good food manila 🍽️

Okada Manila's exclusive ten-seat Edomae sushi counter where fugu-licensed Tokyo chef Junji Nagaoka serves the city's most rarefied omakase.

In the press — Cited among Manila's most exclusive counters (10 seats)

Josh Boutwood's intimate 24-seat counter at Ayala Triangle, the Philippines' first and only two-Michelin-star restaurant, serving a single tasting menu that changes with Philippine micro-seasons.

In the press — Preview and local press on its 8- and 12-course seasonal menus

Chef Bruce Ricketts's intimate omakase counter at The Montane where Japanese precision meets Filipino soul.

In the press — Cited as the most serious (and hardest-to-book) sushi counter in the Philippines

Chef JP Cruz's eight-seat marble counter in The Alley at Karrivin reimagines kinilaw, inasal and other Filipino classics through seasonal ingredients and live fire.

In the press — SPOT.ph 50 Great Restaurants selection

Michelin Young Chef awardee Don Baldosano runs a 10-seat neo-Filipino tasting counter out of a Parañaque home, using fermentation and aging to reframe regional Filipino flavors.

In the press — Atlas Obscura and international press as Manila's hardest-to-book chef's table

Chef Jorge Mendez's minimalist 14-seat Cubao counter serving a progressive Japanese degustation with Filipino accents like hotate with ube.

In the press — Philippine Primer features on its 14-seat progressive omakase

Jordy Navarra's Karrivin Plaza institution — long the Philippines' most celebrated restaurant — turns garden vegetables and Filipino memory dishes like 'Bahay Kubo' into a starred tasting menu.

Metiz's cosier sister bistro upstairs at Karrivin, seating diners among the chefs for bold Filipino flavors via French technique (~P2,600+/pax).

Chele Gonzalez's art-gallery-like BGC flagship earned both a Michelin Star and the country's only Green Star for nature-inspired tasting menus championing local, sustainable ingredients.

Intimate 12-seat asador counter hidden inside Pintxos where a charcoal grill anchors a Basque prix-fixe menu with Filipino soul and live Spanish guitar.

Chefs Kevin Navoa and Thirdy Dolatre's 'family table' moved from QC to Rockwell, where regional Filipino ingredients get a refined multi-course retelling that earned a star in the inaugural guide.

In the press — Rappler, Spot.ph and Timeout on Manila's defining modern Filipino tasting menus

Chef Stephan Duhesme's 8-course, fermentation-driven tasting menu (~P4,500) reinterpreting Filipino ingredients through a French lens at Karrivin Plaza.

A humble roadside Ilocano turo-turo in Project 4 run by Elizabeth Mortera, serving home-style dinakdakan, kilawin, pinakbet and laing.

A relaxed, minimalist Tomas Morato spot serving a playful modern take on Thai favorites like papaya salad, pad thai and tom yum.

Twenty-seat RSVP-only Legazpi Village spot where chefs Mikee Lopez and Alex Tan run an evolving zero-waste, plant-forward tasting menu.

Intimate 30-seat fine-dining room where chef Francis Tolentino's Elements tasting menu melds nature and modern technique.

Cult 2014-era izakaya reborn at 8 Rockwell, pairing produce-forward small plates with music and a deep drinks list.

In the press — Spot.ph and Rappler on its cult following and Rockwell reopening

Tatler's 2024 Best New Restaurant serving a slow-cooked, Malay-accented 10-course Asian tasting menu inside the Pacific Star Building.

Glass-walled lounge above Hapag serving inventive a la carte takes on Filipino classics like short rib kare-kare, with calamansi and coconut cocktails.

Hidden two-chef-owner dining room inside Makati's Comuna building serving a 10-course umami-driven contemporary Asian Discovery Menu built on dashi, fermentation and subtle smoke.

Cosy family-run Banawe eatery where a Taiwanese chef recreates authentic home-style flavors with imported condiments.

Sleek Legazpi Village bistro that grew from a 2023 pop-up pasta bar into a Michelin-listed destination for fregola gamberi, handmade pastas and a savvy wine list.

Gordon Ramsay's first Philippine restaurant at Newport World Resorts' Grand Wing, serving his signature beef Wellington, fish and chips and grill classics.

Chef Cara Davis's intimate izakaya-style dining room blending Mexican and Latin American flavors with Asian technique in Legazpi Village.

The Philippine outpost of Japan's viral charcoal-grilled hamburg-and-rice specialist, drawing long queues at Uptown Mall.

In the press — Hyped 2025 Manila debut of Tokyo's queue-famous hamburg concept

Sleek semi-open-kitchen bistro at Shangri-La Plaza blending global influences from charcuterie to Asian-leaning lunches.

Chef Aaron Isip's Poblacion live-fire spot chars meat, fish and vegetables over wood and smoke, pairing seasonal Philippine produce with French technique.

In the press — Spot.ph, Rappler and Lifestyle Asia features on Aaron Isip's tropical live-fire dining

A relaxed second-floor Poblacion bistro where classic French technique meets ingredient-led Filipino cooking, with a popular terrace.

In the press — Grid, Lifestyle Asia and Spot.ph on Poblacion's defining modern-Filipino kitchen

A 20-year-old Marikina panciteria, the country's first Michelin-recognized one, famed for its bihon canton con litson.

Chef Myke 'Tatung' Sarthou's scholarly, communal homage to regional Filipino cooking at One Bonifacio High Street (P1,000-2,000/head shared meals).

Chef Patrick Curitana's buzzing 40-seat open-kitchen Uptown BGC room turning out Wagyu beef-cheek and al pastor tacos on tortillas hand-pressed from nixtamalized Mexican corn.

A theatrical dinner-to-late-night supper club in Uptown BGC where fine dining slides into nightlife after 10pm.

In the press — SPOT.ph 50 Great Restaurants 2025 'Most Beautiful' award; celebrity-favorite supper club

A fermentation lab and contemporary canteen in Mandaluyong turning house ferments into inventive Asian-fusion plates.

Vibrant open-kitchen bistro at The Shops at Ayala Triangle where nostalgic Filipino dishes get playful reworks, from monghe patties to Maranao-inspired piaparan fish.

Colonial-mansion-inspired Salcedo dining room from the Lampara duo, serving travel-inspired Southeast Asian dishes like cha ca la vong and Thai shrimp balls.

Colin Mackay's intimate fine-dining flagship since 1997, serving French-technique modern European set menus in the LV Locsin Building.

Retro Poblacion shop faithfully recreating Guangzhou-style claypot rice with crispy crust, table-poured sweet soy sauce and dim sum starters.

Metronome chef Miko Calo's Salcedo Village taqueria reimagining tacos through a French lens — foie gras, steak frites and lamb bourguignon tacos alongside the classics.

Josh Boutwood's 42-seat contemporary restaurant at One Rockwell with a seasonal menu built on curing, fermentation and visually striking plating.

Hotel Okura's flagship Japanese restaurant in Newport City — one of only three Yamazato outposts worldwide — with kaiseki dining, sushi counter, teppanyaki and shabu-shabu rooms.

Amado Forés' handmade-pasta and wood-fired-pizza trattoria at Power Plant Mall, one of Manila's most consistent Italian rooms.

Fifty-year-old Bacolod institution's Makati branch grilling smoky calamansi-and-ginger-marinated chicken inasal to order over charcoal.

Dusit Thani Manila's signature Thai fine-dining room serving Classic and Royal Thai cuisine, with tasting journeys from P4,298 to P6,754.

The Nikkei Group's Parisian-style bistro on One Bonifacio's view deck, serving escargot, duck confit and a strong wine list.

In the press — Tatler, Spot.ph and Rappler on BGC's buzziest French opening

Colin Mackay's glamorous modern-European dining room inside the restored 1937 Nielson Tower air terminal in Ayala Triangle Gardens.

Chef Fernando Alcala's casual-fine Spanish spot at High Street South known for coal-grilled Iberico presa, ribeye empanadas and an award-winning molten cheesecake.

A modern Indian resto-bar in Forbes Town serving rich North Indian classics (butter chicken, dal makhani, mutton bhuna masala) amid exposed brick and warm lighting.

Michelin-starred Singapore chef Andrew Walsh's Manila outpost serving grilled meats, small plates, baos and cocktails in an energetic bistro setting.

A stylish restaurant in a heritage 1930s house near Malacañang where Tausug chef Miguel Cabel Moreno serves Southern Mindanao dishes like piyanggang manok and tiyula itum alongside Filipino classics.

Chele González's rooftop Spanish restaurant at The Westin Manila, spotlighting Cantabrian seafood, creative tapas, paellas and grilled meats.

Shangri-La The Fort's elegant Chinese dining room serving Cantonese, Huaiyang and Taiwanese signatures with a deep dim sum lineup.

Second-generation family steakhouse (founded 1987) that popularized Angus beef in the Philippines, now showcasing Australian Wagyu and Japanese Saga cuts in Rockwell.

Humble Dian Street stall cooking Tuguegarao-style pancit batil patung to order: fresh miki noodles topped with ground carabao meat, liver, sprouts and a poached egg.

Jereme Leung's modern Chinese flagship on Conrad Manila's third floor, known for Peking duck, dim sum and sweeping Manila Bay views.

Marvin Agustin's modern Filipino corner restaurant whose signature is a 12-spice, 3-hour slow-roasted cochinillo carved tableside.

Manila Marriott's adult-oriented signature steakhouse at Newport World Resorts, focused on hand-cut aged steaks and wine pairings.

Green-tiled Spanish tienda-restaurant by Heny Sison and chef Alex Del Hoyo Gomez, beloved for croquetas de jamon and Spanish wines.

A sprawling Cantonese seafood palace in Aseana that Tatler counts among the country's best Chinese restaurants.

A vibrant graffiti-and-Frida-Kahlo-muraled Malate taqueria serving barbacoa and carnitas tacos with horchata.

Cheerful yellow-walled Vietnamese spot on a lively BGC corner serving pho ga, nem ran and grilled-pork rice noodles.

Josh Boutwood's Greenbelt grill where hearth, smoker and stovetop meet in a borderless, technique-first menu.

A cheerful plant-filled house-turned-restaurant refreshing Filipino classics in refined, eye-catching presentations.

Wildflour's intimate BGC hand-roll bar serving luxe temaki, sashimi and sake-friendly plates in a casual glass-walled room.

Snug, youthful Salcedo joint famous for its gyudon and homestyle Japanese comfort dishes, whose name means 'attentiveness to detail'.

Chef Tina Legarda's warm rattan-and-wood neighborhood bistro on Aguirre Avenue serving heartfelt, value-priced Asian comfort dishes like her signature cuapao.

Chef Sam Rohana's sunlit, intimate Poblacion spot serving fresh pita, shawarma and Levantine home cooking at wallet-friendly prices.

The late Margarita Forés' luxe all-day champagne-and-gastrobar in Greenbelt 5, pairing European-Italian plates with a famed afternoon tea service.

Fiesta-spirited Forbes Town cantina with Dia de Muertos decor, tacos and late-night energy until 3am.

Manila Marriott's refined Cantonese restaurant serving dim sum and classic roast and wok dishes in a modern Chinese setting.

Manam's huge park-side flagship serving house crispy sisig, watermelon sinigang and other Filipino comfort classics daily.

Raffles Makati's ninth-floor brasserie serving Provençal and French fare — foie gras, vol-au-vent and five- to seven-course tasting menus — with skyline views.

Dinner-only Salcedo grill by chefs Anna Bautista and Sean Jorgensen specializing in binchotan-grilled meats with bold Asian flavors and late-night cocktails.

The Peninsula Manila's Art Deco signature fine-dining room pairing French-leaning contemporary cuisine and aged steaks with a Wine Spectator-awarded cellar.

Filipino-born Spanish chef Alexandra Cacho serves regionally authentic Spanish cuisine in a light-filled Brittany Hotel dining room.

Wildflour Group's playful Italian osteria at The Podium known for smoky-crusted pizzas and fresh twists on classic pastas.

Founded by a Tausug chef from Sulu, Palm Grill serves the roasted-coconut- and spice-rich cuisine of the Zambasulta region, highlighted by its signature Dulang sharing tray.

Colin Mackay's high-ceilinged, resort-like Greenbelt 3 institution serving MSG-free modern Thai classics with adjustable heat levels.

A NYC-trained chef's food-market counter at The Grid famous for chewy hand-pulled biang biang noodles and Chinese comfort dishes.

Unassuming stone-and-wood ramen shop in Edades Tower whose broths, crisp karaage and desserts earned a spot in the inaugural Michelin selection.

Chef JP Anglo's casual Legazpi Village kitchen championing Negrense classics like chicken inasal and kansi with house-made sarsa sauces.

Trendy San Juan spot from the 29 Sang chefs reimagining modern New York fare, famous for its vodka rigatoni with burrata.

The Peninsula Manila's Halal-certified pan-Asian restaurant spanning Thai, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Sri Lankan specialties.

Stylish Central Square brasserie pairing US and Japanese wagyu steaks with both frites and steamed rice — hence the name.

Edsa Shangri-La's long-running Cantonese institution of 25-plus years, serving classic dim sum, roast meats and banquet-style specialties.

Nikkei Group's breezy Spanish-Mediterranean terraza at Shangri-La The Fort known for paella, tapas and Iberico specialties.

Walk-in ramen-ya from the Hanamaruken team serving inventive ramen and tsukemen with unconventional flavor pairings at Karrivin Plaza.

A Makati stalwart since 1989 serving old-school, market-fresh Japanese cuisine beloved by the city's power-lunch set.

Premium jamon Iberico de Bellota temple, wine shop and Spanish restaurant in one, hidden on the second floor of a Chino Roces building.

Sao Paulo-meets-Tokyo dining-and-nightlife spot at Shangri-La The Fort whose bar, led by Benjamin Leal, took Michelin's 2026 Exceptional Cocktails Award.

Traditional Japanese restaurant at Dusit Thani Manila with live cooking stations, private tatami-style rooms and an al fresco koi-pond garden.

The farm-to-table oyster bar that made Poblacion a seafood destination, from the team behind Tambai.

In the press — Spot.ph and Lifestyle Asia on the bar that redefined the local oyster scene

A long-running Legazpi Village favorite serving shareable Southeast Asian comfort plates (famed torched salmon donburi) in an industrial-chic room.

A tiny Japanese-run soba/ramen shop in Salcedo whose 100-bowl daily limit created Manila's most talked-about lunchtime queue.

In the press — Viral 2025-2026 opening; Japanese-run shop selling only ~100 bowls a day

Chef Mikel Zaguirre's 24/7 Quezon City ode to Binondo — dim sum, noodles and Chinoy rice bowls that blew up on social media.

In the press — Viral late-2025 opening by Locavore's chef Mikel Zaguirre

Manila's pioneering tapas-and-sangria room since 1995, known for Paella Montaña, cochinillo asado and slow-roasted US beef belly.

The cult sourdough-crust pizzeria from the 12/10 team, serving some of Manila's most talked-about pies from a tiny Salcedo shop.

Buzzy, casual Burgos Circle institution that made its name inventively remixing Filipino classics like oyster sisig and sizzling sinigang.

Upbeat industrial-style restaurant in the Picasso Boutique Residences that began with classic Spanish fare and now roams international influences.