo Manila, Ortigas, Pasig