Magna Kusina serves Filipino food from an open kitchen on SE Clinton Street in Hosford-Abernethy, close enough that diners can watch the cooking happen in real time. Chef Carlo describes the approach as old-school flavor with a new-school style, built to feel like family cooking rather than formality.
The crab fat noodles have become the dish regulars mention first, and the cocktail list leans creative rather than predictable. The room carries an intimate, personal feel that comes up often — the sense that the people running it are as invested in the space as they are in the plates.
The attention has followed: Magna Kusina made Eater's Eater 38, earned an 8.6 from The Infatuation, and Chef Carlo was named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef finalist in 2022.
The crab fat noodles have become the dish regulars mention first, and the cocktail list leans creative rather than predictable. The room carries an intimate, personal feel that comes up often — the sense that the people running it are as invested in the space as they are in the plates.
The attention has followed: Magna Kusina made Eater's Eater 38, earned an 8.6 from The Infatuation, and Chef Carlo was named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef finalist in 2022.