The SPOT.ph 50 Great Restaurants of 2026: Best of Manila and Beyond

(SPOT.ph) We know we sound like a broken record when we say this, but, well, it keeps ringing true: The Philippines’ dining scene shows no signs of slowing down.

There’s a particular kind of energy to watching it unfold. Old reliables are expanding—not just in square footage, but in what they’re willing to put on the menu. It's our calendars with blocked-off dates because chefs are teaming up for collaborations. New restaurants keep mushrooming across Metro Manila, from the busiest dining districts to neighborhoods you might not otherwise have a reason to visit.

It’s exciting, but it's also hard to keep up with the back-to-back ribbon cuttings. Which new place is actually worth your time—or braving the traffic for? How do you identify a restaurant that's more than just its 15 minutes of online fame? And, perhaps more importantly, where are the good places that haven’t made it onto your feed yet?

That’s where our annual SPOT 50 Great Restaurants comes in.

Making it onto the list isn't exactly a race among the restaurants—because it takes a year to put it together and we're constantly at shoots regardless, most of them don't even know they're in the running. We kind of like it that way; it's a surprise reward every year for excellent work.

But what constitutes that excellent work exactly? If you think, "Well, of course the food has to be good," you'd be correct, but that's only the beginning. We acknowledge that taste is subjective—one man's trash is another man's truffle—but being faced with a dish or a meal that's planned and prepared well is an experience that's hard to be on the fence about. And sometimes, presentation, whether deliciously unpretentious or deconstructed to the nines, can be the thing that makes a good meal great.

The actual restaurant's interiors matter, too, and not just in terms of aesthetics, though that's a factor. You've seen the TikToks and the reels; the coffee can be great, and the shop can be cute, but if you can't eat comfortably or the bathroom is inexplicably confusing, what's the point?

Something you may not think we consider is the menu—as in the menu in its entirety. We believe that to be great is to be well thought out; editing oneself is a skill that not everyone prioritizes, but can reveal much about the thinking process. For example, a menu that's too long can either suggest that the kitchen may not have mastery over certain dishes, whereas a short and sweet one can be reassuring. Variety is great, but one restaurant doesn't have to be everything to everybody—the way a menu is put together is as much a stamp of identity and quality as the food itself.

That said, originality is part of that identity. We don't mean who can be the most outrageous or flashy or innovative, although that can certainly be part of the charm of dining out. It's important to us that chefs and restaurateurs are, for lack of a better term, complete nerds—the risk they take in educating the market to go beyond their current understanding of an ingredient or an entire cuisine should be rewarded.

We also know that there's a demographic of people who would prefer great service and so-so food over the other way around, and while we wouldn't go that far, we can see why that might be the case for some. We've had table napkins tossed at us before (we wish we were kidding), and there's always a horror story online of some tables getting overlooked because of how much servers or even the management think they can get away with not doing. But, as far as our experience has informed us, you will find no such stories here.

Put that all together, and we're looking at value for money—are you getting what you paid for? Would we recommend everyone try it at least once? Is it an experience worth repeating when possible? These are the questions we ask ourselves, with you—yes, you—in mind.

Thus, we are proud to present the 50 restaurants in Metro Manila and beyond that got that resounding "yes" from us.

Agni is not your typical Indian restaurant—and it’s not quite like Mantra, either. Take the Smoked Butter Chicken: familiar in name, but made with smoked cashews in the sauce, a small tweak that gives the dish a noticeably deeper flavor. Then there’s the less familiar Meen Pollichathu, a Kerala specialty of marinated sea bass wrapped and steamed in banana leaf. It’s a good example of how Agni presents regional Indian dishes with a more curated, modern sensibility.

A former nail salon and pawnshop are the farthest things you’ll imagine will transform into a tasting menu restaurant, but that’s exactly the story behind this little neighborhood endeavor of the young Chef Lee Jan Anicas. Dining here is like being welcomed into a devoted kusinero’s kitchen: the walls dotted with traditional Pinoy cooking implements, your hosts (read: Chef Lee and his super nice team) almost doting on you. The inaugural menu is an exploration on the concept of “Asim”, and with Lee’s Pato Gumamela (dry aged duck sitting on a puree of gumamela juice reduction) and Kordero Kamatis (deconstructed lamb over a sauce of three kinds of Baguio tomatoes blended together with roasted peppers and prawn oil), we’d say it’s a successful attempt in opening our eyes—and our tastes—to the many under-appreciated facets asim has to offer, nuances that has gone unnoticed, thanks to our tragically, or thankfully, still-evolving palates.

Does it sound like you’ve been here before? That’s not your mind playing tricks on you; other equally gorgeous establishments flying under this name have made this list in the years they opened. Still operating under the watchful (albeit a little sleepless) eye of Chef Luis Martinez, Brasa offers something a little different—it’s as much an exploration of what’s possible with Spanish food as it is a mirror of now-familiar flavors. Paired with beautiful interiors and a growing wine list, Brasa Martínez makes Euro-maxxing an easy experience, and the tapas menu alone could satisfy; don’t skip the smoky Octopus Gilda or the punchy Jamon Iberico Cebo.

Cozy, intentional, and yet completely approachable, Birdjovi doesn’t hold back when it comes to yakitori. From cuts to coal, Chef Takuto Kato has all his bases covered, which leaves the diner with little to do but savor everything. And we mean everything—the Yakitori Omakase is an exploration of all parts of the humble chicken.

Metro Manila has steak joints up the wazoo, but nobody serves them quite like Australian Wade Watson over at city-chic Brontë. The Côte de Bœf Carrara Bone-In is the kind of thick Aussie steak that will make you forget whatever appointment you made after lunch; we love its salty, seared-to-crunch crust, the still-pink middle, and its perfect amount of chewiness. Don’t skip the Japanese Milkbread (it’s on the house) and please order a cocktail; the Brontë, which has peach, strawberry and Prosecco is an amazing, refreshing starter. You’ll never order an Aperol again.

When you hear the words ‘dining experience,’ a place like The BWB is probably what comes to mind—and yet it exceeds the limits of the imagination. Secluded yet accessible, the interiors wow without letdown; the menu is an impressive seasonal rotation of the freshest stuff from Japan, and we don’t mean from one supplier. The chef—who mostly chooses to avoid the spotlight in favor of his food—works with a team in Japan to source seafood from different coasts, depending on the time of year. If you didn’t think yakiniku could be leveled up to fine casual, this place will make you think again; specifically, you get Omotenashi, so it’s grilled at your table–but not by you.

Initially an Italian-Filipino hybrid concept, Casa Italianos ended up becoming a showcase of Italian techniques and ingredients in the hands of a couple of nerds—and we mean that lovingly. Managing partner John Lapid and Chef Kevin Ereneta have perfectly captured a nonna’s hands and a lola’s soul throughout the menu; you’re not getting a mishmash of adobo in places where it doesn’t belong. Imagine the complex intensity of local chorizo and the bitter brightness of mustard greens on decadently cheesy pizza—that’s not just an excellent summary of the work, but it’s also the Casa Pinsa Romana.

Consuelo by Chef Vince Garcia may be one of the newest concepts along the charmingly converted barn houses in Clark Parade Grounds, but what they serve is classic Kapampangan food that, like the best Filipino dishes, is best enjoyed in big groups. There’s the Fried Hito with Buro and Pork Sisig if you’re looking for something more local; Consuelo’s versions are excellent with that homemade touch. But if you’ve got a bigger appetite, go for their Kare-Kare: its sweet and nutty sauce coats the fork-tender meat cuts really well and is perfectly balanced by the house-made bagoong. Their Adobong Pusit is also a must-try—it’s soft seafood served with a thick, savory squid ink sauce that’s got just the right amount of tang to keep you wanting more.

Curio takes the familiar flavors of home and gives them the kind of polish you’d expect from a more ambitious kitchen—helmed by the talented Chef Bettina Arguelles—hence its “modern turo-turo” reputation. The menu changes daily, but if you spot the Truffled Beef Pares, Samsui Ginger Chicken, or Corned Beef Cansi Pot Roast, take that as your sign to order it (or all).

Digámo’s real strength lies in the heart of its chef Francis Lacson, whose love for Filipino food, with all its idiosyncrasies and indigenous traditions, makes dining in this Marikina gem an enriching experience. His inaugural menu, Playful Evolution, is a journey through Philippine culinary history—that include delicious stopovers, like his Tenga, Tenga at Tenga from the pre-colonial era (fatty, succulent skewer of crispy tenga ng daga, chewy pork tenga, and abalone) and a dish called C3 which reimagines a fastfood combo, except the 'Chickenjoy' is stuffed with juicy crabmeat and the spaghetti coated in a strawberry tamis-anghang sauce.

Over three floors, Dominion takes different diners on different journeys. The bulk of the first floor is dedicated to showing off their wares: shelves filled with wine from all over the world also lead to a deli for all your charcuterie and casual bistro needs. But upstairs is where the real magic happens, and by magic, we do mean duck: 20-Day Aged, Air-Dried Duck. The dark meat is confited in its own fat before the skin is crisped. It’s served on top of wood-fire baked arborio rice flavored with more duck and a classic sofrito, which in effect is a paella that’s all soccarat.

Don-Don Taberu is one of those rare places whose calming, welcoming vibe washes over you even before a wait staff’s first greeting. There’s a cool humility to this Maginhawa space, with its rough-around-the-edges aesthetic, low lighting, and decor of random vintage Japanese magazine cutouts—reminiscent of the tiny joints you stumble upon while exploring the eskinitas of Osaka. And there’s the food: simple, delicious Japanese fare prepared fast—but with care. It’s the kind of place where you can order everything in the menu and won’t be disappointed, although we recommend starting with the Spicy Tuna Salad, the chef’s favorite, and follow it up with Mushroom Donburi if you’re feeling adventurous.

In a spare, dimly lit dining room built on the foundations of natural stone and wood, the Central-trained chef Kevin Uy serves a tasting menu heavily influenced by his life and education in Lima, Peru. From a creamy soup that has egg yolks, noodles, and tinigib (Visayan white corn) to a ceviche where the freshest fish is brought to brightness and life in a leche de Tigre dressing made with cacao juice, cacao tea and lime.

Gyudon is one of those Japanese dishes that doesn’t need much embellishment: beef, onions, and rice, brought together in a bowl. At Gyudonya, the familiar combination gets a more thoughtful—even customizable—treatment, with cuts like USDA Karubi, Misuji, and Angus Ribeye replacing the usual beef. For something a little more indulgent, opt for the Wagyu cuts served in a sizzling stone pot, and then order the impressive sole non-steak dish on the menu, the Nori Butter Noodles.

Unpretentious, textbook, and all the better for it, Harry’s Bistro in Makati is making a case for the classics of yesteryear. The interiors serve an easy visual journey from the doors to your seat—just short of a hotel-lobby aesthetic of times gone by, with a touch of museum chic. The food is still the star, thanks to the reliable techniques of Chef Adrian Cuenca; the Beef Stroganoff, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Chicken Kiev are all must-tries you'll return to again and again.

Hikiniku to Come (pronounced as ko-meh) only has one main dish on the menu—a brave move that says you don’t need to consider anything else but their signature charcoal-grilled hamburger. It comes in three pieces, and first-timers are better off following the recommended eating order that starts with eating the patty on its own (and be prepared to be blown away), then try it with the grated daikon and ponzu, and then whisk an egg and dip the hamburger in it. Regulars, of course, can do whatever they want.

The restaurant first opened at Uptown Mall late last year, and this was followed by a second branch at SM Megamall. With another location in Greenbelt in the works, perhaps those famously long queues will finally have a little more room to breathe.

Omakase dining at its best—and friendliest, made possible by the Filipino-speaking Japanese chef Yusuke Hino and the restaurateurs behind M Dining who’s served Manila’s VIPs for decades. Chef Hino, in an eight-seater bar that looks like an origami theater stage, serves a wide range of fresh nigiri using locally sourced seafood and, when needed, gives them a loving stroke of his house-made soy blend that brings out the best in each fish-rice combo. Dining here is all about simplicity, subtle flavors, and letting the inherent tastes of seafood shine.

Right off the bat, June Eatery has a warm, kind of old-world charm, appropriate for the daytime version of its sister restaurant, Bibio. The mental image you probably have is that of a pancake the size of your face, and while peppery and indulgent, there’s a lot more to the menu than that. Take the tender, flaky Skate Wing for example, served with a blanket of beurre blanc and brown butter, then topped with fried capers—it’s practically begging to be ordered with fries and a salad.

Kong used to be a cozy eight-seater in Salcedo Village, but even then, their Australian-Asian plates were something to be remembered. Now, more people can try Kong 2.0 in its bigger Ayala Triangle Gardens space, with a new chef adding his own twists to the already flavor-packed menu.

Some standouts from their tasting menu include the Som Tam (Thai papaya salad), which uses snake beans as the main veggie; the Rice Noodle, for which they make their own tteok, then tossed with tender strips of beef, sautéed kangkong, and a sweet soy sauce that ties everything together; and Prawn, which features char-grilled king tiger prawns served with a spicy Thai-inspired “seafood sauce” and a “three-flavor sauce” that’s made with fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind. They also have a solid à la carte lunch and dinner menu, and a wine list they’re pretty proud of—as they should be.

La Taperia Martinez is unapologetically a tapas bar, which means it specializes in small plates meant to be consumed with alcohol. Spanish pulutan, if you will. But even if you come hungry, we guarantee you’ll leave with a full and very satisfied belly. You can’t go wrong with the classic Taperia Patatas Bravas or its fancier cousin, the Huevos Rotos, which is essentially the patatas bravas served with eggs fried in olive oil, shrimp, and charcoal-grilled river prawns. There's also the Raviolo de Marisco, a seafood raviolo dish that’s filled with sautéed vegetables, prawns, and cream cheese, served over a deeply complex seafood bisque that’s difficult to take only one bite of. Those looking for a sweet treat will love the indulgent Banana Tarte Tatin.

Chef Patrick Go knows his Asian food, and the proof dates back to Your Local and Gochugang, and now, here’s Lazy Suzy, a restaurant that brings together Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese cuisine. Yes, the name is a nod to the lazy Susan, but Suzy is the cooler tita who’d rather eat, drink, and play mahjong with friends.

Manage your expectations, though. There’s no actual lazy Susan on any of the restaurant tables—but the dishes are still made for sharing. The Lazy Suzy Beef Charsiu, with its sweet, savory, and smoky balance, is a standout, alongside the likes of Whipped Tofu and Focaccia, Lazy Suzy Floss Dumplings, and Beef Noodle Soupreme.

Fans of the original La Pita in Poblacion would find a more grown-up version of their favorite Middle Eastern haunt in the La Pita in Salcedo Village, with a nicer location (it’s across the park!), its rich terra cotta walls, and the luxury of space (read: it’s just that much bigger). It also carries a largely different menu of modern Levantine cuisine, with most everything cooked over fire. We recommend the Lamb Skewer served in freshly baked laffa bread, the Sumac-spiced, slightly sweet Chicken Musakhan, and of course—a carryover from its Poblacion roots—the Hummus, gorgeous, silky, and delicious, served alongside a sizable pita bread so freshly baked there’s still smoke coming out of it.

Tucked away in Chef Rhea Rizzo’s Cavite property, Little Miss Saldo’s is the younger, more casual concept born of the full Mrs. Saldo’s menu. While Mrs. Saldo’s serves up a tasting menu that guests must order in advance, Little Miss Saldo’s allows guests to order à la carte—and enjoy Chef Rhea’s multicultural cuisine in a cozy setting.

Lifted from the set menus you might have enjoyed at Mrs. Saldo’s, Little Miss Saldo’s serves the Tonnato Salad, made with grilled romaine and bonito flakes in the dressing, and the Crab Dip, a favorite that’s equal parts velvety and umami. Mains are generously portioned, from fish dishes like the Deep-Fried Halibut, paired with a punchy Chee Choo red curry sauce, to meat entrees like the Kansi Short Ribs with kansi demi-glace. Of course, you’d be remiss not to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding, wonderfully sultry thanks to its dark, gooey toffee sauce.

Liyab is a showcase for homegrown ingredients and flavors, and Chef Charles Montañez cites from none other than his own mother’s cooking. There’s a bulalo-inspired dish where bone marrow butter is made to melt in bone broth and then poured over beef garum and a bed of corn flan. There’s slow-cooked adobo with crispy chicken skin; there’s tawilis, chicharon, ginisang munggo, squid balls—not as main dishes but members of an ensemble, finishing touches, characters in the multi-layered, wonderfully imagined plates of the impressively gifted Mr. Montañez. We look forward to its grand reopening, as should you.

Chef Jorge Mendez has never met a cuisine he couldn’t put his own spin on, and Makanai is no exception. Think Japanese food with the Mendez treatment: familiar enough to recognize, but just reimagined enough to keep you guessing. The Wagyu Bolognese Maze-Soba is a good example, pairing rich bolognese sauce with al dente maze soba, then topping it with buttery slices of A5 Wagyu and soy-cured egg yolk. It hits enough familiar notes to make sense, but with just enough twists to make you think, "Never thought this would work, but it does!"

This may also sound like a familiar name; Mijo in Poblacion opened back in 2019 on the joyous principles of home cooking, and its BGC ‘upgrade’ shares those roots. Chef Enrique Moreno doesn’t hold back here; the aesthetics are that of a classic cigar room, and the menu is a travel diary made gloriously edible. The European influences are not subtle, but they’re well-executed—the Chipirones Negra, Mushroom Soup Con Nido, and Duck Confitado Naranja each form an excellent introduction to the rest of the menu.

Mireia used to be a tasting menu concept located in Chef Mark Dee’s home, but this year it’s found a new home in the Levanto Building along Jupiter in Makati. It still carries the same homey vibe that Chef Mark and his team maintained in his house; except now it can accommodate bigger celebrations with guests numbering more than 40. Their menu has also expanded with an à la carte section, so you can now order Mireia tasting menu classics like the Crab Pasta, which is tossed in a creamy, seafood bisque-esque sauce and topped with an impeccably fried soft-shell crab and served with yuzu kosho. Or you can go for something completely new, like the Tom Yum Seafood Risotto. It's exactly what you imagine a tom yum-based risotto would taste like, but so much better.

It's already in the name. Moderna reimagines Italian classics through Filipino ingredients—but it's nothing like Filipino spaghetti that came about because of a shortage. This restaurant is helmed by Chef Donatello Montrone, and the menu is Italian cuisine, shaped by his experience in steakhouses, the military, and more than a decade living in the Philippines. The menu changes often to keep things interesting, but there’s a reassuring consistency to the food: whatever is on it, it’s worth ordering.

Chef Patrick Go has been a busy bee, but not so much that he can’t be a one-track mind when needed; that is the case with Mono Beef Bar at Rockwell’s The Grid. As a stall, there are few frills to hide behind, and he makes no such attempt: “I wanted to focus on all the factors that make beef such a great ingredient,” he says. The menu is so short that there isn’t anything we don’t recommend, but for a little bit of everything—that is, A5 wagyu, aburi roast beef, and beautiful burnt ends—the Mega Mono is your gal.

No one would be shocked to find out that something so simple yet so subtly novel can be found in (and only in) Pampanga. Chef Gab Manarang works on other concepts dotted around his hometown, but Nasi-nasi is his first go at something more inventive—specifically highlighting the virtues of fried rice, building the viands to suit, and being unmistakably Southeast Asian. We’re immediate fans of the Chicken Tinapa.

This latest restaurant in the empire of Jorge Mendez is a testament to the chef’s expertise in combining textures and flavors, coupled with his trained eye for composing an alluring plate, and, of course, a love for Filipino food. In his deep red modern dining room, the chef of Modan, Some Thai and Makanai takes homegrown dishes and shakes them up a little using techniques he’s acquired from successful forays into Japanese, Italian and Thai cooking. Start with the Siomai Nuggets with some wine (they have an excellent selection curated by sommelier Ian Santos) and then feast on the Hamachi Kinilaw, which has a paitum oil kick, and the Lobster Luglug, a lobster-topped, lobster juice-drenched crowd pleaser.

Pizza Studio Tamaki, or PST for short, marries Italian Neapolitan-style pizzas with Japanese Chef Tamaki’s perfectionist methods. This union produces wood-fired pizzas that come with beautifully blistered edges, a base that stays crispy and chewy even with the generously delicious toppings that make it hard to wait to cool a bit before taking a big ol’ bite.

You can’t go wrong with the PST signature Tamaki that’s similar to their classic Margherita, except it uses smoked mozzarella and Pecorino Romano along with the tomatoes and basil. White sauce lovers should try the Bismarck, which is topped with burrata, earthy mushrooms, chunks of salsiccia, Pecorino Romano, and an egg; and, as for the cheese lovers, try the Five Cheese: smoked mozzarella; slightly pungent gorgonzola; buttery Taleggio; nutty Grana Padano; and creamy-as-can-be mascarpone. It’s served with honey on the side so you can also amp the flavors up with a sweet-salty contrast.

A moment of silence for everyone with a shrimp allergy: Pura, a new Japanese restaurant along Valero in Makati City, is very much not for you. But for those who can handle shrimp, congratulations: this ought to be your new go-to restaurant.

Every dish on the menu features shrimp, and while there are only six to choose from as of writing, there’s little reason (or no reason at all) to complain about the limited selection. The Ebi Toast comes highly recommended—a crispy, okonomiyaki-style shrimp toast that delivers one pleasant surprise after another. First, by how good it is; then, by the price: just P180. Everything is cooked to order, so be prepared to wait a little—especially during the weekday lunch rush.

With a tagline that includes the phrase, “The Pinnacle of Dashi,” it’s hard not to go into Ramen Ibuki with high expectations—which they'll gladly exceed. All their ramen is made with dashi stock, starting with the light and refreshing Dashi Ramen, which is topped with melt-in-your-mouth charred chashu. The Yokohama Foam Ramen is perfect for those craving a creamier broth, while the Miso Tori Foam Wagyu Ramen is an indulgent bowl with a bit more umami from the miso and a bit more oomph from the wagyu. What sets Ramen Ibuki apart is the option to add a dash of orange or dashi vinegar as you go, transforming each bite, or slurp, into a different and still delicious experience altogether.

Those who only know Erik Matti as the director behind On The Job, BuyBust, and Honor Thy Father will be surprised to find the guy knows good food, too. His three-level “modern karinderya” in Poblacion offers definite crowd pleasers, deeply satisfying bites, and unusual flavor combos that just work. Consider his Grilled Baby Squid, which has stracciatella, crab fat caviar, grapes, squid ink, and nata de coco. We recommend the sweet and spicy Black Sesame Dandan Noodles made rich with scallion ginger oil and furikake, and the umami bomb that is the Tsukune with Coconut Clam Dashi Soup (P395). But start your evening with a cocktail at the ground-floor bar that looks like a sari-sari store—we can’t get over the Mezcal-based Ad Castillo—and order a bowl of Shakshouka that you can spoon with the accompanying wanton chips. Don’t leave without having the skewers—Rekdi grills some of the best in the metro—and without trying the desserts care of Direk Erik’s daughter Audrey. The Grilled Brown Butter Cake is a winner.

Don’t let Restaurant Delina’s location outside Metro Manila discourage you—it’s right at the border of Metro Manila, and the Skyway makes the trip down South surprisingly easy. You might even miss it if you’re not looking, as it’s tucked away in plain sight near the San Pedro toll.

The best way to describe it? Pasta heaven. The menu is dominated by pasta, divided into dry, fresh, and filled varieties, with the Vongole, 100 Layer Lasagna, and Egg Yolk Raviolo standing out in each category, respectively. But please, don’t stop at pasta: Restaurant Delina’s Truffle Honey Ricotta and Chicken Parm are absolutely must-tries, too!

Sabi Sounds is a little bit Melbourne, a little bit Salcedo, and a little bit of everything—coffee, cocktails, bar chow, vinyl, and even gelato from Kariton. And to answer the “babalikan ba?” question, well: the Cacio e Pepe Yakisoba alone is reason enough to return, especially paired with a Halukay Ube mocktail. What's perhaps most impressive is if you order enough of the small plates in the right permutation, you've basically added it all up to one of the most texturally interesting yet undoubtedly delicious dinners you've ever had—and isn't there something inherently magical about mixing and matching?

Anyone who follows Chef JP Anglo on social media would probably think, A restaurant that feels like an outdoor campsite? How very on-brand.

Located at Overland Kings, Sarsa Field Kitchen brings that love of the outdoors to a different Sarsa dining experience, complete with a gravel-covered al fresco area, foldable tables and chairs, and a tent for shade. The menu is a more playful version of Sarsa, and the Kaldereta Lasagna sums it up nicely. It combines two comfort-food classics, with a grilled tomato sauce that gives it an extra smoky depth. And should you need more heft, don’t skip the Sarsa Field Chicken, a simple dish with no room for error.

While there is stigma when adding salt—or any condiment at that—to a plated dish in certain cultures or types of restaurants, Sansho highly encourages you to play with its tableside condiments: sansho, mala, and all-purpose sauce. It's not like their modern Asian fusion dishes, like the Lychee Red Curry or Coconut Lime, need fixing; rather, that little extra adjustment lets different diners fine-tune the flavors to their liking—taking a good dish from a 9/10 to a 10/10.

There’s nothing quite like seeing that little place you’ve been rooting for take off in a big way, and Scratch has been through too much not to make it now. Homestead to the recently crowned (by us) Brunch King of Makati, the long lines don’t seem to have diminished, nor should they; the simple Scone, served with whipped butter, homemade jam, and a sprinkling of Maldon salt, sets the bar high. Craving a little heft? The old menu is still around—your Turkish Eggs and your Meatballs have not been poofed.

They say what’s meant for you will never pass you by, and we find that’s true for us when it comes to steakhouses. Situated around the corner from a Ferrari dealership (fitting), this dreamy date place is one that can really do dinner to the nines. Any version of their Tomahawk steak will do the trick and then some. Pro tip: the Aged Steak Rice is one of their best sides, and taking the server’s recommendation for wine is just about the best move you can make in this San Juan gem.

When you think of Cebu, you think of Cebu lechon, homey family-style restaurants serving SuTuKil and other Cebuano dishes, or even seaside resorts. Of course, there are also many fine dining options, but Sialo stands out as one of the few offering a tasting menu that’s rooted deeply in local flora and flavors. Whether you’re all-in for their 29-course Handurawan tasting menu (or their 19-course or13-course options), you’ll find that their thoughtful spread encompasses four major themes: Act 1 focuses on appetizers that use Cebuano dishes as a starting point, while Act 2 features vegetable-driven plates, with courses like the Utan Bisaya.

Act 3 is seafood—and we dare say this is where Sialo's shines the brightest with their SuTuKil sugba (grilled), tuwa (stewed), and kilaw (kept raw) applied to tanigue. Act 4 spotlights meat courses like the Gibantog Na Buntog, which is their take on quail cooked in the style of inasal, while Act 5 is an homage to rice, which also doubles as the dessert act with courses like the Biko Lunok, which is an entremet dessert that takes inspiration from the local kakanin of the same name.

Spanish food in the Philippines doesn’t go through so much of a resurgence (as we might have once said) as a continuous ebb and flow; for his part, Chef Fernando Alcala turns this particular concept into a place about memory and tradition, with a tasting menu that spans the breadth of less-explored Spain. One standout on the current menu is the Atún con Pipirrana y Ajoblanco (tuna and summer vegetables in white gazpacho), which blew our minds right at the start of dinner, but we know everyone's eyes will widen at the Iberico course, called the Cerdo en Orza con Berza Gaditana.

Chef Frances Tariga has not slowed down since you saw her last; she’s been busy making sure her concepts are no mere flash in the pan. Tadhana and its slew of Filipino and Filipino-inspired delights are more than just a transplant from New York; they are a statement of owning—owning one’s heritage, one’s cuisine, and one’s worth. “This team wants to be here, and they make sure I know [that this] is not just a job to them. Which is great, because this is not just a job to me,” the chef shares with Spot. Wear loose clothing and come hungry, or you'll be full before you even get to the Sinigang sa Bayabas.

Did you think Chef Frances was done? Taglish is what we like to call an incidental Fil-Am biography: local ingredients, international influence, and no clear borders between the two are about as Filipino as one can be, and as true to the chef’s journey as anything else she’s done. A must-try is the Oxtail Humba Pot Pie, whose meat has all but melted into the stew, buried under whipped polenta; soak it up with the wonderfully flaky Goldfish Cheddar Biscuits.

Tanglad is making a case for lutong bahay—except the bahay happens to have a rather expensive address. That said, the menu itself isn’t trying to break the bank. While their bestseller is understandably their Tanglad Sisig, the Lemongras Bangus deserves just as much attention. The humble milkfish gets a glow-up with dalandan butter sauce and a garnish of fresh tanglad leaves. The menu feels comforting and homey, just with a little more ambition—and a lot more lemongrass added to every dish.

Three words may not sum this place up, but they will tell you what you should order the second you walk in: get the Caldereta. In all seriousness, Chef Myke Tatung’s first true solo project is as warm and uninhibited as he is. Tatung’s at Gateway has gracefully joined an army of Filipino and Filipino-inspired restaurants that serve classic dishes that don’t ruin what you have at home—and while Tatung’s keeps it simple, it’s anything but ordinary.

Maybe the most ironic thing about this restaurant being named The Split is how well they actually do the opposite: fuse the best parts of different cuisines into one irresistibly tasty dish. The Burnt Coconut Tuna Kinilaw and Taro Chips are the perfect way to start your meal. Adventurous eaters will find an interestingly spiced and nutty bite when they try the Kare Curry and the  Spicy Mala Sinigang (available with Pork Ribs or U.S. Beef). Finally, their Thai Milk Tres Leches Cake is the perfect way to end the meal: it’s soaked in coconut tres leches cream and served with cha yen sabayon and topped with a dollop of chantilly cream.

San Juan is certainly having another culinary moment—it’s been known to happen—but Wahunomi is a standout in almost every way. If you haven’t clocked it, it’s not Japanese; it’s a play on ‘uhaw’ and ‘inom,’ which should tell you something about the drinks menu. There are, of course, great mocktails for the less alcohol-inclined, but more than anything, you’ll want whatever you drink to wash down the following: Wahu Crack Rice, Tortang Tahong, and the bagoong-glazed ribs of the Kare Kare.

Zagin Soba made it to the top 3 of our Spot Top 10 Shoyu Ramen in Metro Manila list, and for good reason: it serves up bowls of ramen that are made with a clean but deep chicken broth, and noodles that are soft yet still have that springy bite to them. While we give the Chicken Shoyu Soba its flowers in our list, those who prefer a creamier version might want to try their Kagoshima Tori Paitan Soba. Tsukemen or dipping noodles lovers might find their Chicken Dipping Noodles interesting as well, as the dipping sauce is made rich only with chicken–no seafood at all.