ATE (Update: 11/11)

A Rare Gem of Filipino Cuisine in Japan, Tucked Away in “Nishiogi”
[updated November 2025]

Get a taste of the Philippines in Nishi-Ogikubo, Tokyo! Genuine Filipino home-cooking is at Ate, only about 20 minutes via the JR Chuo train line from Shinjuku Station, the main hub station of Tokyo. As opposed to Thai food and Indian food, Filipino cuisine is hard to find in Japan. Ate (pronounced “ah-tay” in Filipino language, meaning “sister”), has been serving Japanese people their share of Philippine local dishes since 2007. The restaurant is run by Mayumi, a kind Filipina who has been in Japan about 40 years. She honors her Filipino family’s traditional cooking through her authentic menu, which includes her family’s recipes of classic Filipino dishes, such as adobo (marinated pork) or sinigang (sour and savory soup with tamarind flavoring). (See our interview with Mayumi here).
For those unfamiliar with the cuisine of the Philippines, it has a lot of Spanish influence, yet has distinctly Asian flavors that are familiar to other Southeast Asian countries.

Ate is located on the 2nd floor above a veterinarian in a local “Nishiogi” neighborhood, on the main street and only 4 minutes’ walk from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station. The interior of the restaurant is cozy and pleasant for dinner or lunch, but note that lunch is only offered on Saturday and Sunday. On weekdays they open at 6:00pm, but it is possible to enter at 5:00pm if you make specific reservations. Also dishes like Adobong Baboy (marinated pork adobo) which need to be marinated for a long time require advance reservations. However, you can always enjoy comforting dishes such as Sinigang or Sinampulak Manok (chicken soup with sour broth), Menudo (pork and vegetable stir-fry with tomato sauce), Longganisa (Filipino sausage), or Pancit Bihon (a Filipino noodle dish). They also offer Filipino beers like San Miguel and Red Horse, in addition to wine, Japanese cocktails, and soft drinks which include coconut juice and mango juice. For dessert, try the Leche Flan, a delicious custard with topped with syrupy caramel!

You will have a hard time finding such authentic Filipino dishes in Japan, but Ate in Nishi-Ogikubo is one of the few in Tokyo. If you visit Ate on the first Sunday of the month, you can try out 5 different dishes at their all-you-can-eat buffet lunch for only 2000 yen!

ACCESS

Writer: Greg
Photographer: Mark