The Q+A Kitchen offers patrons delicious, handmade pasta served in the cosy atmosphere of Salcedo Village. Partly hidden by the bigger, livelier buildings adjacent to the restaurant, Q+A Kitchen can be somewhat confusing to locate. But trust that the search is worth the find. With a carefully curated pasta menu, the restaurant also offers steaks, salmons, and hearty soups. We recommend their “pici”, which is a thick, hand-rolled pasta and is served either with 19-hour braised-then-grilled pork and garlic Dijon mustard or octopus and chillies.

Along the quiet backstreets of Salcedo Village lies top-tier restaurant Pablo Bistro. A stone’s throw away from Jaime C. Velasquez park, where the weekly Salcedo Saturday Market is held, Pablo Bistro offers expats and locals delicious Spanish fare a la carte or in a set menu. Their fried calamares is a crowd pleaser, as are their paellas, which come with different flavours ranging from chicken and chorizo to squid ink to mushroom truffle and parmesan. 

Despite its name, Little Flour has refrained from staying within the shadows of its sister restaurant, Wildflour. With its signature sisig, Little Flour has introduced Salcedo to its unique brand of Filipino comfort food. Crunchy, salty, and slightly sour, the sisig has quickly become one of their bestsellers alongside the fried chicken and biscuits. For more traditional fare, try their pork adobo rice bowl or cassava cake with cheese. 

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Makati has always been known to be something of a melting pot. This month, head on over to Mantra Indian Kitchen and Bar to add some spice to your diet. Start your meal with the homely tastes of warm naan bread with curry, before taking your taste buds on an adventure through India, north to south. Their lamb biryani is a promising rice meal that can complement the mellow taste of their salmon tikka, which is marinated in yoghurt and spices.

Chef Margarita Fores finds her way back into our hearts with Lusso. From the creator of our beloved Cibo, Chef Margarita brings luxurious ingredients to the forefront of her latest restaurant. From foie gras to prosecco, all the elements on your plate are sure to be of top-notch quality. Ask the waiters for the specials of the day to taste fresh, in-season recipes that range from well-seasoned halibut to decadent tiramisu croccante.

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A crowd favourite, The Wholesome Table has become everyone’s go-to for fresh, healthy meals. A pioneer in local farm-to-table dining, The Wholesome Table offers guests guiltless treats for dinner, drinks, and dessert. Start your meal off with their Vietnamese spring rolls or Turkey scotch egg. Their miso-glazed salmon and pork chops are bona fide best sellers, as are their woodfired pizzas. A personal favourite, for those looking for a sweet treat, is their Coco Nut N’ice Cream which balances coconut and dark chocolate flavours to create a guiltless ice cream made from almond milk and cashew cream. 

French food can be intimidating; to some, it feels heavy, serious, a tad too refined. However, Metronome in Legaspi Village, aims to showcase French cuisine as something light, airy, almost casual. Spearheaded by expert restaurateurs Elbert Cuenca, Miko Calo, Alain Borgers, and RJ Galang, Metronome has redefined French cuisine in the Philippines. Their foie gras tart is a graceful treat, a buttery tartlet filled with foie parfait and spiced up by tamarind and roasted hazelnut. Miko Calo also recommends her hamachi as a starter, which is a beautiful melange of Pacific yellowtail, pink radish, tomato coulis, and Mindanao limes.

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IKOMAI & TOCHI brings the sleek, minimalist Japanese design to their restaurant in Salcedo. With clean lines and fresh ingredients, they take on the arduous mission of recreating a cultural experience within a single palette. Try some of their kushikatsu, skewered bits of meat, seafood and vegetables that range from duck and leek to wasabi cream cheese. Their lunch set, which comes with miso soup, a Japanese side, and a tochi dessert has also been known to make our mouths water. 

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Serving fusion cuisine from their kitchen in Legaspi, The Pig Pen marries the piquant tastes of Asian fare with the rich flavours of European cooking. Their sisig papadum nachos are the perfect pika to go with any or all of their curated cocktails (or their long list of wines). Thai flavours come alive with their grilled tamarind chicken and grilled salmon with papaya and mango salad; while those looking for a taste of Seoul can find it within bites of their pork belly kimchi.

The menu at Elbert’s Pizzeria is short and sweet. They give the best of what they know — pizza. From three pizza bases — marinara, bianca, and margherita — guests are invited to choose which toppings are best suited for whatever they’re craving. Using only the freshest and most straightforward ingredients, Elbert’s Pizzeria is far from boring; rather, it brings about that classic Italian pizza flavour we’ve been looking all over for. 

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of our Best Restaurants Guide 2020 for a complete list of our favorite restaurants all around the country. 

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