The Michelin Guide has officially arrived in the Philippines.
On October 30, the inaugural selection of Michelin Guide Philippines restaurants in Manila, Cebu, and the regions of Pampanga, Tagaytay, and Cavite was announced at an exclusive, invitation-only ceremony held at the Manila Marriott Hotel in Newport World Resorts.
The historical decision to bring the Michelin Guide to the Philippines was first announced this February, although there had already been earlier whispers of anonymous Michelin inspectors exploring the local cuisine. Gwendall Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide, noted that the Michelin inspectors had selected a total of 108 Philippine restaurants to be included in the inaugural guide.
Asador Alfonso, Celera, Gallery by Chele, Hapag, Inato, Kasa Palma , Linamnam, Toyo Eatery, all receive a coveted Michelin star each. Helm made history as the first and only two Michelin star in the inaugural Michelin Guide Philippines.
The award ceremony kicked off with the awarding of the Michelin Green Star, an accolade given to dining establishments that consistently follow high sustainability standards in daily operations. Gallery by Chele is the first Philippine restaurant to receive the distinction.
Next, the dining establishments to be included in the Michelin Guide’s inaugural Philippine edition were announced. In alphabetical order, they are:
• 12/10
• abli
• Aida’s Chicken
• Antonio’s
• Ato-ah
• Aurora
• Automat
• Ayà
• Benjarong
• Blackbird
• Butcher Boy
• Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez
• Canton Road
• Carmelo’s Steakhouse
• Chie Chie’s Pancit Batil Patung
• China Blue
• Cirkulo
• COCO
• Cru Steakhouse
• Deo Gracias
• DIP
• El Poco Cantina (Malate)
• Ember
• Enye by Chele Gonzalez
• Esmerelda Kitchen
• Fong Wei Wu
• Fresca Trattoria
• Ginza Nagaoka
• Gordon Ramsay & Grill
• Goxo
• House of Lechon
• Iai
• Juniper
• Kamakura
• Kei
• Kodowari (Salcedo)
• Lantaw (Compostela)
• Locavore (Taguig)
• Lola Helen
• Lore
• Lusso (Legazpi)
• Mamacita
• Man Ho
• Maya
• Metiz
• Mirèio
• MODAN
• Now Now
• Oak & Smoke
• Offbeat
• Old Manila
• Origine
• Osteria Antica
• Pablo
• Papillon
• Pares Pares (N. Escario St)
• People’s Palace
• Ramen Ron
• Sala
• Seva
• Sialo
• Socarrat
• Spices
• Steak & Frice
• Summer Palace
• Super Uncle Claypot
• Tandem
• Taupe
• Terraza Martinez
• The Test Kitchen
• Txanton
• Uma Nota
• Umu
• Yamazato
Next, the Guide announced the Philippine restaurants awarded the Bib Gourmand, which honors restaurants that offer excellent three-course meals at reasonable prices. They are the following:
• Abaseria Deli & Cafe
• Bolero
• Brick Corner
• Casbel
• COCHI
• CUR8
• Em Hà Noi
• Esmen
• Halong
• Kumba
• La Pita
• Lampara
• Lasa
• Los Tacos
• Manam at the Triangle
• Morning Sun Eatery
• Palm Grill (Diliman)
• Pares Batchoy Food House
• Pilya’s Kitchen
• Sarsa
• SOME THAI
• Taqueria Franco
• The Pig & Palm
• The Underbelly
• Your Local
The evening then pivoted to recognizing the figures who were honored Special Awards. Don Patrick Baldosano of Linamnam received the Young Chef Award. Erin Recto of Hapag earned the Service Award. Finally, Benjamin Leal of Uma Nota was awarded the Exceptional Cocktails Award.
The air in the grand ballroom shifted as the ceremony moved on to the main event of the evening: the awarding of restaurants that had earned a single Michelin Star. The star is awarded to any restaurant that offers outstanding cooking, following five universal criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and, just as importantly, consistency across the entire menu and over time.
The newly minted Michelin-starred restaurants are the following:
• Asador Alfonso
• Celera
• Gallery by Chele
• Hapag
• Inatô
• Kasa Palma
• Linamnam
• Toyo Eatery
The big reveal of the evening was the awarding of restaurants that received two prestigious Michelin stars. Helm by Josh Boutwood made history as the first Philippine restaurant to receive the distinction.
