![\"Phil-Am](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/DO4J5NF3G5C65JSLDSE5OWJ4OQ.jpg\")
Phil-Am Kusina opened about a decade ago across from long-standing Phil-Am Foods. Between the restaurant and grocer, the two businesses were meant to complement each other. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\nSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Phil-Am Kusina will close its doors on Nov. 30, ending a flavorful 10-year chapter as Staten Island\u2019s only sit-down Filipino restaurant. For the borough\u2019s Filipino community and adventurous eaters, it\u2019s the end of an era filled with adobo, pancit, and freshly fried lumpia. Or, as they\u2019d say in Tagalog, salamat for the memories \u2014 and for teaching us that comfort food can come with a side of calamansi, a lime-like fruit particular to the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Phil-Am Kusina opened about a decade ago across from long-standing Phil-Am Foods. Between the restaurant and grocer, the two businesses were meant to complement each other. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter a wonderful decade serving you, we have decided to close our restaurant doors on November 30th,\u201d the restaurant shared on its social media.<\/a> \u201cThank you for the incredible support through every season. Thank you to our community and team \u2014 what a rewarding journey it has been.\u201d<\/p>\n The Imperial family had opened the restaurant to complement their existing business, Phil-Am Foods, a grocery store located diagonally across the street at 527 Tompkins Avenue. That market is over 40 years old, a grocer that sells fresh seafood, butchered whole roasted pigs and other sundries particular to the Filipino and South East Asian person\u2019s pantry. <\/p>\n The restaurant quickly found its stride. This week, manager Gretchen Vergara shared her excitement over the warm reception from Staten Islanders \u2014 especially those discovering Filipino flavors for the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been telling our long-time customers we can still make their favorite classics,\u201d Vergara said softly. \u201cMaybe someday we\u2019ll offer online orders, but right now we\u2019re focused on the holidays. We\u2019ll keep sharing updates on social media for everyone who\u2019s supported us.\u201d<\/p>\n She paused, then added, \u201cIt\u2019s been a beautiful run\u2014 but it\u2019s exhausting. Ten years feels like a lifetime. What really breaks my heart is seeing faces from the early days coming back now. It reminds me how much this place has meant to people.\u201d<\/p>\n The restaurant became known for its signature Kamayan Nights, a family-style feast served on banana leaves that diners traditionally eat with their hands. A handwash sink was placed prominently in the dining room to accommodate the experience. The Kamayan arrangement, offered by reservation on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for parties of six or more, ranged from $25 to $50 per guest and featured lumpia, longganisa sausages, crispy fried pork, garlic rice, and char-grilled meats.<\/p>\n Phil-Am Kusina\u2019s menu still celebrates Filipino tradition with dishes like fresh lumpia wrapped in pillowy crepes and drizzled with peanut sauce, smoky chicken inasal with crisp char-grilled skin, and tortang talong, a delicate eggplant omelet. All-day brunch brings adobo-glazed chicken wings and saut\u00e9ed corned beef with fried eggs, while desserts tempt with golden fried banana spring rolls and the iconic halo-halo\u2014a colorful mix of Jell-O, ice cream, beans, and purple yam.<\/p>\n The Imperial family will keep Filipino flavors alive through Phil-Am Foods, their modest grocery at 527 Tompkins Ave. Beyond South East Asian pantry staples, shoppers can find ready-to-enjoy meals featuring classic proteins and vinegar-based recipes that echo the Philippines\u2019 coastal and agricultural roots. Favorites include pancit bihon \u2014 a stir-fried rice noodle dish that can be a party staple or a one-pot dish\u2014 and Tokwa\u2019t Baboy, a comforting mix of crispy tofu and tender pork tossed in a tangy vinegar-soy sauce.<\/p>\n Phil-Am Kusina, the restaurant, is located at 556 Tompkins Ave., Rosebank. They can be reached at 718-727-3663 or via philamkusina.com<\/a>. The restaurant is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and open the rest of the week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.<\/p>\n As of now, Staten Island has two Filipino dining spots: Phil-Am Kusina and Maynila. Unlike Phil-Am\u2019s sit-down format, Maynila offers a market-style experience with hot meals from a steam table, designed for takeout. Located at 3555 Victory Blvd. in Travis, Maynila is open daily from about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Mondays.<\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Phil-Am](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/NEQFLZYZFZFKBEI7AL26AN76ZA.jpg\")
Noodles like this Miki Bihon come with assorted proteins such as shrimp, pork and a squid ball. Staff-Shot<\/p>\n![\"Phil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/DPGPKAA3GJFRVL7QPKY7GVRREY.jpg\")
Some of the items made in the kitchen for sale at Phil-Am Food Mart at 527 Tompkins Ave. include pork and pandit dishes. Pancit bihon is a classic Filipino noodle dish made with saut\u00e9ed rice noodles. Beloved for its simplicity and flavor, it\u2019s a party staple that\u2019s easy enough to enjoy any night of the week.Staten Island Advance<\/p>\n