Is Canada's The Lunch Lady opening in Manila?
Could a humble Saigon street stall that took Canada’s dining scene by storm finally be coming full circle back to Southeast Asia?
Along with a hiring poster, their caption officially confirmed the news: The Lunch Lady is opening in Manila.
"Every great restaurant has a purpose beyond serving great food. At The Lunch Lady, we exist to celebrate Vietnamese cuisine, deliver unforgettable hospitality, and develop extraordinary people. Those three commitments shape every decision we make and every guest we welcome," they wrote on Instagram.
The Lunch Lady—whose menu is "endlessly enticing and inspires immediate decision paralysis" as per the Michelin Guide—is looking for an Assistant General Manager and Dining Managers as they prepare to open their Manila branch.
"We’re searching for those who lead with passion, care deeply about their teams, and believe that excellence is built through countless small details, every single day," they added.
For those who are interested, you may email your CV and cover letter to Manila@thelunchlady.com.
Before it was a Vancouver hotspot, The Lunch Lady was just a humble street stall in Ho Chi Minh City. There, cook Nguyen Thi Thanh, who passed away last year, quietly built a cult following around a daily rotational broth menu that meant no two visits were ever quite the same.
Then in 2008, the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain tried her dishes and dubbed her “Lunch Lady” on his show, putting her stall to international fame.
Persuaded by second-generation Vietnamese Canadian restaurateur Michael Tran, Thanh brought her recipes to Vancouver in 2020. Three consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards later (2022–2024), the brand took its next big leap, bringing its noodles to Toronto in June 2025.
