Chef Wade Watson returns to fine dining with Brontë, a new Australian steakhouse in Manila

Brontë makes a compelling case for less spectacle and more substance

There is very little that is performative about chef Wade Watson. In an era where restaurants often arrive cloaked in excessive storytelling and overworked theatrics, Brontë stands out for taking a meaningful step back.

Named after the beach sitting just south of Bondi, Australia, Watson’s newest venture introduces Manila to an elevated Australian steakhouse rooted not in gimmickry, but in product, precision, and personality. “I’m seeing a lot of US steakhouses pop up here,” Watson says matter-of-factly. “So I thought, why not do an Australian steakhouse? The beef is world-class.” The result is a restaurant that feels deeply reflective of its creator: sharp, confident, highly irreverent and entirely uninterested in unnecessary fluff.

Watson brings this steakhouse to us with his business partner, actor Derek Ramsay, who completely agrees with his ethos. “I’d say quality is number one,” Ramsay notes in support of Watson’s plans. Asked to define the restaurant, Watson describes it as “quality, refined and simplistic…I know simplistic contradicts refined,” he backtracks, “but it can be both. The best restaurants in the world, in my opinion, are the ones that are simple. They’re serving food you want to eat.”

Above The tablesetting at Brontë

The tablesetting at Brontë

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Brontë was not a concept assembled overnight, but the culmination of years spent quietly building towards a defined vision. “I knew I was always going to do this restaurant,” he says. As the man behind Bondi and Bourke, he’s been quietly churning out delicious casual Australian bistro fare for the past few years. After a hiatus from the fine dining world, Watson felt the timing for his return had finally arrived. The country’s rapidly expanding dining scene, coupled with diners increasingly seeking more elevated à la carte experiences, signalled a clear opportunity. When the chance to open Brontë presented itself, he wasted little time saying yes.

Whether discussing food, wine, or design, Watson speaks with the sort of certainty that only comes from years of tried-and-tested experience. That know-how spans some of the most demanding hospitality environments in Asia. Before becoming a prominent figure within Cebu’s dining scene through establishments such as Abaca Baking Company and Tavolata, Watson spent years in Hong Kong managing a slew of restaurants, bars and even hotel kitchens in one of the region’s most relentlessly competitive markets. Along the way, he built a reputation for two things in particular: exceptional meats and stunning bread. Pair these hallmarks with his love for seasonal produce and precise cookery, and you have the pillars that anchor Brontë.

Above The interiors at Brontë

Above Filet rossini by chef Wade Watson from Brontë

The interiors at Brontë

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The menu itself is concise and deliberate. “It’s not a big menu, it’s not a complicated menu, it’s not anything too crazy, but it focuses on quality product,” Watson explains. That philosophy reveals itself immediately. The conversation around steak extends beyond marbling scores and imported prestige. This chef is deeply invested in championing Australian beef, which he believes possesses an entirely different flavour profile from its American counterparts due to distinct feed processes, regulations and farming methods. The côte de boeuf is a cut he’s proud of—a towering 1.2-kilogram bone-in rib-eye with MB9 marbling that exemplifies the restaurant’s approach to indulgence: luxurious without becoming excessive. “If I want a steak, I want a good steak,” Watson says dryly. “I don’t eat a few bites.”

Expect the unexpected with Watson at the helm. The menu is far from static, evolving frequently according to his whims, instincts and latest obsessions. Returning guests can expect new additions, quiet tweaks and occasional surprises woven into each visit. Watson himself admits he rarely leaves things untouched for long. “I always do, and I like to change my mind,” he says. “I’m actually notorious for it, and I never tell anyone, I just do it.”

Above A decadent beef burger by chef Wade Watson at Brontë

Above A look inside Brontë

A decadent beef burger by chef Wade Watson at Brontë

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Despite confessing, with characteristic bluntness, “I hate… I don’t like to consume wine,” Brontë actually possesses a very impressive wine menu. Watson has spent years quietly collecting exceptional bottles in preparation for this exact restaurant. The list spans benchmark Australian, French and Italian producers, alongside a strong Champagne selection, which he admits is his true weakness. The collection ranges from accessible everyday pours to rarefied labels reserved for serious collectors. For those in the know, ask about The Vault: a discreet reserve list containing some of the restaurant’s rarest and most coveted bottles. Watson describes it with a laugh: “The wine snobs have their part, and the normal people have their part.”

The sense of understated luxury continues through Brontë’s meticulously considered details. The interiors unfold in a sophisticated palette of monochromatic concrete, warm brown leather, wide windows with softly filtered light shining through shutters that give the room a cinematic glow come evening. Curved banquettes soften the industrial edge of the architecture, while brushed gold detailing lends quiet warmth throughout the space. It is elegant without trying too hard. Like Watson himself, the restaurant carries a certain confidence and flair.

Above At Brontë, the details matter

At Brontë, the details matter

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The interiors were executed by the team behind the Levanto building, known for housing several high-end international home brands. Yet it is perhaps the tableware that reveals Watson’s personality most vividly. Rather than defaulting to anonymous fine dining minimalism, he selected pieces that feel tactile, playful and slightly eccentric. Delicate, slender wine stems sit beside ribbed Champagne glasses and silver-engraved water goblets etched with whimsical illustrations. The martini glass, meanwhile, arrives with a short, rounded cola-coloured stem and an undulating texture that feels almost sculptural in the hand. There is juxtaposition everywhere: refinement paired with humour, polish softened by personality.

Above Sticky toffee pudding by chef Wade Watson at Brontë

Sticky toffee pudding by chef Wade Watson at Brontë

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That balance ultimately defines Brontë. Beneath the polished interiors and luxury ingredients lies a restaurant that remains refreshingly honest about what it wants to be. While many contemporary restaurants chase novelty, Brontë instead leans into clarity of flavour and technical precision. Watson is not attempting to reinvent dining, nor is he interested in chasing trends for the sake of relevance. Instead, he presents something deeply personal. It reflects decades of experience, strong opinions, exacting standards and a genuine love for Australian produce.

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Chef Wade Watson returns to fine dining with Brontë, his new Australian steakhouse