Essentials
Shopwise Makati
Corner Chino Roces AveGrocery shopping
My preferred Japanese grocery for supplies and snacks. Also has a small ramen bar on the side, with smoking and non-smoking areas. I suggest getting shoyu ramen and gyoza - under P300!
Yamazaki Grocery
2288 FernandoMy preferred Japanese grocery for supplies and snacks. Also has a small ramen bar on the side, with smoking and non-smoking areas. I suggest getting shoyu ramen and gyoza - under P300!
Deli meats, cheeses, wine, other alcohol types, and pantry supplies at lower prices.
Brera Delicatessen
Corner Commerce AvenueDeli meats, cheeses, wine, other alcohol types, and pantry supplies at lower prices.
Food Scene
Restock Coffee & Curiosities
7635 GuijoGreat coffee and ambiance. Also sells various consumer goods.
12/10
8 GuijoExcellent food and bespoke drinks.
Charaptor
Cheap but delicious barbecued food from different countries.
Organic and vegan food. Also sells home/lifestyle/beauty goods and excellent coffee from the Philippine North (Cordilleras etc.)
Satinka Naturals
Cor Chino Roces AveOrganic and vegan food. Also sells home/lifestyle/beauty goods and excellent coffee from the Philippine North (Cordilleras etc.)
Delicious chicken wings (get the Cheesy Parmesan Wings!), lots of booze, and corn puppies.
15 locals recommend
Wingman
Acacia AvenueDelicious chicken wings (get the Cheesy Parmesan Wings!), lots of booze, and corn puppies.
Purple Oven at Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart StreetSuper-yummy cakes and baked goods!
Shakey's Pizza Parlor
24-hour pizza joint.
Pat-Pat's Kansi
8809 SampalocBest kansi in town!
Suzukin Japanese Restaurant
SampalocOld but still dependable place for affordable Japanese food.
8065 Bagnet
8065 EstrellaSample Ilocos' beloved bagnet here!
24-hour place for super-cheap and delicious dumplings! Frequented by Chinese expats and migrants so you know it's good.
Peace and Happiness Dumpling House
3 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue24-hour place for super-cheap and delicious dumplings! Frequented by Chinese expats and migrants so you know it's good.
Good steak at low prices. Place gets real smoky, though. Prepare to smell like smoke as you leave.
SALT
EnriquezGood steak at low prices. Place gets real smoky, though. Prepare to smell like smoke as you leave.
24-hour restaurant for falafels and more. A must-visit for post-party crashes. Now at the ground floor of A-Venue Mall.
9 locals recommend
Beni's Falafel
5343 General Luna24-hour restaurant for falafels and more. A must-visit for post-party crashes. Now at the ground floor of A-Venue Mall.
The home of greasy and great tacos and other Mexican fare. Pair with San Miguel Pale Pilsen. Prepare for long lines and tight spaces. Walls have vulgar and hilarious graffiti.
46 locals recommend
El Chupacabra
5782 FelipeThe home of greasy and great tacos and other Mexican fare. Pair with San Miguel Pale Pilsen. Prepare for long lines and tight spaces. Walls have vulgar and hilarious graffiti.
Frangos
9595 KamagongPortuguese piri-piri!
Another great Makati hole-in-the-wall. Can get real loud at dinnertime onwards.
Crying Tiger Street Kitchen
4986 P. GuanzonAnother great Makati hole-in-the-wall. Can get real loud at dinnertime onwards.
Toby's Estate
Third-wave coffee from Australia.
One of the first third-wave coffee places in Makati, and now at their new location.
11 locals recommend
Commune
36 PolarisOne of the first third-wave coffee places in Makati, and now at their new location.
Yet another third-wave coffee joint. Their specialty: Aeropress-made coffee. They don't accept credit cards.
7 locals recommend
Habitual Coffee Salcedo Village
L.P. Leviste StreetYet another third-wave coffee joint. Their specialty: Aeropress-made coffee. They don't accept credit cards.
Nodasho
Great place to visit for the -dons and chirashi.
Known for excellent food in big servings! Come here early as it quickly gets filled up at peak hours.
107 locals recommend
Wildflour Café + Bakery Rada
111 RadaKnown for excellent food in big servings! Come here early as it quickly gets filled up at peak hours.
Best pizzas in town! Amazing buratta as well. Small place, so prepare to wait in line.
34 locals recommend
Gino's Brick Oven Pizza
corner BautistaBest pizzas in town! Amazing buratta as well. Small place, so prepare to wait in line.
Homey decor and consistently delicious food. Bit on the pricey side though.
24 locals recommend
Apartment 1B
Corner SedeñoHomey decor and consistently delicious food. Bit on the pricey side though.
Sofrito
122 San Agustin StreetCUBANOS!
German brews on tap and grub to share. Wonderful staff that allowed us to play Cards Against Humanity all night.
Brotzeit Glorietta
137 Courtyard DrGerman brews on tap and grub to share. Wonderful staff that allowed us to play Cards Against Humanity all night.
DiCoFi
San Agustin StreetAuthentic Vietnamese coffee and banh mi!
Corner Tree Cafe
150 JupiterAmazing vegan food. You'll need to make table reservations.
Top-notch Filipino food, cooked based on Romulo family recipes handed down for generations.
20 locals recommend
Romulo Cafe
148 SaturnTop-notch Filipino food, cooked based on Romulo family recipes handed down for generations.
Sweet Ecstasy
Corner Asteroid StGet your burger fix here.
Lazy Bastard
JupiterBacon and burgers. Need I say more?
Excellent Japanese food, and the place doesn't get as crowded as other places. Parking's a bitch though.
Mangetsu Japanese Restaurant
Excellent Japanese food, and the place doesn't get as crowded as other places. Parking's a bitch though.
Charlie's
Metropolitan AvenueJazz bar - not a lot of them in the city.
Va Bene Pasta Deli
Pasta lovers, go here. ASAP.
Mad Mark's Creamery & Good Eats
Brixton StreetSteak that truly gives the most bang for your buck.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
188 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. AveAnother great ramen place.
Old Swiss Inn Restaurant
24-hour restaurant for Swiss cuisine. I always go here for the fondue.
Yardstick Coffee
106 EstebanGreat coffee, excellent staff, coffee courses on offer.
The Red Dot
132 Legazpi StreetOne of the original Manila gastropubs.
Balkan Yugoslavian Home Cooking
109 PereaHome-style Yugoslavian food.
Ba Noi's
LegaspiVietnamese food joint.
Swagat Indian Cuisine Philippines
corner Antonio Arnaiz AveThe go-to place for Indian food.
Bistro Pamana
106 PereaFilipino food from a family best known for Barrio Fiesta.
Rustique Kitchen
The latest restaurant from Filipino chef Bruce Lim.
Ukkokei Ramen Ron
Ramen place known for their yummy food and not-so-polite staff.
A Japanese restaurant with a well-earned positive reputation for food. Open until late night.
17 locals recommend
Nihonbashitei
1030A Antonio Arnaiz AveA Japanese restaurant with a well-earned positive reputation for food. Open until late night.
The original restaurant that trained Don Bosco boys for restaurant operations.
6 locals recommend
Amici di Don Bosco
1200 Chino Roces AveThe original restaurant that trained Don Bosco boys for restaurant operations.
Elbert's Steak Room
Guess.
Draft Gastropub
Rockwell DriveBeers and food to share!
Izakaya Kikufuji
2277 Chino Roces AveWagyu beef sticks. You're welcome.
Mamou Too
Lopez DriveSTEAKS.
Hidden somewhere in "Backwell". Another place frequented by Chinese expats (Hainanese) for dumplings and chicken feet, pork, intestines, lamb, and pig's ear. Don't knock it 'til you try it.
You Jie Xiao Chao Chinese Food
6404 CamiaHidden somewhere in "Backwell". Another place frequented by Chinese expats (Hainanese) for dumplings and chicken feet, pork, intestines, lamb, and pig's ear. Don't knock it 'til you try it.
Poco Deli
21 E Capitol DrCooked and processed meats, plus wine and homemade ice cream.
Drinks & Nightlife
Cheap local beers and grub, and nightly entertainment from the best local bands and music ensembles.
17 locals recommend
SaGuijo
7612 GuijoCheap local beers and grub, and nightly entertainment from the best local bands and music ensembles.
The Collective
MalugayBest known for hip-hop, rock and reggae nights.
French food, cozy ambiance, great vibe, and in-house lambanog in different flavors.
10 locals recommend
le Cafe Curieux
CaceresFrench food, cozy ambiance, great vibe, and in-house lambanog in different flavors.
Biker bar with excellent entertainment. Food and drinks are top-notch as well.
14 locals recommend
Handlebar Bar and Grill
31 PolarisBiker bar with excellent entertainment. Food and drinks are top-notch as well.
Put on your best party outfit and live it up on the Gramercy's 71st-floor club. Has the BEST and highest 360-degree views of Manila!
55 locals recommend
71 Gramercy
Kalayaan AvenuePut on your best party outfit and live it up on the Gramercy's 71st-floor club. Has the BEST and highest 360-degree views of Manila!
Bugsy's Bar and Bistro
San Agustin StreetGreat place for after-work nightcaps.
One of the first hidden speakeasies in Makati. Found behind a well-known cafe. Look for the EXIT door at the back.
11 locals recommend
The Exit
One of the first hidden speakeasies in Makati. Found behind a well-known cafe. Look for the EXIT door at the back.
Coffee shop by day, speakeasy by night. They make the strongest cocktails I've ever had so far. Some cocktails come with song recommendations. :))
39 locals recommend
The Curator
134 Legazpi StreetCoffee shop by day, speakeasy by night. They make the strongest cocktails I've ever had so far. Some cocktails come with song recommendations. :))
Moonshine Bar
Another thumbs-up place for nightcaps or all-nighters.
Known for their booze and quiz nights - the original quiz night place!
9 locals recommend
Union Jack Tavern
EstebanKnown for their booze and quiz nights - the original quiz night place!
12 Monkeys
Kalayaan AvenueThe place to go for live music.
Everything Else
Century City Mall
Kalayaan AvenueNot as crowded as other malls in Manila.
Z Hostel
5660 Don PedroRooftop parties and beautiful nighttime views of the city.
Organic goods, yummy cooked food, and general supplies. Every Sunday from 6AM to 2PM.
88 locals recommend
Legazpi Sunday Market
Legazpi StreetOrganic goods, yummy cooked food, and general supplies. Every Sunday from 6AM to 2PM.
Organic food, yummy snacks and general goods. Open from 6AM to 2PM.
114 locals recommend
Salcedo Saturday Market
Tordesillas St. Cor Toledo St.Organic food, yummy snacks and general goods. Open from 6AM to 2PM.
Wine Depot
912 Nicanor GarciaStock up on vino here.
A great resource on Filipiniana. Also an alternative to coworking spaces (requires membership).
The Filipinas Heritage Library
Dela Rosa StreetA great resource on Filipiniana. Also an alternative to coworking spaces (requires membership).
Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe
PereaComfort food!
Pivo Praha Microbrewery
1331 AngonoCzech beer made in-house.
Bargain-priced books! Lots of finds and rare stuff if you're willing to dig through the piles.
Book Sale
Bargain-priced books! Lots of finds and rare stuff if you're willing to dig through the piles.
Ayala Museum
corner Dela Rosa StreetFilipino culture and history, plus special exhibits and workshops.
Entertainment & Activities
It has a small strip of restaurants on the side, and a pet-friendly park on the other. One of the few green spots in the city.
272 locals recommend
Ayala Triangle Gardens
Cor Ayala AveIt has a small strip of restaurants on the side, and a pet-friendly park on the other. One of the few green spots in the city.