Due to quarantine measures in place, some of these restaurants might be temporarily closed or have limited offerings. Please contact the branch before visiting.
Let your taste buds explore different flavors.
They say that to explore a place’s culture, you must eat their dishes. But what if you can’t travel to all these places? The answer is simple: discover the flavors from your location! Luckily, there are many casual as well as fine dining restaurants in Metro Manila that offer more than the usual.
Through this, you can try international dishes without even boarding a single plane! Take a trip around different countries with only your taste buds through a variety of places to eat, from casual cafes to fine dining restaurants.
Whether you’re craving for something Japanese, Italian, and Spanish, this list of good restaurants in Metro Manila got you covered.
For those with a preference for cold sweets, head to Emack and Bolio’s in Ayala Malls The 30th. Stepping inside Emack and Bolio’s is like going back to the 70s with all the psychedelic and tie-dye decorations. Every corner of the ice cream parlor is clad in bright colors. Emack and Bolio’s ice creams are known for being unique and quirky when it comes to the look and flavors. Some of the flavors you can choose from are “Deep Purple” chips, Stoney’s Dream, Maple Walnut, Grasshopper Pie, and Space cake.
Operating hours:Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM, and 6:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Price range:PhP160 to PhP5,400
La Collina’s name is a mixture of Italian and Spanish words which translates to “the hill.”
Images: Left, La Collina; Right, Benjamin Canapi
In a busy area like Poblacion, it is rare to find a breather in an entire block of neon resto bars. La Collina stands out like a sore thumb around the area with a simple yet charming facade. The Italian-Spanish restaurant was created by the same people behind Blackbird, but what makes La Collina different from its predecessor is its atmosphere. La Collina presents itself as an elegant yet cozy restaurant that can serve as a little oasis in the city. Some of the dishes to try are the braised lamb shoulder (PhP595) if you want something heavy. For a light meal, the Fabada Asturiana (Spanish white bean stew) is a tasty choice.
Where:Unit 6 G/F Park Terraces, Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City
Operating hours:
Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Price range:PhP55 to PhP445
The wall decors at Nic’s are inspired by the fashionable ladies of New York.
Images: NIC’S
NIC’S in Ayala Center is a local version of a chic New York City cafe with its sophisticated black and white interiors reminiscent of Manhattan. Despite its NYC-inspired decors, the menu serves Filipino and European dishes such as clam chowder (PhP175), crispy adobo flakes (PhP345), and roast angus salpicao (PhP425). Finish your meal with desserts like the red velvet cake shake (PhP125) and dark molten lava (PhP135.)
Operating hours:Monday to Sunday, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Price range:PhP310 to PhP3,950
Yakumi is headed by top Japanese chefs.
Images: Yakumi at Solaire
Yakumi is not your average Japanese fast food: the restaurant takes pride in offering exotic Japanese dishes such as fugu (puffer fish). These kinds of dishes are hard to execute safely and can only be handled by licensed fugu chefs such as those in Yakumi. If you don’t want to sample the extreme dishes, you can always stick to the favorites such as sushi rolls, tempuras (deep fried shrimp,) sashimi (thin sliced raw fish,) and teppanyaki (grilled meat, fish, and vegetables). Yakumi’s Sunday Brunch buffet (PhP2,688) lets you eat fresh and handmade Japanese dishes like ramen, gyoza (crescent shaped dumpling,) and other favorites made by Japanese cooks.
Rambla is named after the famous street La Rambla in Barcelona.
Image: Rambla
For a taste of Barcelona in Makati, Rambla steps up as one of the popular Spanish tapa restaurants in Manila. Besides the tapa, some of the dishes to try are the salmon tartar (PhP695) and grilled Spanish octopus (PhP995). The menu has a good selection of dishes that even vegetarians can choose from. They can try the flambé of wild flour, which is a bread dish topped with vegetables. The bar also offers wine, champagne, or cocktails that can go along with your dishes. If you’re done eating, you can explore the restaurant’s charming and restaurant corners that are full of Barcelona inspired interiors.
August 2020 Update:Rambla is open for pick-up and delivery only.
To discover more restaurants in Metro Manila, visit Yoorekka.
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on March 27, 2019.
About Denisse Shawntel Tan
Denisse Tan is currently a work in progress: she’s an aspiring writer, artist, and fashion designer! She’s trying to figure out how to manage her time in achieving all of her goals while also taking in life as humanly possible. Aside from art, she’s a big fan of the color pink, disco music, Bratz dolls, and Genshin Impact. By age 35, she plans to travel to New York City 🗽.
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