# Things to Do in Quezon City: A District by District Guide

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Published: 2026-11-04

*Cubao Expo on a weekend afternoon, lanterns at Parolan and a show at the Big Dome, lunch on Maginhawa, Quezon Memorial Circle in the morning and a cocktail off Tomas Morato. Quezon City, one district at a time.*

Quezon City (QC) is too big to see in one go, so this guide takes it one district at a time. Spend an afternoon at Cubao Expo, buy a parol at Araneta City's Parolan, eat down Maginhawa, walk Quezon Memorial Circle in the morning and end at a cocktail bar off Tomas Morato.

Each section names a few specific places, says when to go and links to our longer guides.

Updated 4 November 2026.

- **Cubao:** Cubao Expo's small restaurants and shops, and Araneta City for concerts, malls and Christmas.
- **Kamuning:** a bakery that says it has been on the same corner since 1939, and a city market for barongs and Filipiniana.
- **Maginhawa and Teachers Village:** the eating street beside UP Diliman.
- **Green space:** Quezon Memorial Circle, the UP Academic Oval and La Mesa Eco Park.
- **Banawe:** Quezon City's Chinatown.
- **Tomas Morato:** dinner, then a cocktail bar on a side street.
- **By train:** the MRT-3 (Metro Rail Transit Line 3) and the LRT-2 (Light Rail Transit Line 2) both stop at Araneta Center-Cubao, which connects into Araneta City.
- **A show tonight:** check the [Smart Araneta Coliseum](https://whatsonmnl.com/venue/smart-araneta-coliseum) and the [New Frontier Theater](https://whatsonmnl.com/venue/new-frontier-theater).
- **Christmas:** Parolan is open daily until 31 December. Tree and Belen lighting dates are in [Christmas at Araneta City 2026](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/araneta-city-christmas-2026).

For everything on across the metro, see [this weekend](https://whatsonmnl.com/this-weekend), [November](https://whatsonmnl.com/events/november-2026) and [December](https://whatsonmnl.com/events/december-2026). For other parts of the city, see [things to do in BGC](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/things-to-do-in-bgc) and [things to do in Pasig](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/things-to-do-in-pasig). Our [Quezon City neighbourhood page](https://whatsonmnl.com/neighborhood/quezon-city) lists every place we cover here.


Part of our [guide to things to do in Manila](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/things-to-do-in-manila), with every area in one place.

## Cubao Expo on a weekend afternoon

Cubao Expo is a low-rise compound on General Romulo Avenue, a short walk from Araneta City. Rolling Stone Philippines traces it to the Marikina Shoe Expo of the 1970s, where local shoemakers sold their goods. Its units now hold small restaurants, cafes, bars and shops, so come mid-afternoon, browse, and stay for dinner.

Start at [Silingan Coffee](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/silingan-coffee-cubao-expo) in Stall 9. Redemptorist Brother Jun Santiago and RESBAK (Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings) started it in 2021 to give work to relatives of people killed in the drug war, most of them mothers and wives. It is a quiet room for a coffee and a book.

Then walk the units. Good Vibrations Records, a cafe with vinyl records, is one of the shops Rolling Stone Philippines featured in January 2026. Each shop keeps its own hours, so keep the browsing loose.

For dinner, [Bellini's](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/bellinis-cubao-expo) has served Italian home cooking here since 1999, when the photographer Roberto Bellini and his wife Maria Luisa opened it. [Habanero Kitchen Bar](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/habanero-kitchen-bar-cubao-expo) works habanero chillies into lechon and sisig, with milder dishes for anyone who wants them. [Best of Luck](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/best-of-luck-cubao-expo) does Hong Kong-style plates over two small, neon-lit floors.

Eating before a concert? See [where to eat in Cubao before Araneta](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/restaurants-near-araneta-cubao).

## Araneta City: Parolan and a show at the Big Dome

Araneta City is the Cubao estate around the Smart Araneta Coliseum, which most people call the Big Dome. Gateway Mall, Gateway Mall 2, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza are linked, so you can park once and walk.

Araneta City says the estate connects to both Araneta Center-Cubao stations and the Araneta City Bus Port, so on a show night the train is the easy way in.

Right now the reason to go is Christmas. [Parolan](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/parolan-araneta-city-2026), the lantern bazaar, opened on 1 October at the Expo Centro Parking of Farmers Garden and runs daily from 6AM to 10PM until 31 December. Stalls sell Pampanga-style parols with light displays, bamboo and capiz lanterns, ornaments and nativity sets, and a food market nearby does puto bumbong, bibingka and barbecue.

The giant Christmas tree and the Belen (nativity scene) are lit in November, and the mall trees follow. The dates, in order, are in [Christmas at Araneta City 2026](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/araneta-city-christmas-2026). Trees across the rest of the metro are in [Christmas Lights in Metro Manila 2026](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/christmas-lights-manila-2026), and gift shopping is in [Christmas Bazaars in Manila 2026](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/christmas-bazaars-manila-2026).

Then there are the shows. At the Big Dome: [Yeng Constantino's 20th anniversary concert](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/yeng-constantino-biyaheng-bente-araneta-2026) on 17 and 18 November, the [Gong Yoo fan meeting](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/gong-yoo-the-long-take-manila-2026) on 21 November, [Simple Plan](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/simple-plan-bigger-than-you-think-tour-manila-2026) on 25 November and [Cup of Joe: Symphony](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/cup-of-joe-symphony-big-dome-2026) on 3 and 4 December. The New Frontier Theater has [Jona](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/jona-chapters-2026) on 14 November and the comedian [Atsuko Okatsuka](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/atsuko-okatsuka-big-bowl-tour-manila-2026) on 15 November.

Before a concert, read our [Araneta Coliseum concert guide](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/araneta-coliseum-concert-guide) for gates, bag rules and the last trains home.

## Kamuning, for pandesal and Filipiniana

[Kamuning Bakery Cafe](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/kamuning-bakery-cafe), at Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, says it has baked at that address since 1939. The Quezon City government calls it a bakeshop as old as the city itself. The bakery says its breads are made by hand in limited batches every day, with no preservatives.

Go early, while the pandesal is warm, and take home pan de suelo, ensaymada and egg pie. The bakery also sells pancit by the bilao (a woven tray), an easy thing to bring to a family lunch.

Kamuning Market is the other reason to come. The city government calls it the hub for local textiles in Quezon City: four storeys and 176 stalls of Filipinianas, barongs, gowns, suits and fabric, with tailors on hand.

The city lists it as open daily from 8AM to 8PM, with free entry. Go here when a wedding or a school programme calls for a barong.

## Maginhawa and Teachers Village, for an eating afternoon

Maginhawa Street runs through UP Village and Teachers Village beside the UP (University of the Philippines) Diliman campus. Maginhawa and its side streets are full of small, independent kitchens, so park once and walk.

Start at [Rodic's](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/rodics-maginhawa), at 129 Maginhawa, for tapsilog: beef tapa ground fine and glazed sweet, on garlic rice with a fried egg. Rodic's dates from 1949, and generations of UP students ate this plate at the campus Shopping Center. Add a splash of vinegar to cut the sweetness.

For a long lunch, [Talisay The Garden Cafe](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/talisay-the-garden-cafe) at 44 Maginhawa is chef Myke "Tatung" Sarthou's restaurant, named for his hometown of Talisay in Cebu. It sits in a renovated old house with a garden, a calm room for lunch with your parents.

Finish with a scoop or a shake at [Papa Diddi's](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/papa-diddis), which makes its ice cream on a carabao's milk base. Our [Maginhawa food and cafe guide](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/maginhawa-food-and-cafes) has the full list, from breakfast to a nightcap.

## Green Quezon City: the Circle, the UP Oval and La Mesa

Quezon Memorial Circle is a 25-hectare circular park in front of Quezon City Hall, with the shrine and museum that hold the remains of President Manuel L. Quezon and First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon. The city government lists it as open daily from 5AM to 10PM, with free entry.

Weekend mornings are when it fills up. The city reports more than 10,000 visitors on weekends, who come to cycle, jog, play badminton, stretch or join a zumba session, and there is a food park inside. With children, head for the Children's Playground and the Circle of Fun. The Peace Bell and the Quezon Heritage House are inside too.

After dark, the QC Elevated Promenade runs along Elliptical Road from the Circle to the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center. LED lights line the walkway at night, there is a bike ramp, and the city lists the same 5AM to 10PM hours.

The UP Diliman Academic Oval is a loop for runners, cyclists and walkers under acacia trees the city describes as half a century old, around Quezon Hall and the Main Library. The city lists it as open any time, with free entry.

UP has closed the Oval to joggers and cyclists during the Bar exams before, so check UP Diliman's announcements before an early run. More routes and crews are in our [Manila running guide](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/running-clubs-manila).

[La Mesa Eco Park](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/la-mesa-eco-park) is the bigger day out: 33 hectares in the La Mesa watershed, with nature walks, bird watching, wall climbing, rappelling and archery tag.

The city government's page lists it as open Tuesday to Sunday, 7AM to 4PM, free for Quezon City residents, and asks guests to reserve ahead through the Manila Water Foundation. The fee for non-residents rose in August 2026, so check the park's page before you go. For more family days, see [things to do with kids in Manila](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/things-to-do-with-kids-in-manila).

## Film and theatre this November

QCinema calls Quezon City a UNESCO Creative City of Film, and November is when you see why. The 14th [QCinema International Film Festival](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/qcinema-international-film-festival-2026) runs from 13 to 22 November at five partner cinemas: Gateway Cineplex 18 in Araneta City, Robinsons Movieworld Galleria, Ayala Malls Cinemas TriNoma, Fisher Mall Cinemas and SM City Fairview Cinema.

This year's theme is Genre'teurs, a mix of "genre" and "auteur": films that sit inside a familiar genre but carry their director's own voice. Lav Diaz's new film Makikiraan Po has its Southeast Asian premiere, his Batang West Side screens for its 25th anniversary, and Amores Perros is in the Rediscovery section. Asian Next Wave is the main competition.

On the Ateneo de Manila campus on Katipunan, Ateneo Blue Repertory stages [Urinetown](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/urinetown-ateneo-blue-repertory-2026), directed by Marcel David, at the Rizal Mini Theater on 13 to 15 and 20 to 22 November.

[Karmen 1949](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/karmen-1949-arete-2026) plays at Areté from 13 to 22 November, and [Gabriela: The Musical](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/gabriela-the-musical) runs at Areté's Hyundai Hall from 13 November to 6 December. Every other show on this season is in [musicals and theatre in Manila, November to December](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/musicals-and-theatre-manila-end-of-2026).

## Banawe, for Chinese-Filipino food

Banawe Street is Quezon City's Chinatown, declared a city tourism district in 2015, and it hosts the city's Chinese New Year celebrations. Two Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arches, put up in 2013, mark its entry points, and the street is also lined with car parts shops.

Go hungry. [Fong Wei Wu](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/fong-wei-wu), at 82 Banawe corner Samat Street, is a small, family-run Taiwanese shop listed in the Michelin Guide, with a spread of 15 to 20 dishes that changes daily. Michelin points to the fried bihon with pork and cabbage, and lists the shop as closed on Wednesdays.

If you want the older Chinatown across the river, our [Binondo food crawl](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/binondo-food-crawl) takes it street by street.

## Tomas Morato at night

Tomas Morato Avenue and Timog Avenue form what the city calls the Lifestyle District, declared a tourism district in 2020.

The side streets in this Scout area are named for the 22 Boy Scouts who died in a plane crash on their way to the 11th World Scout Jamboree. A good night here is an early dinner on the avenue, then a short walk to a small bar on a side street.

[Wrong Door](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/wrong-door) is a small cocktail bar behind a black door under a Korean restaurant on Scout Delgado, at the corner of Tomas Morato. There is no sign. Go before 9PM, before it fills up.

If your evening started on Maginhawa, [Escapee](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/escapee-speakeasy) is closer. It hides behind a bookshelf inside Noki Japanese Fried Chicken on Malingap Street in Teachers Village, with Japanese-themed cocktails and fried chicken from the shop out front.

For the full list of dinners and bars, see [Tomas Morato restaurants and bars](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/tomas-morato-restaurants-and-bars), and for later nights across the metro, our [nightlife page](https://whatsonmnl.com/nightlife).

## Questions people ask

**What is there to do in Quezon City?**
Spend an afternoon at Cubao Expo, see a show at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, eat along Maginhawa Street, walk Quezon Memorial Circle or the UP Academic Oval, and go out on Tomas Morato. In November there is also the QCinema film festival, and the Parolan lantern bazaar at Araneta City runs until 31 December.

**What is there to do in Cubao?**
Cubao Expo has small restaurants, cafes and shops in a former shoe market on General Romulo Avenue. Next door, Araneta City has the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the New Frontier Theater, Gateway Mall and, until 31 December, the Parolan lantern bazaar.

**Is Quezon Memorial Circle open at night?**
Yes, until 10PM. The Quezon City government lists the park's hours as 5AM to 10PM daily, with free entry.

**How do I get to Araneta City by train?**
Take the MRT-3 or the LRT-2 to Araneta Center-Cubao station. Araneta City says both stations connect to the estate.

**Where is the Parolan lantern bazaar?**
At the Expo Centro Parking of Farmers Garden in Araneta City, Cubao. Araneta City says it is open daily from 6AM to 10PM until 31 December 2026.

**What is on at QCinema 2026?**
The 14th QCinema runs from 13 to 22 November at five partner cinemas, including Gateway Cineplex 18 and Ayala Malls Cinemas TriNoma. The programme includes Lav Diaz's Makikiraan Po, a 25th anniversary screening of his Batang West Side, and Amores Perros.

**Is La Mesa Eco Park free?**
It is free for Quezon City residents, according to the city government. Non-residents pay an entrance fee, which went up in August 2026, and the city asks all guests to reserve ahead through the Manila Water Foundation.

_We list hours, prices and dates only where the venue, organiser or city government has published them, as of 4 November 2026. Nobody paid to be included._