AJ and Jhen Linao are the owners of Marco Daniel Restaurant & Café, named after their two sons. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA
In a city where global cuisines compete for attention, a young Filipino couple in Abu Dhabi is quietly
building something deeply personal and unmistakably Pinoy.
For AJ and Jhen Linao, food is more than business. It is memory, identity, and a promise to the future. Their flagship venture, Marco Daniel Restaurant & Café, is named after their two sons, a decision that reveals exactly what drives them.
“This is not just for us,” Jhen tells Expat Media. “It’s for our children. Something they can have when they grow up,” AJ adds.
Launched in August 2025, Marco Daniel Restaurant & Café began with a simple but powerful idea: serve authentic Filipino food that overseas workers can afford, without compromising on taste or presentation.
“The concept is traditional Filipino cuisine for OFWs who are here abroad,” AJ says.
From the start, the response exceeded expectations. “We didn’t expect that people would like it this much,” Jhen recalls. “We have 20 seats downstairs and 30 upstairs, but it got so busy that we had to open an al fresco dining area.”
What makes the restaurant stand out is not just its affordability, but its intention. Each dish is crafted to evoke the comfort of home while appealing to a diverse, international crowd in Abu Dhabi.
Today, their diners include not just Filipinos, but guests from Japan, Africa, the Arab world, Europe, and the United States. “They leave good feedback about our food,” Jhen says. “It’s great to hear them say they love Filipino cuisine.”
In June, the flagship restaurant branched out in Abu Dhabi’s Hamdan Centre, offering a three-in-one dining concept that combines Marco Daniel Restaurant & Café, Maria Paz Pastry & Café and Hungry Potato under one roof.
Showcasing Quezon flavours in UAE
Both AJ and Jhen hail from Quezon province, and their roots are deeply reflected in their menu.
“I’ve met so many Filipinos from different regions here,” AJ explains. “But since we are from Quezon, we want people to taste the food from our province.”
Signature dishes include Pancit Chami, a thick stir-fried noodle dish that balances sweet and spicy flavors, along with Pancit Habhab and Hardinera, a Lucban-style meatloaf. The restaurant also serves crowd favorites like bulalo, bihon, pancit canton, and lomi from Batangas, alongside a surprising bestseller: steak.
The heart of Marco Daniel’s kitchen can be traced back to AJ’s childhood. Growing up in Quezon, food was part of everyday life. His father worked in the UAE as a professional cook, while his mother ran a small cafeteria in a public market.
“I grew up watching my mother run her business with a lot of passion,” AJ recalls. “She loved to cook and our family loved good food.”
As a young boy, he washed dishes, helped prepare food, and sold meals to customers. It was in those small, everyday moments that he learned the fundamentals of both food and entrepreneurship. “My mother taught me a lot,” he says. “Our family has always shared a love for food. Whether it’s trying new dishes, cooking together at home or gathering around the table after a long day.”
“We realized that our love for food wasn’t just a passion. It was something we wanted to share with others by opening our own restaurant,” AJ says.
Jhen adds that their shared love for food plays a role in shaping their offerings. “When we find something we like, we use it as an inspiration in our own restaurant,” she says. The result is Filipino comfort food that feels familiar, but thoughtfully refined.
From employees to entrepreneurs
Behind Marco Daniel Restaurant & Cafe’s success is a journey built on resilience.
AJ worked his way up to becoming a sports and fitness trainer for the UAE army and police. Jhen, a registered nurse in the Philippines, found her path shifting after moving to the UAE. “I ended up working in finance,” she says. “I started as an admin assistant and worked my way up to associate director.”
For 16 years, her career provided stability and the financial foundation for their entrepreneurial leap. Their first step into business came through a partnership with Maria Paz Pastry and Café, a well-known homegrown Filipino brand.
From there, they expanded into Hungry Potato UAE, a kiosk concept serving flavored fries and drinks in a mall setting. Each venture added a layer of experience, eventually leading to their biggest milestone: their own restaurant. “Opening Maria Paz Pastry and Café in Abu Dhabi helped us learn a lot about business operations,” Jhen explains. “So when we opened Marco Daniel, we were more prepared.”
“This is more than a business for us. It’s a reflection of who we are as a family, always connected by our love for good food and each other,” she adds.
Looking back at his early start in the UAE when he was earning just Dh750 a month, AJ understands the realities of overseas workers. “We wanted our restaurant to be affordable,” he says. “No matter how small your salary is, you can eat here without worrying.”
With strong early success, the Linaos are already thinking beyond Abu Dhabi. “We want to expand to other emirates like Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah,” AJ says.
They are also exploring new ventures, including a pet-sitting business. But for all their growth plans, their purpose remains unchanged. They are building something that goes beyond business. A restaurant named after their children. A livelihood that supports their team. A platform to share Filipino culture with the world. ICA/Expat Media | This story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition magazine
Check it out
Visit Marco Daniel Restaurant and Cafe in Building 10, Khalidiya Street, Abu Dhabi, or 3rd Floor, Pinoy Mart Food Court in Hamdan Centre. Order online via Careem, Keeta, Noon and Talabat. The flagship restaurant is open daily from 7am to 12:45am, while the Hamdan Centre branch is open daily from 2pm to 11pm.
ALSO READ: How Filipino turned his love for food into thriving UAE businesses
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