Restaurants included in the Michelin Guide Manila and Veburons & CEBU 2026, the first in the country, were announced on Oct. 30 in an event at the Marriott Grand Ballroom.
108 establishments have been added to the guide, varying in Disernction from Michelin Guide selected restaurants, Bib Gourmand Awards, and Michelin stars. The country had Michelin Michelin selected restaurants and 25 bib Gourmand Alvues. Eight were awarded one Michelin Star, and only one, Helmed (Hermed by Josh Boutwood), received two Michelin stars.
This guide says about Helm, “led by chef Josh Boutwood, helm presents a personal expression of Half-british, Half-Filipinos The menu is close to it, precisely his influence is close to it.”
The first restaurants with national structures include Asador Alfonso and Gallery by Cyele Gonzalez, and Andres Osorio at Asador Alfonso and Carlos Villaflor at Gallery, respectively. The Gallery by Chele, a LongTime Industry Favorite, also received the Michelin Green Star, an award for sustainable gastronomy. Unfortunately, Mr. Boutwood and Mr. Gonzalez had many restaurants that were honored in different categories.
Celera (by Nicco Santos Vantos), hapag (by John Kevin Navoa, the third Dolatre, and Erin Recto; (by Jordy Navarra, another favorite in the industry) round out the list of Michelin One Michelin Star Apholes in the Philippines.
According to the Michelin Guide website, “the Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants that use the highest quality ingredients, where the dishes with a different taste are always of the highest quality.” This is summed up by the tagline “high quality cooking, worth the stop!”. “Michelin Stars are awarded when the personality and talent of the chef is reflected in their expertly crafted dishes; their food is refined and inspired,” says the guide. Two stars in the guide mean, “Excellent cooking, worth the stomach!”.
The guide says, “We considered five universal principles: the quality of the ingredients, the consistency of the ingredients, the personality of the chef’s plans as expressed through their cuisine and over time.” Winners are decided by official evaluators who eat incognito. “When several testers have eaten at the restaurant, they discuss their experiences as a group to make a final decision.”
Special prizes, bib gourmand and guide selection list
Two of the three special awards are mentioned above, but Benjamin Leal of UA Nota went home with a different cocktails award.
Meanwhile, the bib Gourmand selections get Retains that offer “distinctive food at moderate prices” according to the guide. In Manila and its suburbs, these include bolero, brick corner, pubil, COCHA, Pita’s eatya, manam, Taquería, Taquería Franco, Underbelly, and your local. In CEBU, bib Gourmand choices include Abaseria Deli & Café, Curt8, Esmen, Lasa, Pares Batchoy Food House, and Palm & Palm.
As for the Michelin selected restaurants, with 74 points, these are recognized for “the quality of their cuisine, the character of their dining experience, and the overall harmony”.
The recipients were:
-12/10
– Lessons
Aida’s kitchen
-Antonio’s
– The AH
-Aarora
-Imatator
– She left
– Banjarong
– Blackbird
– Butcher
-Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez
-Canton Road
Carmelo’s Steakhouse
-Chie Chie’s Pancit Batil Patung
– China Blue
– Circle
-Coco
-Screw Steakhouse
– Thank you
-Dip
-El poco cantina (rule)
– Good
-NYE by Chele Gonzalez
-Smermda kitchen
-Fong Wei Wu
– Fressca Trattoria
-Inginza nagaoka
-Gordon ramsay bar & grill
-Ge
– Removal of Lechon
– Iai
– Juniper
– Kamakura
– Kei
-Kodawari (Salcedo)
-Lantaw (Compostela, Cebu)
-Locavore (Taguig)
-Lola Helen
– Lore
-Lusso (legazpi)
– Mamacita
-Um
– Maya
– Metis
-Mireo
-Mōdan
– They are yours now
-Oak and smoke
-Offet
-Manila
– Origin
-OsterIa antica
– PAB
-Papillon
-The pares pares (N. Escario Street)
– People’s Palace
– Ramen Ron
– Stay
– Server
– Hello
-Carrat
– Spices
-Steak & Fries
– Summer Palace
-SUPER Uncle Claypot
-Tendam
– Faupe
– Theraza Martinez
– Test kitchen
– Txanton
– If you don’t
-Uk
-Yamazato
Of these, the chef with two stones Mr. Boutwood also Ember, Juniper, and Kishi test. Chele Gonzalez, already with two restaurants on the list with many stars, and the heads are Cantabria and Eye.
“This selection pays tribute to the new generation of Filipino chefs, as well as international chefs who have embraced the Philippines, a bold look, even if they have a hearty life,” said Gwendal Poullennec’s reviewers. Even if the Michelin guide is a statement.
