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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Food devider The Curator ranks among Asia's Best Bars 2025

The Curator ranks among Asia's Best Bars 2025

The Makati bar celebrates 10 consecutive years on the list, lands at No. 78

Published Jul 4, 2025 07:53 am
The Curator Coffee and Cocktails in Makati City continues its decade-long streak on Asia’s Best Bars, earning the No. 78 spot on the 2025 list. It is the only Philippine bar included in this year’s extended 51–100 rankings.
Opened in 2016, The Curator made an immediate impression on the regional bar scene, debuting at No. 16 in its first year. Since then, it has ranked consistently: climbing as high as No. 25 in 2017, and securing top 50 placements for most of the past decade. It landed at No. 42 in 2018, then rose again to No. 23 in 2019. The bar placed 38th in 2020, followed by No. 42 in 2021.
In 2022, The Curator slipped to No. 62, its first time outside the top 50, just ahead of fellow Makati bar Oto. It made a strong comeback in 2023 at No. 34, then improved further to No. 33 in 2024.

This year’s No. 78 placement marks its lowest ranking to date but reaffirms its standing as a fixture in Asia’s bar scene. The bar has appeared in every edition of the awards since its inception, making 2025 its tenth consecutive year on the list.
The establishment was founded by David Ong and Bernice Tiu and has long been regarded as a pioneer in Manila’s third-wave coffee and cocktail movement.
While the top 50 bars for 2025 are still to be announced, The Curator’s continued presence in the rankings underlines its influence and consistency in an industry often defined by rapid shifts and fleeting trends.
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