Parent's Choice

Family-Friendly Restaurants To Try In U.P. Town

by Kevyn Gohu
December 11, 2023

U.P. Town has become one of the most frequented places among families which means, there are some family-friendly restaurants to enjoy!

Before U.P. Town, the closest restaurant-filled family-friendly mall was Eastwood which meant crossing over Katipunan Extension to Ortigas. But the former has charmed the families of the north with its convenience in terms of parking, a well-known commute terminal, being events-friendly, and also a variety of restaurants that cater to families across the board. Most of all, U.P. Town makes waiting out the notorious traffic along Katipunan easier as we nest in these restaurants.

1. Dohtonbori

Dohtonbori delights with cooks preparing various beloved Japanese street foods live! Each table comes in a misono where the kids watch their signatures such as their Cheesy Monjayaki and their Deluxe Okonomiyaki — a fun medley of meat, seafood, and vegetables — grilled in front of them. And while the kids are entranced by the cooking, they won’t think too hard about the vegetables snuck into their food since the Okonomiyaki has a lot of cabbage!

2. Mad Mark’s

Besides their wide ice cream selection delighting the kids’ sweet tooths, their warm meals comfort families with all-time American favorites such as their Country Style Ribs, the Johnnie Double Black Ribs, and their St. Louis BBQ Chicken. The restaurant brings in Greek influence as well for those who favor more Mediterranean flavors like their Greek Yogurt Chicken or their Kebabs with rice. We also love the side dishes they serve such as their herbed rice, mashed potatoes, corned and carrots, and the like!

3. The Alley By Vikings

Bringing street food within reasonable reach, The Alley By Vikings is a restaurant in UP Town that elevates the street food experience by transforming it into a buffet-styled food court. With comfort foods like pizza, pasta, barbecued chicken within arm’s reach, families who can’t decide on what food to eat can satisfy their cravings here!

4. Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen

Mamma Mia, every kid loves pasta and pizza! Accompanied by Italian house music, Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen is an Italian restaurant in U.P. Town creates an authentic feel that the family is eating in nonna‘s house. It stays true to its roots of becoming the source of Italian home-cooking, offering heartwarming fares such as its Risotto Tartufo Funghi and Italian Meatballs!

5. Meat Depot

Let families embrace their inner carnivore who loves the basic salt and pepper marinade at Meat Depot! Families get to choose their preferred cuts of meat from a chiller, ranging from pork, beef, and even fish. Some families even bring home some of their meat cuts to cook at home! They serve their meats with several sides, including, rice, fries, pasta, soup, and coleslaw.

6. Gringo

Gringo’s tagline says it all, “chicken, ribs, and friends!” All cooked in either the beloved lemon butter or the tangy and spicy southern lime style, Gringo’s platters are perfect for sharing. Some families even order platters of chicken and enjoy their sides such as fried bananas, garlic mushrooms, roasted pumpkin, and the like! For those who love seafood, their deep-fried Catfish has such a cottony texture that cleanses the palette with the accompanying salsa.

7. Wangfu Chinese Café

Chinese hawker food always painted a picture of a family-owned business wherein the dad’s working the wok and the kids are managing the cashier. Although Wangfu Chinese Café paints a more elevated picture, it still serves heartwarming dishes like their Fookien Rice or Salted-Egg Fried Chicken. Kids may enjoy either their Cereal Chicken or their Japanese Siomai. But we’re also sure that they’ll enjoy the Milo Dinosaur as their dessert!

8. Pound by Todd English

With no avant-garde or fancy approach to their burgers, Pound by Todd English stays true to create a burger that appeals via sheer juiciness. Although they serve other American comfort foods, their burgers and sliders are their signature dishes, especially their double patty cheeseburger. But for those who aren’t into beef, they also have juicy chicken sandwiches with an accompanying coleslaw too!

A family’s routine: Sunday mass and then lunch!

U.P. Town also earned its fame as a place with restaurants for families to dine after attending Sunday Mass, providing them with things to do after a meal. While we know kids will probably prefer the usual Popeye’s or Pepper Lunch, exposing them to all these other restaurants makes it easier for us to feed them in the long run. Most of all, we’ll finally have food options that we’d enjoy too!