First Look: A New Filipino-Style Breakfast Has Arrived at Ward Center

Photo: Janelle You

In a city dominated by pho, sushi, kalbi and stir-frys, Peso’s arrival has been a delicious breath of fresh air. Opened in the summer of 2023 in the old Piggy Small spot, Peso popped up on the map—in a dining scene that’s been sorely lacking in Filipino cuisine—with a mission to change the way Hawai‘i sees Filipino food. It’s the first restaurant to highlight modern Filipino-American cuisine in Hawai‘i and, safe to say, now that we know what we’ve been missing, we can’t get enough.

On Jan. 22, the Kaka‘ako restaurant launched a brand-new breakfast menu that’s elevated, inventive and hits all the high sweet and savory notes we love for early morning eats. Start off with an iced matcha latte, a smooth-tasting eye opener that’s sweetened with a touch of pandan syrup and balanced with creamy oat milk. Peso’s matcha purveyor is Rocky’s Matcha, an L.A.-based specialty brand that, at only two years old, has already piqued the interest of big names like Louis Vuitton.

The classic emsaymada, topped with buttercream and sharp cheddar. Photo: Janelle You

Bread lovers, don’t pass on the chance to order one of Peso’s baked goods. Pillowy soft and made fresh in-house daily, the classic and ube ensaymadas are a dream to sink into with generous schmears of buttercream and grated cheeses. The buttery, flaky ube croissant, filled with ube buttercream filling and topped with coconut flakes, has just the right amount of sweetness.

The breakfast burrito with house-made tocino, tortang talong and garlic rice. Photo: Janelle You

Savory options come in burrito and sandwich form, all of which are guaranteed hits for big appetites. The breakfast burrito features house-made tocino (sweet cured pork), tortang talong (eggplant omelet) and garlic rice. The veggie burrito, stuffed with pancit and market veggies, comes with halves of calamansi that brighten up the savory notes. Choose between tocino or longanisa for your breakfast sandwich; whether you go with the unctuous, candy-like tocino or the vinegary longanisa patty, you really can’t go wrong. Both are served with egg, lettuce, garlic aioli and fresh pandesal.

Photo: Marisa Heung

If you have room for it, the leche flan is a perfect sweet end to breakfast—or as a breakfast on its own, if that’s your thing. Why not? Made with eggs, milk and caramel, this custard treat pairs wonderfully with sips of coffee in any form.

Photo: Janelle You

And last, but certainly not least, the taho: silken tofu with tapioca and syrup. It’s a classic Philippine dish that many have never heard of, and we can’t imagine why: Delicate and refreshing, taho is a contrast to the familiar rich, savory, acidic features of Filipino cuisine. Sago pearls add a delightful chew to each bite of pudding-like tofu, and the drizzle of brown sugar syrup—light, thin, and a far cry from its cloyingly sweet cousins honey and molasses—gives it just a hint of warm caramel notes. Peso’s version adds a dusting of kinako, which takes this dish to a level of pure, simple perfection.

Breakfast at Peso is available 7 to 11 a.m. daily. For more information, visit pesoneighborhood.com or follow @pesoneighborhood on Instagram.