The University of the Philippines Diliman campus might be best known as the mother campus of the UP System but it is also a destination for many food lovers. Institutions such as ROC, Rodic’s, Mang Larry’s and the now defunct Chocolate Kiss have been go-to destinations of the UP community.
The newest addition to the campus’ food scene is Gyud Food, a 2-storey food hub with an outdoor area, capable of holding 50 vendors and seating over 270 customers. The brainchild of Potato Corner founder Jose Magsaysay Jr., Gyud Food aims to offer dishes from different cuisines at different price points.
“We made it a point when we were curating the establishments that each one would be offering something different. We also wanted to offer food that could both be enjoyed by students on a budget, or people wanting to splurge a little bit,” Magsaysay Jr. shared.
The result is an eclectic selection of food outlets surrounding the perimeter of the building as well as the al fresco area beside it. One stall would be serving fruit shakes while beside it, another would be selling fruit nectar. There is a stall serving Hong Kong stir-fried noodles while another would be offering smoked and grilled items.
For those who want to get their Mexican fix, Jose’s Quezos serves a mean plate of nachos, tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. Meanwhile, Dadbod is the spot for those who want Filipino binalot that’s done right. The stall features dishes such as Smoked Chicken Tinapa, Bagnet Sisig, Gourmet Tuyo and more, all paired with salted egg, brown rice, and wrapped up in a banana leaf.
For pasta lovers, there’s Pepper’s Kitchen which offers a four-cheese Lasagna, Carbonara, and Chicken Penne in Creamy Pesto Sauce, among others. Meanwhile, Khuttz Dinner offers meaty bites such as Spicy Spare Ribs, Chicken Fillet Sandwich, and Rib Chunk Rice.
End your meals on a sweet note without the guilt from Ressu Kitchen with their lines of sugar-free desserts. The Dark Chocolate Cake and the Red Velvet Cake hits all the right notes with moist interior and deeply chocolatey icing while the Cinnamon Roll is drenched with cream cheese frosting.
Wash it all down with fruit shakes or perhaps a cup coffee from Mamonaku Kohi, whose Yuzu espresso tonic is an eye-opener with its balance of bitter, sweet, astringent, and sour notes.
As a bonus, UP students, professors, researchers and administration staff will all be able to enjoy discounts ranging from 5-15 percent on all establishments, with payment transactions facilitated by their Maya-enabled IDs.
Gyud Food is located in E. Jacinto St. near University Avenue and across the College of Fine Arts.
