SPOT.ph 50 Great Restaurants of 2025: Special Awards

(SPOT.ph) Every year, the dining scene resets like a playlist on shuffle. Some restaurants fade out, a few ol' reliables stay on repeat no matter what's on everyone else's algorithm, and there are the hungry newcomers, pouring heart and hustle into every dish, all for the hope that you fall in love at first bite. This is what 50 Great Restaurants is all about, but first, we’re shining a brighter spotlight with Special Awards: three restaurants that make dining extra exciting, beyond just a memorable plate.

There’s Must Travel To award: a restaurant outside Manila that serves a meal so good, you won't regret enduring bumper-to-bumper traffic to visit it. The Most Beautiful award highlights a visually jaw-dropping establishment that proves beauty and substance can equally co-exist. And there's the Under the Radar award, spotlighting an otherwise lesser-known dining spot that shouldn't be missing from your—and your favorite food content creator's, and your favorite content creator's favorite content creator's—grid.

Just as for many of the names you'll find in our 50 Great lists over the years, the look of Anzani's dishes can be deceiving, in an odd way. The visual language of food comes with heavy, heavy coding these days—some may venture as far to say that beautiful presentation can and are used to cover up substandard fare. And while we can't exactly dispel that skepticism for an entire industry, we can speak for Anzani: that is not the case here.

Our best example is the Beetroot Ravioli; the hint of truffle doesn't overwhelm, and when you close your eyes, it's just an incredible stuffed pasta overall. The bright colors and edible flowers are for fun—Chef Marco, ever the North Italian boy at heart, still prioritizes ingredients and technique.

Any of the pastas would, in fact, hit the spot, but the heavier viands are where Anzani really shines. It comes down to treatment; we think this is best shown in the Pork Chop Tomahawk. Peppery, tender, served with potatoes—how could one not feel right at home?

Should one travel so far just to feel at home again? We'd argue that's the whole point of travel, period.

And said classic menu certainly lives up to that hype. Shrimp and Wanton Dry Noodles, all kinds of dim sum, Lechon Kawali Rice—you name it, they've agonized about it. Perhaps one of the more mind-blowing items despite its familiarity is the White Chicken Noodle Soup, with its many applications of ginger: fried, boiled, pickled, and each with its own purpose in this single, cohesive, and overall incredibly comforting dish.

But it wouldn't be Food Records, we've learned, without a remix. We think we're allowed to talk about their not-so-secret menu, which is as much the reason for this award as Binondo Boys' easily missable physical location. (And that's despite their name in literal lights.)

We've definitely waxed poetic about this menu in person; we even went as far as to recommend specific items to people in the area before we even concluded that first visit. Our tip, before we say anything else, is to go visit Binondo Boys at ridiculous times—good luck getting in at a normal hour for lunch.

What puts the 'gem' in 'hidden gem' is this Hot Pot Sandwich. It's just an insane (or genius, however you want to look at it) use of free will, at its core. It's one part French dip, one part Banh Mi, one part hot pot—the Frankenstein's monster of the food world, but in the best way possible. The dipping sauce one might usually find in a traditional hot pot joint is reduced to a rich aioli, which you spread on this frankly incredible bread (you know how we are about bread) that's stuffed tender, aromatic beef and crunchy pickled veg; the dipping broth is equal parts herbaceous and punchy, and it's still got fishballs floating in it.

And that's just one of the secret items. The scratch card (if you know, you know, and we know you'll know eventually) will tell you more. We couldn't possibly ruin the surprise further.

The interiors of Medusa are all thanks to John and Pauline Sac of 50/53 Architects—marking The Palace’s first (and definitely not last, wink wink) collaboration with the design power couple. The showpiece? A sweeping central oval bar framed by a Renaissance-style sky mural on the ceiling, golden-chained chandeliers, and towering columns—reminiscent of ancient Greece.

“Instead of chasing a single theme, every decision—from materials to lighting to layout—was guided by how it could build layers of experience, energy, and anticipation,” Pauline shares. “The idea was to design not just a space, but a journey that evolves through the night.” This resulted in a grand bar that grounds the room as hand-painted murals and dynamic lighting shift with the evening, creating an atmosphere that's both functional and bold, moving and ever-changing.

And it’s not as if all the budget and creative muscle were funneled into Medusa's pièce de résistance. The rest of Medusa is just as dramatic—especially the washroom, which is practically a destination on its own. To get there, you snake your way through a secluded mini bar and a plush lounge decked with velvet seats, feather chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling drapes—all before reaching what might be the most photogenic restroom in the city.

“We designed the restroom as a social space,” Pauline adds. “Bold finishes, shared sinks that spark conversation, mirrors made for group selfies, and layered lighting that makes it both comfortable, Instagrammable, and a true highlight of the Medusa experience.”

Hidden throughout the space are little Easter eggs that only the observant with superb vision, even in dim lighting, might catch: discreet snake motifs on curtain pulls and bag hooks, and textured details woven into the interiors. “These playful touches add a sense of discovery,” Pauline says, “something guests might overlook—especially after a few drinks.”

But Medusa isn’t just a pretty face (and we’re not talking about the one with snakes for hair). The menu holds its own, starting with the Tuna Tartare that's both playful in texture and flavor with its fresh yellowfin tuna, shiitake, soy dressing, avocado, yuzu kocho, and puffed nori sheets. Then there’s the Roasted Lamb Rack—a worthy splurge for a whole serving of fork-tender Australian lamb that will make you finally understand why lamb cuts need more loving.

Pair either—or both, we won’t judge—with Medusa's signature cocktail, the Gorgonette: a gin-based cocktail laced with cherry wine, apricot, and rosemary, complete with Medusa (this time, we're referring to the Medusa with snakes for its mane), staring back at you from the glass. And to end the Medusa experience on a (sugar) high, go for a slice of Basque Brûlée Cheesecake: silky, cheesy, and capped with a brûléed top that cracks at the gentlest tap of a spoon. Take it from us: this cheesecake is so good, we wouldn't recommend splitting it with anyone else.