Barbara's Heritage Restaurant: Dining in style in Intramuros
Updated: Apr 3
Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is a Spanish-Filipino restaurant located in Intramuros, Manila. It is housed in a restored Spanish-era mansion, Casa Manila, and is known for its elegant interiors, traditional Filipino cuisine, and cultural performances.
The restaurant has two main dining halls: the Main Dining Hall and the Sala Filipina. The Main Dining Hall was built using adobe blocks and has a white lime finish, similar to how it would have been in the colonial era. It seats up to 200 guests and is often used for weddings, banquets, and other special events. The Sala Filipina is a smaller dining hall that seats up to 100 guests and is a popular choice for intimate gatherings.
The restaurant's menu features a variety of Filipino dishes, including lechon, adobo, sinigang, and kare-kare. There are also a selection of Spanish dishes, such as paella, tapas, and sangria. The restaurant also offers a daily buffet lunch and dinner.
In addition to its food, Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is also known for its cultural performances. Every night, the restaurant hosts a show called "Kultura Filipina," which features traditional Filipino music and dance. The show is a great way to learn about Filipino culture and history.
Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is a popular tourist destination and is a great place to experience the best of Filipino cuisine and culture. It is also a popular choice for locals who want to celebrate special occasions in a unique setting.
Read on for more on the wonderful food we tried, how to find Barbara's Heritage Restaurant, our YouTube video highlights and our restaurant rating!
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Our Barbara's Heritage Restaurant highlights
If you did not already know, we are both huge history fans and we just love finding places like this. A blend of history and food? The perfect combination!
We had spotted this restaurant online while looking for things to see in Intramuros. Casa Manila and St Augustin Church were on our list, and this restaurant is literally within the Casa Manila complex, and directly opposite San Augustin. So we were in no doubt that we should try it!
The entrance alone is really inviting, with a beautiful wooden staircase adorned with beautiful pictures and mirrors. There is an amazing chandelier to admire too! There were staff at the bottom meeting and greeting, and also another staff member at the top of the stairs. Needless to say it took a fair few minuted to make it to the top! There is so much to look at and admire there.
By the time we took our seats we were already pretty awestruck by the delightful and enchanting decor of the main dining room. Beautiful curtains adorn the windows, the wood panelled ceiling features a giant crystal chandelier, and the tables are beautifully presented. Even the buffet area is a taste of old, with ornate silver pots and trays, with food even on display in a antique wooden cabinet.
It was pretty hot, even with a few air conditioning unites dotted around the room. The staff kindly brought us a fan, and moved us to a cooler table when it became available too. The heat to one side, this is a dining area that literally moves you back a hundred years. It is really well put together and has a real charm to it!
We opted for the buffet as we wanted to try a bit of everything. It was expensive, and perhaps a little too overpriced truth be told, but nonetheless we really did enjoy it. Plus it is always nice to help yourself right?
The food was good, and we did enjoy it. Among our favorites was the turonitos (mini plantain fried rolls), the fish rebusado, lechon paksiw (fried pork belly in liver sauce), beef caldereta and patola con gabi (sponge gourd and taro cooked with wheat vermicelli).
After a drink and two very full bellies, we were also treated to the live band who made their way through the restaurant, first in the tea room and then out into the main dining hall where we were. It helped add even more to the already lovely ambience, and we really liked them. They were a special treat! The whole experience was really lovely to be honest. We hope you get a chance to experience it!
Read on for some history, the menu, how to find the restaurant, highlights in our YouTube video and our in depth experience rating!
The history of Barbara's Heritage Restaurant and the surrounding area
Barbara's Heritage Restaurant was founded in 1977 by Barbara Gordon-De Los Reyes. The restaurant is housed in a restored Spanish-era mansion, Casa Manila, which was built in the 18th century. The mansion was originally the home of a Spanish governor-general, and it has been beautifully restored to its former glory.
The surrounding area of Intramuros is also rich in history. Intramuros is a walled city that was built by the Spanish in the 16th century. It was the capital of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is home to many other historical landmarks, such as the San Agustin Church, Fort Santiago, and Manila Cathedral. There are also many museums and art galleries in the area.
Barbara's Heritage Restaurant Menu
The menu at Barbara's Heritage Restaurant features a variety of Filipino and Spanish dishes, all made with fresh, local ingredients. The menu includes appetizers, main courses, and desserts.
Some of the popular appetizers include crispy lechon kawali (fried pork belly), sinigang na baboy (pork sinigang, a sour soup), lumpia shanghai (spring rolls), and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp).
Popular main courses include adobo (chicken or pork braised in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic), kare-kare (oxtail stew in peanut sauce), lechon (whole roasted pig), and paella (Spanish rice dish with seafood, meat, and vegetables).
Desserts include halo-halo (shaved ice dessert with sweet beans, fruits, and condensed milk), leche flan (caramel custard), and ube cake (purple yam cake).
The menu also includes a variety of Filipino and Spanish wines, beers, and cocktails.
**Prices quoted from July 2023.
How to get to Barbara's Heritage Restaurant
Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is located in Intramuros, Manila. Here are the directions to get there:
⪢ By car: Take Roxas Boulevard and turn right onto General Luna Street. Continue straight until you reach Plaza San Luis. Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is on your right.
⪢ By bus: Take the LRT Line 1 to the Intramuros station. From there, walk for about 10 minutes to Plaza San Luis. Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is on your right.
⪢ By taxi: Take a taxi and tell the driver to take you to Barbara's Heritage Restaurant in Intramuros.
The restaurant is also accessible by bicycle. There are bike racks available at the restaurant.
Address: Plaza San Luis Complex, General Luna St, Intramuros, Manila, 1002 Metro Manila, Philippines.
Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday: 9am to 9pm
Live music bands play daily.
Contact: +63 2 8527 4083
Instagram: @barbarasrestaurant
Reservations & Menu: barbaras.ph
Note that at busy times reservations may be required, All major credit cards are accepted, although bring cash in case the card machine is not working. There is an ATM nearby if needed.
Other places to visit in Intramuros
There are many places to check out in Intramuros, but here are a few within walking distance from Fort Santiago that we recommend you check out:
San Agustin Church
The San Agustin Church is a Baroque church located in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines. It is the oldest church in the Philippines and one of the four Baroque Churches of the Philippines inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the only church that survived the near complete destruction of Intramuros in WW2.
Casa Manila
Casa Manila is a museum in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines. It is a replica of a Spanish colonial house from the 19th century. The house was built in 1980 by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and is now a museum that showcases the lifestyle of a wealthy Filipino family during the Spanish colonial period.
Manila Cathedral
The Manila Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, is a historic and significant minor basilica located within the ancient walled city of Intramuros in Manila, Philippines. It has been the site of significant religious events, including papal visits, canonizations, and large-scale liturgical celebrations.
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Our Barbara's Heritage Restaurant experience rating
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
✓ Atmosphere: 5/5
There is an excellent vibe here, and the decor is absolutely fantastic. We definitely felt we were stepping back into a bygone era, with the restaurant doing a great job at preserving the cultural heritage. It was very hot, but that to one side, it felt very elegant, and everything was very aesthetically pleasing. It is worth going for this reason alone!
✓ Cost: 3/5
✓ Food: 4/5
✓ Service: 3/5
Watch us explore Intramuros on YouTube
In this video we explore Manila Old City, known as Intramuros! It is such a beautiful area of Manila! We show you the best luxury and local places to visit as we walk around and explore the city. Come rain or shine we made the best of the day! We explored the tourist hot spots of Plaza San Luis Complex, where you will find the Barbara's Heritage Restaurant, The Royal Cafe and the Casa Manila Living Museum.
We explore San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral, and also visit the historic Fort Santiago, all while enjoying the sights and sounds of the lively and friendly Manila that we have come to know and love over the past month!
Be sure to like and comment on the video if you enjoyed it. Also please do subscribe if you are interested in seeing more of our videos! We share travel and lifestyle videos and vlogs from all around the world about the world every few days. Don't miss out!
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