The Lenten Season has already begun, and with this comes the number of people looking for different places that offer a good alternative to the meaty dishes they've loved. So whether you're practicing abstinence during Lent or are just planning to do away with meat, we're giving you a list of places from vegetarian to seafood restaurants (and even fastfood!) that you can visit.
VEGETARIAN
1. Pipino Vegetarian Food by Pino
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Serving 100% Plant-Based Meals, Pipino in Teachers Village, Quezon City is one of the best places to try if you want a vegan alternative to your favorite Filipino dishes. Their signature dishes include: Vegetable Kare-Kare (P185) – their version of Pino's specialty; Pinakbet Risotto (P265) with squash risotto, okra tempura, and pickled sigarilyas; and Portobello Burger (P275) which has breaded portobello mushroom stuffed with vegan cheese sauce.
They even have vegan sweet treats available, perfect for anyone craving for some ice cream and cookies but still want to keep to their diet.
2. Falafel Yo!
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Falafel Yo! offers a filling and affordable meal for those who are trying to cut off their meat. For only P159, diners already get to enjoy a big enough serving of their Falafel Yo, their traditional version of the Israeli snack. It's already packed with about 5 to 6 pieces of falafel, hummus, pickled onion, and mixed vegetables. Depending on their taste, they also get to customize their sandwiches with the two homemade sauces available.
For the working people of Makati looking for something quick and healthy, look no further than Berde in Ayala Triangle Gardens. While they may already have signature bowls prepared for people to choose from, diners also have the option to create their own bowl where they pick their protein, base, vegetables, and sauce. Prices vary depending on the protein chosen, and their vegetarian option – Mushroom Monggo Kare Kare – is priced at P290.
4. Green Pastures
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Green Pastures took your favorite Kare-Kare and made it as guiltless as possible with their Jackfruit Kare-Kare (P600). It's made with the same ingredients you've always loved from this dish – sitaw, eggplant, and peanut gravy – but uses unripe jackfruit as a substitute for tripe and shanks. It also comes with Green Pastures' garlicky bagoong, since Kare-Kare is not Kare-Kare without a good bagoong!
SEAFOOD
1. Poke Poke
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Poke Poke lets its diners create their own versions of the Hawaiian poke bowls (P350), from the base down to the mix-ins, and flavor boosters to make it suit their palates. However, if they're not feeling like customizing your own bowls, they may also go for their signature bowls like Basic (P290) which has the classic ahi tuna and salmon combo and Dragon (P450) which is a fiery bowl with salmon, shrimp, and unagi smothered in mangonnaise and sriracha aioli.
2. Choobi Choobi
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People of Manila won't have to go all the way to Cebu now as their well-loved seafood restaurant, Choobi Choobi has opened a number of branches in Manila! When dining with a barkada, make sure to try their Seafood Barkada Bag (P645) which gets you all of Choobi Choobi's bestsellers – Chilean mussels, shrimp, baby lobsters, and corn. Or you can have it all to yourself, no one's judging!
3. Asakusa: Home of Tempura
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Asakusa lives up to its name by serving different kinds of tempura sets which they can customize however they want. They get to choose among the 15 different kinds of tempura available (make sure to try their Black Tiger Prawn tempura!), the sides available (rice, soba, or udon), and the sauce they want to go with it. They also have California Maki, Tuna Maki, and Salmon Maki available, perfect for those days when you suddenly crave for one.
4. Fish & Co.
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Serving fresh seafood cooked in a simple and straightforward way, Fish & Co. is where you go for some good ol' fish and chips. Here, you get to choose from three different kinds of Fish & Chips, with The Best Fish and Chips In Town (P290/P485) as their bestseller. They also have seafood platters and a la carte dishes available, perfect if you're sharing it with a group.
FAST FOOD
1. McDonald's Fish & Fries
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Everyone's favorite British pair is back again! Coated in a crispy breading, McDonald's fish fillet is also served with either fries or rice, as well as the customer's choice of sauce – tartar sauce, sweet and sour, and thousand island. You can get the new Fish and Fries (or Fish and Rice, if you can't live without it) with drinks at P150.
2. Jollibee's Tuna Pie
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Just in time for Lent, Jollibee also brought back the Tuna Pie everybody's come to love! You can have it a la carte (P45), as a meal (P59), or in packs of three (P139) if you want to share it with your friends, or you want something to munch on for lunch, merienda, and dinner.
3. Wendy's Premium Fish Fillet
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Wendy's is now serving their newest sandwich, Premium Fish Fillet which has fresh Alaskan pollock, crisp greens, and topped with a creamy tartar sauce. You can get this with drinks for only P139.
4. Greenwich's Meatless Pizzas
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Greenwich is also now offering meat-less pizzas, because we really can't just stop eating them for Lent, can we? There's the Veggies & Cheese for those who likes their pizza with pineapples and loads of vegetables, and Extreme Cheese Overload if you're happy with your pizza topped with lots and lots of cheese. Overload double pizzas are both prized at P219.
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Did we miss your favorite seafood and vegetarian restaurants? Let us know in the comments!