Makati has staked its claim as the culinary heart of the Philippines. In the inaugural 2026 Michelin Guide to the Philippines, the city boasts the sole two-Michelin-starred restaurant (Helm by Josh Boutwood) and five of the nation’s eight one-star eateries. In all, 15 Makati addresses are “Michelin cited”–from Helm and stars like Celera, Hapag, Inatô, Kása Palma and Toyo Eatery, to nine Bib Gourmand picks. In fact, Makati alone now accounts for six of the country’s nine Michelin-starred restaurants, plus nine budget-friendly Bib Gourmand gems (including Lampara, Halong, La Pita and Taquería Franco) known for “exceptional food at moderate prices”. It is a milestone that marks Makati as both a fine-dining destination and a haven for high-quality affordable food.

To help locals and tourists savor all these spots, we created a Michelin crawl map that ties them together. The map traces a loose loop from Makati’s high-end precincts to its hip urban villages. Diners can chart a route from the corporate-and-retail belt around Ayala Triangle out to the bohemian side streets of Poblacion and back toward uptown Makati. The result is a food crawl that’s as easy to follow as it is varied: one day you might be seated under chandeliers on a multi-course tasting menu, the next you’re leaning on a counter with a bowl of ramen or sharing tacos on a sidewalk patio.

Cuisines and styles on this crawl run the gamut. The two-star centerpiece, Helm (Makati), is led by British-Filipino chef Josh Boutwood and serves polished modern tasting menus infused with his dual heritage. Fellow one-star spots also showcase global flair: Celera (Makati) offers bold, layered Asian-fusion dishes drawing from Japan, China and beyond; Kása Palma and Toyo Eatery (both Makati) turn out inventive Filipino contemporary cuisine – their chefs blending French and Southeast Asian techniques with local ingredients. Traditional Filipino flavor finds an upscale forum too: at Hapag and Inatô diners sample refined takes on home-style classics (kinilaw, lechon, pamamanhikan) on intimate tasting menus. In short, Michelin inspectors say these starred kitchens are pursuing “excellent cooking” with precision, creativity and respect for ingredients.

Meanwhile, Makati’s Bib Gourmand roster highlights everyday dining at its best. The map points you to friendly neighborhood spots like Your Local and Halong, where an easygoing menu of Asian-inspired comfort food is designed for sharing. Sarsa and Manam at the Triangle are modern Filipino casuals, serving long-time favorites (pancit, kare-kare, bulalo, sinigang) in vibrant rooms and patio counters. Pilya’s Kitchen is a modest noodle bar in a market stall, famous for chewy pancit canton bowls. Even Taquería Franco made the list–here soft tacos and tortas come with upscale touches (steak frites, foie gras taco) under neon lights. Laid-back eatery Lampara mixes Filipino ingredients with French grill techniques on an inviting terrace, while La Pita brings Middle Eastern shawarma and sabich wraps to a cozy corner of Legazpi Village. These spots prove that Michelin’s lens isn’t only on white-tablecloth service: the guide’s inspectors seek “good quality, good value cooking”, and Makati’s Bib Gourmands deliver just that.

Makati’s new Michelin crawl map is an invitation. It leads you through the city’s culinary high points with clear waypoints – the sleek, star-rated experiences and the beloved local haunts. You can go big (a decadent tasting menu in fancy silver) or keep it humble (piping bowls of kaldereta and halo-halo on a local stool) and still feel part of the same journey. For residents, it confirms what foodies have known: Makati is a dining destination where fine and casual coexist deliciously. For visitors, it’s a ready-made itinerary: 15 restaurants in a 5-kilometer span, all Michelin-approved. Short walks or jeepney rides between them carry you from global gastronomy back to homegrown comfort in minutes.