August 2026 Dining Radar: new restaurants, cafés and bars in Metro Manila

Location: Creekside Mall, Amorsolo Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City

Crowned Tatler Best Bar of the Year 2026, Big Fuzz has earned a reputation as an industry favourite: a watering hole for well-made drinks served with heartfelt hospitality and music played on vinyl. Now, Kyle Quismundo unveils his sophomore concept, Ultramilk. Conveniently—perhaps, dangerously—located across Big Fuzz, Ultramilk centres on one cocktail category in particular: punch. Stick to classics like the Fish House Punch, or explore their signatures like Rupert’s Home (a play on Rupert Holmes, inspired by the piña colada he so famously sang of) or November Rain (a reference to the 1991 Guns N’ Roses hit). Not quite into punch? They’re also pouring martinis, Sazeracs and Negronis from the freezer. Quismundo’s love for analogue continues to prevail at Ultramilk, too, with cassettes as the featured medium.

Tatler Trivia: Quismundo is also one-seventh of the indie rock band Cheats, for which he plays the guitar.

Related: Tatler Best-in-Class: awarding the best bars in the Philippines 2026

Location: Joya Lofts and Towers, Rockwell Center, Makati City

A new Spanish restaurant has arrived in Rockwell, and chef Luis Martínez reveals that it is perhaps his most personal yet. The latest addition to the Martínez family of restaurants (Terraza Martínez, Sala Martínez and La Taperia Martínez), Brasa Martínez veers away from the Spanish dishes that Filipinos know and love, challenging the Valencian chef to create new dishes cooked exclusively over a charcoal grill—no burners in sight. While centrepiece items like the whole grilled sole fish with butter and capers will no doubt be the crowd favourites, it’s dishes like the wild mushroom parfait and caviar pasta that signal this veterinarian-turned-chef has more under his sleeve.

Tatler Tip: Go ahead and order that glass of wine, or perhaps even a bottle for the table—Brasa Martínez places emphasis on quality wines, with a dedicated wine room upstairs.

Related: These are the best Spanish restaurants in the Tatler Best Philippines Guide 2026

Location: Escala Building, Salcedo Village, Makati City

Poblacion’s charming Middle Eastern eatery is all grown up in Salcedo Village. With the opening of La Pita’s second location, chef Sam Rohana has not only expanded the brand—he’s evolved it. La Pita Salcedo welcomes guests into a much bigger space, one that allows Rohana to flex far more of his culinary capabilities. The menu is almost entirely different (save for two items); hero items include the creamy labneh honey and spiced almonds, a succulent lamb skewer laid upon soft laffa bread and the arak-cured grouper baked in a brick oven, primed for sharing. One item Rohana had to carry over, however, is his signature hummus, served here with his pillowy pita bread, baked to order.

Tatler Tip: No, the beef arayes are not available at La Pita Salcedo (at least, as of writing). For that, you’ll have to visit La Pita Poblacion, which remains an ideal choice for a more casual experience.

See also: Meet chef Sam Ro of La Pita, Poblacion’s must-try Middle Eastern restaurant

Location: Greenhills Mall, San Juan City

You’ll never believe this omakase restaurant is hidden inside Greenhills Mall, let alone on top of a grocer. And yet, it makes perfect sense—Hinari comes from the team behind Dough & Grocer, a high-end grocer specialising in European and Japanese items. Their access to quality Japanese ingredients sets the foundation for an exquisite dining experience, while chefs Koji Oki and Ryujiro Amemori bring them to life through contemporary executions. Hinari offers two distinct menus: The Tide, a sushi omakase that showcases the best of the sea; and The Flame, a Wagyu experience that highlights different parts of the cow through every course.

Tatler Tip: While still on soft opening, Hinari requires at least one week’s notice before your reservation, and only accepts bookings for eight to 14 guests—effectively a private dining experience, well-suited to those who prefer to dine with discretion.

Read more: International Sushi Day 2026: 7 common sushi etiquette mistakes to avoid

Location: The Grid Food Market, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City

No stranger to The Grid Food Market, chef Patrick Go’s newest food stall goes all in on beef, with premium picks such as Angus and A5 Wagyu. That, however, is where the monotony ends; at Mono Beef Bar, diners can pick between different cuts and treatments of beef, select their sauce and choose their base, resulting in 64 distinct dishes. Don’t know where to start? Consider Go’s recommended combinations: the 48-hour roasted Angus beef with black pepper sauce and steak rice, and the beef burnt ends with miso BBQ sauce and Japanese curry rice. It’s the build-your-own format primed for food markets, but one with a unique perspective and a chef who knows what he’s doing. Plus, every order comes complete with onsen egg, shiitake mushroom soup and two sides, so trust you’re getting your money’s worth.

See also: Where to order the best food trays in Metro Manila, according to Tatler editors and readers

Location: Gateway Mall 2, Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City

At Tatung’s, chef Tatung Sarthou creates an experience grounded in one simple phrase: Home, remembered. Trading trends for inheritance, he offers dishes rooted in heritage rather than spectacle. On the menu is a humba, inspired by his maternal grandmother, lola Natividad, as well as pompano braised in coconut milk, derived directly from the recipe of his paternal grandmother, lola Juanita. That’s not to say he deprives himself of the opportunity for creativity, as reflected in the sizzling cassava cake and bibingkang talong. “At its heart, Tatung’s is about creating the space for special moments,” shares the chef-patron. “The food is the occasion. The moment is the meal. We just want people to leave happy.”

Read more: How to spend 24 hours in Shanghai like Zendaya and Tom Holland

Location: 43 Masikap Street, Quezon City

Kukidō has opened its first brick-and-mortar café, making it even easier to get your hands on their ooey-gooey cookies. The space caters to both take-away and dine-in services, and has even hosted a takeover by Take Five matcha bar just a few weeks into opening, with two exclusive collaboration drinks: a matcha cookie latte and hojicha cookie latte. Drop by to try their new “Oatella” cereal crunch cookie available exclusively in-store with oat dough, cereal, Nutella filling and pair it with one of their drinks (or “Koffees”) for good measure.

Read more: Tatler’s ultimate guide to the best cookies in Metro Manila 2026

Location: Uptown Mall BGC, Taguig City

From Taiwan to the Philippines: Daykey Donut has officially arrived, bringing its Japanese-style nama doughnuts to Metro Manila. Their soft, light doughnuts are made in small batches, fresh daily, in an assortment of flavours. Think: nama chocolate, classic custard, matcha, pistachio and even salted egg yolk chicken floss. New on the menu is the mango nama doughnut, filled with silky cream and chunks of fresh mango—a tasty way to mark the brand’s foray into the country. Be sure to secure your doughnuts early, as they regularly sell out before the day ends.

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