Philippine Express

Okay so what you need to know is that Philippine Express is first and foremost a very small Philippine grocery store that sells imported dry and canned goods. However, on Tuesdays and Sundays there is a small hot bar (with 6 wells) from which they serve Filipino food during lunch hours (or until it is gone). Lucky me, I arrived on a Tuesday at 1pm just in time to get the day’s last plate. There were only two options left by then so to try both I ordered the two entrée plate which comes with bottomless white rice and a canned drink for $ 6.99. You can get a bottle of imported soda for a small upcharge (the kind I chose was only $ 0.49 more – and well worth it). I was fortunate to be able to try ginataang manok which is chicken, string beans, and potatoes stewed in coconut milk. My other entrée was adobong tadyang which is very tender beef short ribs in a hearty peppercorn sauce. The food was very flavorful and plentiful as the kind man behind the counter dishes with a heavy hand. The ambience is what you’d except from a small Asian goods import store – complete with a television playing an obnoxious yet mildly interesting Filipino game show.
If you find yourself in Gainesville on a random Tuesday or lazy Sunday with a short amount of time, or short amount of money, or you simply desire a quick escape from your reality during lunch then I recommend Philippine Express.

Great food and great value.
It’s my favorite local restaurant in Gainesville, but it’s not the most convenient place. The store is open, but they only sell fresh food on Tuesdays and Sundays. Try to go before 1pm or noon to make sure the food doesn’t run out. Perhaps for family matters, but sometimes they will be closed for a whole week. One month they were gone on vacation in the Phillipines. Unfortunately, you won’t find out unless you call in or you see a sign on the front door.
Adobo is the classic dish to try, and I also like the chicken coconut curry. Both go well with rice, as do many other entrees since they’re savory and soupy. Honestly, no choice is a bad choice.
If halo-​halo is available, get it! I still haven’t been able to try it there since it’s only available some time in the summer (or whenever they feel like making it, I guess).
If it’s your first time, get two entrees if not more. It’s so cheap and you can try more than one dish. For $ 5 – 6, you get a big helping of rice, and they also do not skimp on the meats.

I arrived at 5:30 pm which was advertised as being open. The door was unlocked but I was told they were not open or serving food tonight.

The food is very good, specially the adobo «beef ribs». The price is really cheap specially for such a large portion. They only serve on Sunday and Tuesday. Be careful some of the food is cooked bone in.

For those who want some authentic Filipino food that reminds you of home or being forced to attend a Filipino luncheon after mass, this is the place for you. Philippine Express is a small Filipino market that provides basic groceries combined with a small eatery that occasionally serves food. The first time I went there they had adobo, pancit, beef steak and potatoes. The adobo and pancit were so good, it reminded me of my family’s kitchen. The adobo was also really juicy and literally fell off the bone as I ate it. The portions are also huge for $ 7 so it’s definitely worth the price bc I took the foods home and had dinner and breakfast for the next day. The rice is also bottomless so get ready for some itis. Pair your two meats and rice with a mango nectar and you’re set for the perfect Filipino Sunday if you go after attending 11:30am mass.
The service is nice, it’s very chill and the people who serve you the food are right by you and are just head nod away. I believe a family owns the business so they are very accommodating and friendly.
The ambiance as aforementioned before is very casual and homey. The TV is playing Filipino programs while you eat which is a common thing to do in every Filipino family. The place is also pretty small so it is definitely a hole in the wall place where the Filipinos of Gainesville flock together as a community, and those who have found this treasure get to join in as well. The market attached also offers some great Asian foods and groceries for those who need a proper fix or just some shopping.
All in all, this place did not disappoint and I’ll be coming here very often in the near future!

So wow, as a Pinoy off to college for the first time, I never thought I would be so homesick for some good Filipino cooking. Luckily, Philippine express is here to fill the void.
For $ 6.99, you get a fantastic 2 portions of delicious Filipino food plus rice. Nothing I’ve had has disappointed me thus far, and I’ve eaten here on three separate occasions. The best part is, the family that owns the shop is super friendly and accommodating. I never feel unwelcome, it’s like sitting at family table.
A great deal for great food with lovely people. A great place to eat overall.

Literally a hole in the wall bc if you aren’t looking for it, you probably won’t find it. This place is owned by such a sweet and friendly family that makes you feel like you’re a part of it. It’s a dine in and grocery store in one with a separate eating area (sort of small). Come on Sundays bc they have more options!
I had their adobo & some other entrée I can’t remember the name of. The adobo was really well marinated with the vinegar and soy sauce and so tender! Mix the juices from the adobo with your rice, it’s the best. The other dish was full of vegetables like squash, eggplant, green beans, bitter melon (I’m not a fan of this one so I picked these out), some meat, & salted shrimp. They serve it on actual plates as if you’re eating at home and it comes with endless rice and a can drink! All this for $ 7, which is an incredible deal.
The food tastes homemade with lots of love and great flavors. Try it out!

This is thee place to go to get your Filipino food in Gainesville! They also have a store attached to the side of their restaurant. Delicious food and great people!

Filipinos are known for two things: family and food; whenever I come here I get the perfect mix of both. Now although I’m Chinese, coming to Philippine Express is like having a good home-​cooked meal at your adopted Filipino parents’ home. Before I start making you HANGRYYYY though, let me tell you they only serve brunch/​lunch starting 10AM on TUESDAYS AND SUNDAYS and that they will likely run out of food by 1PM if not earlier (call in early so you’re not disappointed). Now then, they really treat you like another member of the family here and portions are huge! I forget the exact prices off the top of my head but for around $ 7 you will leave stuffed and satisfied. A small drink with every meal. Always opt for 2 entrees instead of 1 as it’s only around a $ 1 more and considering how much variety there is you’ll want to try as much as you can.
For those who are new to Filipino food I’m going to break it down nice and easy: Filipino food is good food.
1) First timers, always get the ADOBO. A Filipino staple Adobo is to Filipino as Gyro is to Greek. This slightly sweet, succulent piece of marinated meat will fall right off the bone into your watering mouth.
2) ALWAYS ask for meat juice on your rice. COPIOUS AMOUNTS. To be honest I could eat just rice and meat juice and be a happy camper.
3) Rice is bottomless, so if you’re still hungry and have nothing left from your entrée refer back to tip 2.
4) Don’t be afraid to try something new. But if you’re not up for something crazy yet, ASK what’s in the food! I’ll tell you I wasn’t an initial fan of the blood soaked beef (horrible translation), however it’s actually quite good and has the background lemony pepper flavor and is similar to beef stew. So good!
Finally there’s a small store adjacent where you can get a few specialty Filipino items to make awesome desserts like Halo-​Halo. If you’re in a hurry take out is an option, but DON’T FORGET THE MEAT JUICES. You’ll thank me later. This place will make you question why you don’t have more Filipino friends in your life.

Are you feeling sad? Are you bored? Are you looking for love? Well, I can’t help with any of that… But if you’re looking for a bit of culinary adventure, may I suggest the Philippine Express located towards the back of the same plaza as Mega Gaming and Comics, off Newberry Road.
It will be your cheapest, easiest and quickest ticket to abroad happiness. The names of the dishes are too long and hard for me to pronounce, so I just point. When the daughter is there, she’s very patient to teach me; but I don’t remember so well.
The milkfish is one of my favorite. It’s marinated with vinegar & garlic, pan-​fried and you eat the whole fish with white rice and white vinegar. Trust me, I wasn’t impressed when the daughter first tried to explain it to me either years ago, but it’s very tasty.
For $ 6.99, you get two choices from the buffet, plus white rice and a can drink. I buy the dishes individually because I have white rice and drink at home; prices of various size containers range from $ 3.99−5.99.
The yellow curry-​like dish has chicken, string beans and squash. If you don’t like the bold, spicy flavors of traditional curries, then I think you’ll love this. It’s so smooth and calm; you definitely taste the coconut milk in it. I love all kinds of curry, so yay for me! The mini spring rolls are 3 for a $ 1; they’re scrumptious and a little sweet.
I don’t have many Filipino friends or know much about their culture. From my experience thus far, I would describe Filipino food as subtle in flavor, simple, light, healthy and tastes delicious, especially for people who usually find everything salty.
One of the drawbacks to this Mom & Pop Philippine grocery store is they only offer their buffet style foods for lunch on Tuesdays and Sundays. The spread on Sunday has more options because their main patrons are the Filipino Church-​goers. There is no menu. What you see is what they have. I think they serve lunch from 11 am — 2 pm. Either way, happy eatings!

The location doubles as a restaurant and a Filippino grocer. I came in for lunch with a friend and was able to get a large helping of food for about $ 7. The adobu (sp?) was sweet and spicy and the curried chicken was absolutely delectable. With a selection of Filippino drinks to choose from and unlimited rice, this restaurant is definitely a great place to go for a nice, inexpensive meal.

A true hidden gem in Gainesville, easily my favorite spot to take guests. The interior is not fancy at all, but the food is delicious and the owners truly care about their guests. Head in on Sunday for the best selection and remember that they only serve 11 – 2!

I used to frequent this place a lot in college when I missed mom’s cooking. It is a oriental store as well as a small restaurant with just a few tables. The food is good. Prices are ok, a little steep for what it is but most small places like this have inflated prices. What I love most is that the staff is very friendly.

Being raised in a Filipino house, Philippine Express is that home away from home while up here for college.
I usually go here after 11:30 AM Mass and sometimes most of the food is gone but there always seems enough for me and my friends. They always give us more than enough portions which includes rice and meat. The bistec and menudo is my favorite. Sometimes they also have kare kare (NUMBER ONE FAV!!!).
The atmosphere is just right especially if you’re used to the whole Filipino atmosphere. They either have the Filipino channel on or a movie. It really just reminds me of home!

Small, hard to find Philippine grocery store with a small eatery. We bought a few items from the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon but the owner said they only serve food on Sundays and Tuesdays now.
I will provide a further review and adjust the rating once we’re able to try some of their dishes. From the pictures in store and on Unilocal,they look good!

This grocer is so small and so difficult to find but well worth it!!! It’s not like there’s a Filippino Grocer on every corner. If not for this store, I’d likely have to go to Orlando!
I did not eat here but rather shopped my little tush off. Boxed, canned, refrigerated, frozen and fresh food can be found here. They make good use of the small space that they have. Every corner space is taken up. I purchased all kinds of items and can’t wait to cook them all. I’ll have to wait to buy frozen food (preferably the fish – all kinds) until I bring an ice chest.
Oh! The prices are SO reasonable. The shop owners are also very pleasant and helpful. Don’t be intimidated by the food as they are more than willing to answer all you questions.

This place has a lot of potential. My friend and I got there areount 12:30 and almost all of the food was gone. All that was left was a little bit of adobo ribs. This tasted fine except I noticed a patrone that was there before us had a lot more. I don’t know if they ordered extra or I just paid full price for half a dish. This is out of the way for me and I don’t think i will go out of my way to come back. But It seems like the real deal for Philipino cuisine.

This restaurant is just… spot on.
The owner was very welcoming and even offered my boyfriend and I some hot and sour soup. We ate that along with chicken and mushrooms with rice. We also shared a can of coke. For as simple as all of that sounds, it was exquisite! The atmosphere was so cozy and relaxed, and the food was delicious and exotic (but not too exotic… my picky eating, cheeseburger-​loving beau devoured all of it)!
The price was only $ 11 for both of us. We will be going back to try the Halo Halo… highly recommended. One of my favorite spots in Gainesville. :)

Finally got back here! Indeed a 4 star spot. I arrived after lunch, a bit after 2 pm so I ordered the only thing they had left — Adobo spare rib. Very tasty, and my only wish was that they had more of the adobo sauce left over to go over the rice.
I had my first Halo Halo as well. This is really my new favorite dessert. The assortment of jellies, beans, fruit, condensed milk, all over shaved ice is refreshing and satisfying.

Filipino cuisine in Gainesville, YES!
The location is tucked away in the back of a nicely shaded office complex, just West of Royal Park. I was taking my husband over to Mega Comics and noticed their sign at the end of the plaza, in very small font. I just had to make an effort to go inside. The owner is very welcoming and happy to explain any of the dishes or grocery items.
Once you enter the location, it is very cozy and casual. The right half is a grocery store and the left half is a hot food counter and seating. Mostly a lunch only place, and they start serving around 11:00. I recommend getting here early because the space is small and I have seen the parking in front get crowded. There are photos of dishes posted on the back wall as well as the cafeteria style dishes in front of you.
The food here is excellent, from my experience. Even better than the beloved Mama Meena’s in Queens that everyone raved about (
). The food at Philippine Express just tastes fresher, comforting, and more homemade. The Chicken Adobo is tangy and bright, pairing well with the chewy clumps of warm rice. You just want to drink the sauce.
I cannot wait to come back and try their noodles and lumpia.