NJ.com has released its updated list of the 23 Greatest Filipino Restaurants in New Jersey (Read Full Article), highlighting standout Filipino eateries across the state—and Bergen County made a major showing near the very top of the rankings.

The article notes that New Jersey’s Filipino food scene has become one of the strongest in the country, fueled in part by the state’s large Filipino American population and longtime communities in places like Bergenfield and Jersey City.

The feature highlights everything from traditional family-run restaurants and bakeries to modern Filipino concepts serving dishes like adobo, lumpia, pancit, halo-halo, barbecue skewers, sisig, and ube desserts.

As with most of these lists, the precise criteria and system used to determine the selections was not shared.

Leading Bergen County’s representation was Bamboo Grill in Bergenfield, which earned the No. 1 spot statewide.

NJ.com described Bamboo Grill as a “long-standing establishment” in Bergenfield—one of New Jersey’s most Filipino-dense communities—praising its large family-style portions and extensive menu featuring dishes like sinigang, pork adobo, chicken tinola, and inihaw na pusit. The publication also noted that Bamboo Grill was previously named the best Filipino restaurant in New Jersey by Food & Wine in 2022.

Hackensack’s Mama Fina’s also cracked the top five, landing at No. 4 on the statewide list.

They specifically praised the restaurant’s sisig offerings, calling it “some of the best sisig” they’ve had, while highlighting both the Hackensack location and the restaurant’s New York City outpost. The restaurant also received recognition for its grocery section alongside the dining operation.

Another Bergen County restaurant to make the rankings was Tropical Hut Philippine Cuisine, which placed at No. 9 statewide. The growing Filipino restaurant and market chain has several New Jersey locations, including one in Maywood.

They specifically highlighted Tropical Hut’s crispy pata and dinuguan, while also praising the restaurant’s combination of prepared foods, groceries, and Filipino snacks.

[photo source: Bamboo Grill]