We kicked off our Binondo food trip bright and early, leaving Mandaluyong at 5:30 AM to make sure we arrived before the streets got too crowded. By 6:30 AM, we were standing in front of the historic Binondo Church, its centuries-old façade glowing softly under the morning light.

Our first stop was Chuan Kee Turu-Turo, a well-loved eatery known for its classic Chinese-Filipino dishes. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t open until 7 AM, so we returned to the church and joined the peaceful rosary prayer, taking in the quiet serenity before our food adventure began.

As soon as Chuan Kee opened, we hurried back to find early diners already. We ordered their Kikiam, Soup No. 5, and Chicken with Cucumber Xiao Long Bao (the green one). The kikiam came with s few slices of pickled radish and a sweet, slightly sticky sauce, but tasted fine even without it.

The Xiao Long Bao was an unexpected treat. Despite the “cucumber” in its name, it had no overpowering cucumber taste, just a light, healthy balance of flavors. The dough has the right thickness, complementing the savory chicken filling. I eagerly took a sip of the rich, steamy broth inside—only to burn my tongue! But it was worth it.

Finally, the Soup No. 5, a dish infamous for its supposed aphrodisiac properties, had a deep, rich flavor that I preferred over the one served at Café Mezzanine upstairs. There are chunks of beef also though it’s on the pricey side for a small bowl (₱400). Until now I’m still wondering who named and what is the idea behind calling it Soup Number 5.

Here are other dishes you can order at Chuan Kee Fast Food.

From there, we walked toward Wong Kei, a small stall made noticeable by the piles of nearly dried sugarcane stacked beside it. The fresh sugarcane juice (₱100) was a bit pricey but refreshingly sweet with their clever marketing touch—a sticker that read “I Love Wong Kei” on the straw.

Along with our drinks, we ordered a variety of grilled barbecues: Rice Cake, Tofu, Sausage, and Veggie Balls (₱50 per stick). The tofu and veggie balls stood out the most, their soft, while the rice cake has a slightly chewy texture resembling tikoy. The sausage, however, was surprisingly bland—good thing the sauce and seasoning saved it, I mean all of it!

A short walk along Ongpin Street led us to the famous Lord Stow’s Bakery, its inviting aroma of freshly baked pastries drawn us in. A foreigner was filming a vlog about their egg tarts as we entered, adding to the store’s bustling charm. It’s a small eatery with a few chairs serving coffee, pasta and more. We got a box of six egg tarts (₱320) and upon our first bite, I understood the hype. The flaky crust gave way to a smooth, creamy custard that was perfectly balanced—not too sweet with enough softness. If I weren’t trying to cut down on sugar, I could have easily devoured the whole box!

Nearby, we made a stop at Shanghai Fried Siopao Shop, a no-frills stall selling at ₱35 per piece of fried siopao. The size is slightly small (similar to what we buy at 7-11 Convenience Store) that looked liked it was steamed first then pan-fried at the bottom. It had a mix of pork and chicken filling on my taste, with bits of fresh onions that added a natural sweetness. It didn’t come with sauce but it wasn’t dry either. Still, I wished I had something to drizzle over it.

We also grabbed a plain Bichu (₱35), a large, deep-fried treat that had a light hint of saltiness but wasn’t greasy even when consumed after hours of our trip to Nueva Ecija. It turned slightly soggy, but it was still delicious.

Other food items you can buy at Shanghai Fried Sioapo Shop was siomai, buchi, hopia and more.

We then passed by Oishiekun Chinese Bites, where we couldn’t resist trying their Milky Bichu (₱70)—yes, another Bichu, but this one was coated in sweet milk powder, just like the ones in 90’s ice scrambles! Though it was smaller than the plain Bichu, it was still big enough to share, and they even cut it into bite-sized pieces and provided sticks to keep our hands clean. Hours later, it had gone a bit stale, but the sweet, milky flavor still held up.

Other Chinese Snacks are sold in this store so check out the menu below.

While wandering through the narrow Carvajal Street, we stumbled upon Lian Niang Restaurant, a hidden gem tucked away in an alley. We decided to try their Pan-Fried Dumplings (₱200) and Beef Noodles (₱250). The dumplings were fantastic—crispy on the bottom yet soft and juicy inside, almost like a pan-fried xiao long bao. However, after waiting over 30 minutes for the beef noodles, we found out our order was never placed! In hindsight, it was a blessing since we were already too full to enjoy it.

Our final stop was Mixue Ice Cream Shop on Dasmariñas Street, a random discovery while searching for something to quench our thirst. The store had cute snowman (Snow King) products displayed and I regret not trying their ice cream. Instead, we ordered a Peach Earl Grey Tea, which had just the right amount of sweetness with fruit bits—a refreshing way to end our food crawl.

Looking back, we barely scratched the surface of what Chinatown has to offer. There’s still so much to try, so I guess another Binondo food trip is definitely in order!