Your guide to fine dining in Metro Manila

With last year’s arrival of the first Michelin Guide in Manila , the world has been astonished by the sheer number of outstanding restaurants in this underrated culinary destination. A total of 88 establishments across the Metro area made the list, but many other great places to eat are still waiting to be discovered. Food options are diverse, Philippine hospitality is unmatched and the city offers great value for money. Here are the top tables you should book on your next trip to Manila. 

Note: Metro Manila is composed of 16 cities and one municipality, one of which is the capital city of Manila. “Manila” is also an umbrella term used to refer to the wider region. 

Fine dining restaurants in Manila to book now 

Helm 

The Philippines’ only restaurant with two Michelin stars is a 24-seater space led by British Filipino chef Josh Boutwood. Helm is perfect for those who enjoy spontaneity, with a tasting menu that’s highly creative and intentionally unpredictable: little is shared on social media and dishes are only unveiled during the dinner itself. Past menu themes have ranged from Star Wars and Harry Potter to Asian street food. A recent “monochromatic” menu saw each plate masterfully crafted from ingredients of the same colour – think courses of orange and red, like Fjord trout with roasted carrot purée and crab fat sauce, dusted with carrot powder.  

Toyo Eatery 

This establishment takes its name from the local word for soy sauce, a humble condiment that adds layers of flavour to everyday dishes. True to its namesake, Toyo Eatery draws inspiration from simple native ingredients and traditional cooking methods, combining them to create world-class dishes. A tasting experience here isn’t formal or pretentious; instead, it radiates warmth and a sense of community – you might hear a birthday song from the next table and find yourself joining in. On your first visit, choose the Kamayan menu: in traditional communal dining style, the feast is laid out on banana leaves and eaten with your hands. You’ll dine on a selection of dried fish, shrimp and pork dishes, served with heaps of steamed rice and a special vinegar dip.  

Kása Palma

Dining at this city restaurant is like being transported to a coastal oasis, where fresh seafood is the star. The interiors at Kása Palma channel beach resort vibes, while the cuisine reflects chef Aaron Isip’s years spent in the kitchens of Paris, his Philippine heritage and influences from across South East Asia. You can choose between a tasting menu experienced in the two-storey main dining area or an à la carte meal at a counter encircling the open firewood kitchen. Either way, the highlight is sure to be the best seasonal produce that local waters have to offer, whether it’s the day’s catch of lobster or an indigenous fish – always prepared with Isip’s characteristic flair.  

Gallery by Chele

The chefs here are explorers, travelling extensively across the country to learn about and support local communities. Their insights are then translated into refined, complex tasting menus, often centred on a single ingredient – cacao, coconut or, most recently, indigenous Philippine rice. Its sustainability efforts have also made Gallery by Chele the country’s first restaurant to earn a Michelin Green Star. This elegant establishment offers diners an immersive experience, beginning with a welcome drink and bites in the open kitchen, followed by a snack in the outdoor garden and, finally, a seat at the formal dining table. Sample plates include crab with fermented rice and rice porridge topped with abalone. 

Hapag

This restaurant’s name comes from the unique Filipino word for a communal dining table, and sure enough, a meal at Hapag is a wonderfully intimate experience. The kitchen’s current objective is to champion specific Philippine regional cuisines, a journey that began with a Western Visayas menu featuring dishes from the central islands. The latest is a Western Mindanao menu, showcasing flavours from the southern region, many of which are reminiscent of Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine like local variations of mee goreng, beef rendang and martabak (a type of Indonesian pancake). The result is an educational dining experience that surprises even Manila residents and builds anticipation around which region will be featured next. 

Metiz

Following a renovation last year, Metiz boasts a new concept inspired by local dining habits. You can choose between à la carte and tasting menu options, but instead of the latter being presented course by course, the chef instead serves what he calls Movements, in which each course is a group of dishes: a meat dish paired with rice, soup and a vegetable side. The latest menu features a spread of Palawan lapu-lapu fish, aged Kurobuta pork with Hokkaido scallop, complemented by a local salad and native chicken tinola soup. An open kitchen allows the chefs to interact with guests, much like gracious hosts welcoming someone into their home.

Celera

The newest eatery on the block, Celera specialises in contemporary Asian cuisine. Its name is a play on the Bahasa word “selera”, which means appetite, and reflects chef Nicco Santos’s 20-year mastery of Singaporean and South East Asian dishes using high-quality Philippine produce. Working from an open kitchen, the team executes both tasting menus and à la carte dishes. The food is expressive and modern, with original dishes you’ve likely never encountered before, such as noodles made entirely from smoked fish heads with no starch, accompanied by barbecued Maine lobster tail, cold laksa bisque and chicken skin.