Birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, or simply surviving another day—there's always a reason to indulge in splurge-worthy food. For whenever you're feeling that craving to treat yourself and are willing to spend maaaybe just a little bit more than usual, here's a list of restaurants that are worth every centavo.
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Restaurants in Manila for special occasions
Automat
Location: 2/F Building A, Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City
For a restaurant of their caliber, Automat's interiors are surprisingly laid-back with an open kitchen that lets you see all the action. It's the perfect match to their creative menu that celebrates food you'll find in your favorite Manila eatery. And with the folks behind multi-awarded Metiz also at the helm, you can be sure that you'll be stuffed with genuinely good food.
From their á la carte menu, start with a fresh Chinoy Salad (P390), a delightfully funky number with century egg and pickled vegetables or the Tinapa Deviled Egg (P150/piece). For mains, you can't go wrong with the Beef Cheek (P2,900) which also comes with rich bone marrow or the Fried Oxtail (P2,600) with shrimp buro, rice, and soup on the side. Finish off the meal with a sweet treat: having the Caramelized Pan de Sal (P400) with keso ice cream is a no brainer.
Pro-tip: Automat regularly changes their menu, and they offer off-menu items, too!
Oak and Smoke
Location: G/F Pacquiao Mansion, 324 H.V. Dela Costa Street, Makati City
It's all about grilling and cooking things over woodfire at Oak and Smoke (hence their name—get it?). This Makati restaurant exudes a cozy by-the-fireplace warmth, too, with lots of natural light from massive floor-to-ceiling windows combined with a rich blue-and-red color scheme and gold accents.
Though your first impression of Oak and Smoke may be that it's all about American barbecue, their menu actually features a lot of Asian-inspired elements. 'Coz you're here to treat yourself, go all out with the USDA Ribeye (P3,350/350 grams), which comes with a yakiniku steak sauce and gochujang-grain mustard. Pair it with the Charred Cauliflower & Cabbage (P400), with a doenjang-garlic cream sauce that makes it luxuriously velvety and umami-rich. Not feeling steak? You also can't go wrong with the lychee-hoisin glazed Frenched Pork Chops (P1,250).
Lusso by Margarita Fores
Location: G/F The Balmori Suites, Rockwell, Makati City; G/F Greenbelt 5, Makati City; G/F The Podium, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Lobster? Check. Black truffles? Check. Caviar? Check. Think of all the food that screams luxury to you, and you can find them at Lusso by Chef Margarita Fores. Named after the Italian word for "luxury," Lusso has become a top-of-mind for splurge-worthy feasts.
With Chef Margarita Fores quite literally attached to Lusso's name, it's a must to have pasta: Splurge with the Live Lobster Linguine (P3,550), a hefty plate for two that comes with whole lobster in a spicy cream sauce—then take it up a notch further by having it with slivers of black truffle, freshly shaved upon order (availability depends on the season). The Bistecca Fiorentina Tuscan Chianina Beef with potato chips, béarnaise sauce, and Dario Cecchini seasoned salt meanwhile goes for a whopping P6,950—but it also big enough for four people so do the girl math, and trust that it's worth it.
Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining
Location: 115 Connecticut Street, San Juan City
You don't need to be a Chinese family's matriarch to host a lauriat at Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining—you do need a group of friends, though, as even their regular serving size is good for a group of six. Make sure they're all seafood lovers, too (or at the very least don't have any allergies) so you can indulge in live seafood freshly cooked upon order like Crab, Suahe, and Tiger Lobster (all prices depend on market price per kilo).
Seafood not really up your alley? You can still feast on other Chinese classics. With Cantonese in Xiu's name, it's a must to sample roasts like the Honey-Glazed Prime Cut Char Siu (P1,080) or the Crispy Pork Belly BBQ Combination (P1,480). And a Chinese feast can never be complete without the Peking Duck with Chinese Pancakes (P4,200/whole, P2,400/half). Add in Xiu's Specialty Fried Rice (P880), and you're sure to be stuffed for quite a while.
Taupe
Location: 26th Street, The Maridien Tower 2, Bonifacio Global City. Reservations required through their website.
With marble tables, plush chairs, and gold accents, Taupe in BGC looks and feels like the height of luxury—this is the restaurant to be if you want to impress. The food by Chef Francis Tolentino (of Almacen among others) won't fail you, too. Their signature tasting menu (P5,000/eight courses, P6,000/10 courses, additional P1,900 for cocktail pairing) brings together local produce from all over the country with luxury ingredients like fresh white truffle and Osciètre caviar.
Aside from their signature tasting menu, Taupe also offers seasonal menus. Currently, they're offering the Nostalgia seasonal menu with food inspired by Chef Francis' childhood.
The Champagne Room
Location: The Manila Hotel, Ermita, Manila
Ask your parents—or even grandparents—where to dine on a special occasion, and The Champagne Room at The Manila Hotel is bound to come up. The Champagne Room has managed to keep its old-world European charm throughout the decades—with grand chandeliers, intricately designed archways, and plush upholstered chairs, you can pretend you're at The Palace of Versailles.
The food on their á la carte menu exudes the same elegance, too. The Roast U.S. Prime Beef Rib (P1,750) and Caesar's Salad (P450) have been favorites for generations. If you're feeling extra fancy, have the Local Lobster in Orange Lobster Beurre Blanc (P2,200)—or if adventurous, try the Escargots (P800/6 pieces) in garlic butter and parsley.
Kasa Palma
Location: 6042 Palma Street, Poblacion, Makati City
Can't go on that beach escape yet? You can head over in the meantime to Kasa Palma in Poblacion. For those who are familiar with Balai Palma by Chef Aaron Isip, this is its sequel-of-sorts, with the same beachy, island-resort vibe.
To sample the best of everything, opt for any of their degustation menus which can go from P3,500 to P8,500 per person, and feature a variety of local seafood, meat, and vegetables all cooked or smoked over firewood. Though if you are not quite hungry enough for a multi-course meal, the á la carte menu is worth trying out, too.
If you don't mind raw when it comes to your seafood, have the Sea Bream Crudo (P780) surrounded by fresh dragon fruit aguachile and served with ube tapioca chips for scooping or the Fine de Claire Oyster (P250/piece) served with green mango relish and warm bone marrow.
