Filipinos love to eat. Delicious tasting food brings us comfort and happiness while working, or after a long day of hustling.

Filipinos are not afraid of trying something new. We welcome international dishes – sometimes our palates are even more adventurous than we are. We crave the experience of extra and bursting flavors in our mouth all the time. We get excited when we encounter familiar and new tastes which liven up our mood.

So, where can you satisfy these cravings?

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls' Uptown Bonifacio has a new roster of local and international restaurants that cater to every craving. Whether you are looking for authentic hawker food, Spanish-Filipino fiesta dishes, Japanese-Peruvian fusion, or comforting desserts such as Japanese ice cream and LA style donuts, or probably just looking for a place to party or chill after a long day, it is all now part of the wide range of restaurants you can find at the mall.

Home to authentic hawker food

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Get a taste of authentic hawker food right at Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Tiong Bahru Philippines

Do you miss the bursting flavors of the hawker food in Singapore? Well, you may want to visit the Tiong Bahru at the 4F of Uptown Mall.

Tiong Bahru Philippines takes pride in their authenticity, as having their food taste the same as their Singapore branch.

The restaurant in Singapore was founded by Chefs Koh Kim Hock and Cheong Weng Wah and is now available in the Philippines for everyone to get a taste of the same flavors as that of the hawker branch.

"Actually, our head chefs are mainly trained sila specific ng head chef namin from Singapore itself. Singapore really visits this area. Para to check the quality of the food," shares Marti Ablaza, Operations Manager at Tiong Bahru - Uptown Bonifacio.
(Actually, our head chefs are mainly trained by the head chef in Singapore. The Singaporean branch visits this area to check the quality of the food.

For five years, Tiong Bahru Philippines has been awarded with the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. With branches in Pasay, Makati, Quezon City, and now it has found its fourth home in Uptown Bonifacio.

The winning dish – Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice comes in three sizes: single serving with rice, half, and whole portion without rice. It also comes with sauces like sweet soy, chili ginger, and ginger.

Hainanese chicken fans can really taste the freshness of the chicken, as they do not use frozen chicken but only fresh ones, handpicked from local suppliers, while their spices are mainly from Singapore.

Tiong Bahru also offers Roasted Chicken for Filipinos who want their chicken to be served hot and with a crispy texture on the outside and soft meat on the inside.

Ablaza explains that Hainanese Chicken is not served hot, unlike the roasted version. The reason behind this is that signature Hainanese chicken is boiled to a point that the chicken becomes soft and jelly-like but not soggy, then it is placed in an ice bath to stop it from overcooking.

For their side dishes, one of their best sellers is the Tiong Bahru Style Fried Tofu. The tofu they use is directly imported from Singapore.

They also have other specialty dishes like the Fish Curry that is made with the local Biluan fish and the Vegetable Curry, both use 80 percent spices imported straight from Singapore to maintain its authentic taste. These dishes can be partnered with their Singaporean Iced Tea and the Barley Drink.

Bring the fiesta to your plates

Feeling a little festive? Craving for a huge portion of food for a meal? Consider visiting the Secret Kitchen at the 4/F Food Hall, Uptown Mall.

The Cochi plates are enough to satisfy a huge appetite. Customers can choose from three plates varying from buttered garlic Cochi rice, sweet and spicy noodles, both rice and noodles with a side salad and buffalo soup. Each plate is topped with Cochi slices, which is the roasted piglet masterpiece – cochinillo by chef and actor, Marvin Agustin.

Secret Kitchen offers Roast Pork Belly, Baked Chicken with Truffle and Mushroom Sauce, Singaporean Chili Crab, Sushi Platter, and if you want the whole cochinillo to serve at a party or gathering then it is best to inform the kitchen ahead for the next day or if you are lucky and there is an available pork at the time you visit, all you have to do is wait for five hours to take home the whole piglet.

The Secret Kitchen has also included Mr. Vin's Munchies desserts in their menu, with nine original cake flavors to choose from, have a slice or take home a box of Sansrival to your family.

"What we want our customers to experience is value for money, masarap and sulit which is our goal whenever we create something, because siyempre pandemic, inflation… while nothing is perfect we try to make it as perfect as possible for the experience in terms of portion and quality," shares Marvin Agustin, president and founder of the Yummyverse, the flagship company of the Secret Kitchen.

As the Secret Kitchen continues to expand, as well as the other brands in the Yummyverse, it desires to satisfy each and every customer.

"We want the Filipinos to feel happy," shares Chef Ed Bugia, currently the head chef of Secret Kitchen. "Customers are always king, kunwari when you make recipes and creations, you have to understand you are not your customer. Hindi dapat ikaw lang ang masaya dapat 'yung customers mo ang masaya."
(We want customers to feel happy. Customers are always king, so when for example you make recipes and creations you have to understand you are not your customer. You are not the only one who is supposed to be happy but your customers need to be happy).

To spread more joy, the Secret Kitchen will also be opening a separate stall for the Mr. Vin's Munchies at the Cinema of Uptown Mall, for cakes, desserts, soft serve ice cream fans, and coffee lovers.

Marvin Agustin, president and founder of the Yummyverse shares that he spends time creating new dishes for customers to enjoy because of his inseparable love for food. Growing up, the food industry was his bread and butter and he always felt a special attachment to food service.

Chill-refreshing gastronomic experience

Chill, dine, and drink with friends or have some alone time with Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. Photo source: Nikkei Robata

Chill, dine, and drink with friends or have some alone time with Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. Photo source: Nikkei Robata

Chill, dine, and drink with friends or have some alone time with Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. Photo source: Nikkei Robata

Chill, dine, and drink with friends or have some alone time with Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. Photo source: Nikkei Robata

Chill, dine, and drink with friends or have some alone time with Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. Photo source: Nikkei Robata

If you are looking for a relaxing place to dine, or even a place to drink and hang out on a weekend or after work, or even bring your balikbayan friends then you may want to dine in at Nikkei Robata, located at the 36th Street corner 8th Avenue, Uptown Ritz, Uptown Bonifacio.

The Japanese-Peruvian restaurant serves some of the classic Japanese dishes such as sushi bento boxes that come with miso soup, traditional sashimi cuts, nigiri and maki, as well as other traditional Japanese dishes. But what makes the menu at Nikkei Robata different is their Robata cooked dishes.

Robata or 'Robatayaki' is the 'fireside cooking' in Japanese cuisine which means that food comes straight from the grill to the plate. It is not dry, unlike what you would imagine grilled food to be. Their technique keeps the juices in the food while adding a smoky flavor. You can also order their Robata Steak, Iberico Pork Ribs, Black Cod with Spicy Shiso Ponzu, other seafood robata cooked dishes, as well as their Yakitori and Kushiyaki that is also cooked in the same Robata grill.

Customers can also avail of their Bounce Back Hour promo at Nikkei Robata where customers can get three drinks for around P595+ from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Nikkei Robata takes pride in ensuring that their ingredients are of high quality. Their seafood and other ingredients are freshly delivered daily to avoid food waste and to maintain quality.

"When our customers arrive at any Nikkei outlet, we want them to feel like VIP. We want to capture and create new first-time customers but at the same time be able to sustain the regular VIP guests," shares Monica Modomo, PR and Communications Manager of the Nikkei Group.

So, if you are looking for a chill place to just breathe, relax, and fire up your taste buds, then walk right into the doors of Nikkei Robata.

Drinks, food, party, and music

Uptown Bonifacio is known for being the hangout place of the younger crowd. With bustling, high class to chill bars available to take in the fun-loving youngsters, Wicked Dogs sets itself apart by offering not just affordable drinks compared to its neighbors but also filling dishes that customers of all ages can enjoy.

Looking for filling meals or a place to drink and chat with friends? Head on to Wicked Dogs, Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Megaworld Lifestyle Malls website

Looking for filling meals or a place to drink and chat with friends? Head on to Wicked Dogs, Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Megaworld Lifestyle Malls website

Looking for filling meals or a place to drink and chat with friends? Head on to Wicked Dogs, Uptown Bonifacio. Photo source: Megaworld Lifestyle Malls website

Wicked Dogs, which started in Poblacion in 2017, was known as the local college bar - where students could party and eat as the drinks are affordable. Now, in 2022 with their additional new home in Uptown Parade, Wicked Dogs wants to remain as the place where party and chill meet.

Depending on the day of your visit you can enjoy acoustic nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays while there are guest DJs ready to get the party vibe going every Friday and Saturday night. While Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday nights are for relax drinking and chill time with your buddies.

During lunch and merienda, customers can enjoy hotdogs, burgers, fish and chips, and other main course dishes that get you filled up.

According to owners Jason Mercado and Teddy Reyna, any day is a good day to visit Wicked Dogs – depending on what you are looking for.

"If you are looking for a place to just chill, talk to people, talk to your friends… Wicked Dogs is where you want to visit," shares Teddy Reyna, one of the owners of Wicked Dogs.

Satisfied with every sweet scoop

Kurīmu offers one of a kind premium Japanese ice cream that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Photo source: Kurīmu Facebook page

Kurīmu offers one of a kind premium Japanese ice cream that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Photo source: Kurīmu Facebook page

Kurīmu offers one of a kind premium Japanese ice cream that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Photo source: Kurīmu Facebook page

Kurīmu offers one of a kind premium Japanese ice cream that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Photo source: Kurīmu Facebook page

Filipinos love sweets and ice cream is welcome anytime and all time. That is why if you want a different kind of experience than your regular ice cream, you may want to pamper yourself with a scoop or a 16oz pint of a premium Japanese ice cream from Kurīmu.

Kurīmu is basically taken from the word 'Aisukurīmu' which is literally ice cream in Japanese. Owners Max and her husband Bryan Kong, who is a restaurateur, wanted their brand name to be straightforward much like their ice cream with simple but unique flavors and types.

They also offer non-dairy ice cream which is made with their very own oat milk.

"We started with funky flavors like Shoyou Caramel and we realized that people responded to that and now we are known for our unique flavors. We always try to put a spin on things," shares Bryan Kong.

Kurīmu has been partnering up with brands to create one of a kind ice cream flavors such as the first strawberry ice cream with active collagen which they called 'Strawberry Glow.'

The ice cream brand also ensures that they use high quality ingredients for each ice cream flavor. They make an effort to import their cream, milk, other ingredients and even the matcha they use for their ice cream directly from Uji, Japan - to ensure that customers get the value of what they are paying for.

"We are being very hands on with our product – it is our baby so we are sticklers for quality. We want to provide more channels for people to experience Kurīmu, but we also want to ensure how the quality is being maintained," shares Max Kong, co-owner Kurīmu.

She also adds that they took a lot of inspiration from how the Japanese do small tasks very well and creatively, and that is what inspires them in making sure that the quality of their ice cream is well-maintained.

Kurīmu currently has 14 flavors in which you can check out on their website and as they expand their flavors they hope that their customers can sit down at their shops and enjoy their ice cream. Or maybe take it home for a movie night, share with family or friends, or finish a whole pint by yourself as a treat.

Classic and trendy donuts

Craving for donuts? Head on to Randy's Donuts for a donut that melts in your mouth. Photo source: ABS-CBN News

Craving for donuts? Head on to Randy's Donuts for a donut that melts in your mouth. Photo source: ABS-CBN News

Craving for donuts? Head on to Randy's Donuts for a donut that melts in your mouth. Photo source: ABS-CBN News

Are you a fan of donuts? Well, better start lining up and get a taste of these large donuts by Randy's Donuts at Uptown Bonifacio – located at the Uptown Parade, Uptown Bonifacio.

Randy's Donuts has been around since 1952. As a world recognized donut shop that has appeared in several movies, television and advertising placements in Hollywood – it ensures that each bite of the donut is fluffy, large in size, and soft enough to melt in your mouth, which has been the signature of the LA based donut shop.

Luckily, Filipinos can now taste the internationally recognized donut brand in Uptown Bonifacio.

Donut fans can taste all the 40 flavors of Randy's Donuts, as well as their coffee and donut sandwiches, and other menus at the shop. Also, right at the curb side is an express lane for assorted boxes and individual donut pieces.

So, if you are craving for something sweet and filling, why not head on to Randy's Donuts and get a bite?

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls and Uptown Bonifacio are continuously welcoming shops, restaurants, and brands that cater to every individual's craving. So next time you are wondering where you can satiate your appetite, head on to the mall and you might just find what you are looking for.

To know what else you can find at the Uptown Bonifacio visit their website or check out their Facebook page to know of the latest shops, promos, and other offerings.