Michelin-recognized The Lunch Lady to open first PH branch on Oct. 29
The long wait is over, foodies.
World-renowned Vietnamese restaurant The Lunch Lady will be opening its first Philippine restaurant on Oct. 29 in Forbestown Road, Bonifacio Global City.
"Our soft opening begins October 29th, and we can't wait to welcome you!" The Lunch Lady Manila wrote on Instagram, indicating reservations are officially open.
Known for its wagyu phở and garlic noodles, The Lunch Lady received five consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand distinctions in Vancouver from 2022 to 2026. Its Toronto branch received another in 2026.
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The secret behind The Lunch Lady's flavors are the hand-picked fresh ingredients. Although owner Nguyễn Thị Thành passed away at 58 in 2025 from cardiac arrest on her way to open her Toronto restaurant, the team behind her brand maintained the restaurant's international success using her family recipes.
Her culinary journey began with a small, nameless food cart serving traditional Vietnamese noodle soups on a street in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2009, American celebrity chef, author, and travel host Anthony Bourdain discovered the stall and featured Thành's soups in his book No Reservations.
"When Anthony tried my cuisine, he was surprised and asked, 'How is your food so delicious? It's so simple yet so flavorful. How do you not have a sign?'" Thành said in a video uploaded on The Lunch Lady Manila's Instagram.
It was Bourdain who gave the stall a name and propelled it to world recognition.
In 2020, second-generation Vietnamese-Canadian restaurateur Michael Tran persuaded Thành to open her first international branch in Vancouver. She opened her second restaurant in Toronto by June 2025
In July, 2026, The Lunch Lady put out a job ad looking for an assistant general manager and dining managers for the restaurant's upcoming Manila branch.
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