MAKATI CITY — Filipino cuisine has evolved far beyond the home dining table and is now earning recognition on the international culinary stage. Across Makati’s vibrant dining and creative districts, a new wave of chefs is transforming beloved local dishes through global cooking techniques, fermentation, and carefully sourced local ingredients. The result is a dining experience that honors tradition while presenting it in exciting and innovative ways.
Michelin-Starred Pioneers
At Karrivin Plaza, Toyo Eatery has earned a Michelin star and secured the No. 71 spot on the 2026 Asia’s 50 Best extended list. Chef Jordy Navarra draws inspiration from the classic nursery rhyme “Bahay Kubo,” transforming it into a dish featuring 18 local vegetables. The restaurant is known for its contemporary multi-course tasting menu centered on house-fermented ingredients and Filipino flavors. Meanwhile, on the seventh floor of The Balmori Suites in Rockwell, Hapag has also received a Michelin star. Its tasting menu presents regional Filipino dishes through a refined and carefully executed approach, showcasing familiar flavors in a more elevated format. Inside Comuna on Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extension, Celera earned its own Michelin star while making its debut at No. 100 on the 2026 Asia’s 50 Best extended list. Led by chef-owners Nicco Santos and Quenee Vilar, the restaurant explores contemporary Southeast Asian cuisine through an intimate tasting-menu experience.
Michelin Selected and Rising Stars
Also located within the Karrivin Plaza complex, Metiz has been recognized as Michelin Selected. Chef Stephan Duhesme’s eight-course tasting menu highlights fermented vegetables, cured seafood, and indigenous ingredients. One notable dish features aged tanigue paired with fermented rice, reflecting the restaurant’s commitment to fermentation-driven cooking. At the Green Sun creative hub, Flow by Kevin Uy, whose training includes time at Central in Lima, offers a nine-course menu that journeys through different “culinary biomes,” blending Peruvian and Filipino influences into a unique dining narrative. On Jupiter Street, Tadhana Makati by Frances Tariga opened in May 2026. Situated on the penthouse floor of the Levanto Building, the restaurant serves a 10-course tasting menu that reimagines Filipino street food and comfort favorites. Signature creations include kwek-kwek presented in an annatto pie cup with smoked ikura, binatog topped with truffle espuma, and sinigang sa bayabas, all enhanced through fermentation and dry-aging techniques.
Why It Matters
For both visitors and locals, Makati’s modern Filipino restaurants provide a fresh perspective on the country’s culinary heritage. In these kitchens, adobo can become an emulsion, sinigang can be transformed into a clear consommé, and every dish serves as a reflection of culture, history, and innovation.
