Handout
MANILA — Japanese tonkatsu and katsudon brand Katsuya opened its first Philippine branch on Monday at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, bringing its signature pork cutlet rice bowls and other Japanese favorites to Filipino diners.
Located on the upper ground floor of SM Megamall Building B, the new restaurant marks Katsuya’s entry into the Philippine market as the brand continues its international expansion.
Founded in Japan in 1998, Katsuya was created with the goal of making tonkatsu more accessible as an everyday meal while maintaining the quality and consistency associated with Japanese cuisine.
Its signature dish is katsudon, a pork cutlet served over rice and simmered with egg in the brand’s original sauce. The dish is at the center of Katsuya’s menu and reflects the brand’s focus on affordable and filling tonkatsu meals.
Katsudon. Handout
Katsuya expanded rapidly in Japan, reaching 100 stores by 2002 and opening its 200th location in 2012. Its first overseas branch opened in Hong Kong in 2012, followed by a location in Seoul, South Korea, later that year. The brand subsequently expanded to Thailand in 2014 and Taiwan in 2015.
The name Katsuya is derived from “katsu,” the Japanese word associated with winning, and the brand has built its identity around tonkatsu and katsudon.
With its Philippine opening, Katsuya brings its established Japanese-style tonkatsu concept to the local market, with its signature katsudon serving as the centerpiece.
Katsuya Philippines is located at the Upper Ground Floor of SM Megamall Building B, EDSA corner Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City.