Tia Diva Restaurant — Restaurant in San Pedro

Our family of 5 had a great time from the moment that we entered the place. Arrived at around 6PM on a holiday (we were lucky to have not arrived during peak hours of 7-8pm).

Everything was spot on. I loved the ambience, the food was specially delicious - freshly prepared but you wouldn’t notice any wait time because our eyes were too busy enjoying the clean, homey, chill vibes of the interior. We were rather pleased to have served the generous “medium” platter, which is good for 2-3 persons per dish, one that is truly scarce nowadays at a very affordable price point. Lumpiang shanghai? OMG Yes please! I wish there was more sauce that came with it but my fault that I didn’t bother asking for a refill. 😬 The kare-kare, laing and calamares also did not disappoint. The coffee jelly was a bit too sweet for my palate but the family liked it otherwise.

I missed taking a picture of the mais con yelo, it was my kids’ favorite as well.

And did I mention the staff were very attentive and courteous? None was snob, one even offered to help taking our picture when mother dear was apparently struggling taking that .5 Gen Z shot 😅 jk

On the other hand, these points didn’t really affect the overall experience to me but I know Tia Diva could do better: The crispy sisig and beef caldereta were not available at the time, so as majority of the desserts except for the mais con yelo and coffee jelly. Also, the fried chicken was undercooked at first so we asked to recook it.

Nonetheless, Tia Diva is truly a gem 💎 here in San Pedro/Southwoods area. Go try it...

05/02/25. Tia Diva's Modern Filipino Cuisine

Enroute back to Manila from our Labor Day holiday down South, we took advantage of Tia Diva being on the way. We've heard good things about this small restaurant in San Pedro, Laguna.

GOOD: Small but warm and cozy resto ambiance. All the food we ordered where visually striking. Plating was well thought of. Caldereta nachos was so good (or we were really hungry?) so we devoured the dish in minutes. Ordered a second serving and requested for a bit more chopped tomato bits which they obliged. Tia Pusit Pasta for me was very filling but the taste with the Laing sauce on the side was just ok... Could not taste the seafood. Wished they put more than 3 small shrimps. Crew and staff were attentive...when not busy behind the kitchen wall.

COULD BE IMPROVED: We asked for hot sauce for the nachos (which seems to be a normal condiment for some spicy kick) but was told they did not have any. However they offered chopped bird's eye chilis (at least they tried). Please consider stocking up on hot sauce. Thanks.

Will come back for the Nachos with hot sauce...

I brought my family to Tia Diva to celebrate a special milestone, and while there were many things to appreciate, there were also areas that could be improved.

The staff, particularly “MJ,” was very accommodating and welcoming. The restaurant’s interiors were charming, creating a warm and homey atmosphere despite the limited space. It was a comfortable setting for a family gathering, and the pet-friendly policy was a thoughtful touch we truly appreciated.

However, I was quite surprised by the portion sizes. Based on previous reviews, I expected more generous servings. While the presentation of each dish was impressive and the food was well-prepared, the quantity fell short of expectations. For a family meal, the portions felt noticeably small, which was disappointing. In addition, the serving time was longer than expected. It did not significantly impact our overall experience, but it is an area that could use some attention.

Tia Diva has potential, and I hope to see improvements in these areas. I would consider returning, especially if the serving sizes become more consistent with what has been shared in...