MANILA -- After years of renovations, Robinsons Galleria Ortigas mall is noticeably brighter and more modern. The mall is, after all, almost 30 years old and badly needed a facelift.

What's more apparent is the number of dining outlets inside the mall. There are more dining options to choose from than when it opened in 1990.

It has been an increasing trend for malls to give way to more restaurants aside from retail stores because more Filipinos are dining out more than ever.

According to Robinsons Land Corporation Commercial Centers Division regional operations manager Myron Lawrence Yao, before the renovations, there were around 96 food and beverage (F&B) outlets in the mall or around 10 percent of the total number of tenants. The mall now is moving toward 140 F&B shops or 20 percent.

EAT STREET

One of the areas that had the best renovation is Eat Street, Robinsons Galleria Ortigas' food court. Before, this area was dark and gloomy but now it's brighter, spacious, and chic.

It has a modern vibe, almost like a food hall but more sophisticated. Gone are the aluminum tables and plastic chairs, now replaced by wood and steel tables and chairs. The building posts are covered in bricks; a combination of ceramic and laminate wood for the flooring; and an interesting criss-cross geometrical lighting fixture that runs all throughout the ceiling of the space.

“What's nice about Eat Street is we want people to enjoy their food that's why there are better lights. We have different kinds of cuisines that you don't see in other food court. That's what makes us unique. We want to inspire people to eat together,” Yao said.

There's a mix of popular fast food brands, original outlets, and international brands.

For instance, Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant is a popular Chinese eatery that originated from Binondo, Manila. The branch at Eat Street serves its classic dishes like lomi, fried chicken, sweet and sour fish, and more.

There's also the specialty shop Hap Chan Hotpot, one of only three branches in the Hap Chan chain that offers shabu shabu.

Of course, there are brands that offer classic Filipino eats like Above Sea Level, Binalot, Davao Tuna Grill, Bagnet Boy, and many more.

On the other hand, Sonoya, a brand from Korea, offers Korean and Japanese cuisine and it even makes its noodles (soba, udon, and ramen) in house.

BKK Express can satisfy a foodie's Thai cravings, while Nitro 7 for that much needed caffeine fix.

However, these brands are just a fraction of the number of offerings at Eat Street.

VERANDA

Veranda, located at the second and third levels, houses casual dining restaurants perfect for date nights, barkada dine outs, family gatherings, and celebrations.

One of the newer brands at the strip is Birdhouse, an original concept that offers flavored chicken wings. Choose from roasted garlic parmesan, K-bomb, chili-garlic, bacon mac and cheese, smokehouse bbq, and pepper cream flavors.

Its sister company Kumori is a Japanese bakery that sells unique pastries from melon bread to three-layered cheese cups.

There's also Nonna's that serves pizza and pasta, while Kisoya offers Korean and Japanese dishes including the popular kimchi udon.

Then there's the eat-all-you-can restaurants like the Cabalen Plus. It's is an affordable (P399 per person) Filipino buffet restaurant that offers traditional Pinoy eats and a bit of Asian flavors like Japanese sushi.

There's also the incredibly popular Samgyupsalamat that serves unlimited Korean barbecue for only P499. Warning: it gets crowded during busy hours.

Aside from full-service restaurants, there's also kiosks specializing in desserts and other treats. The Lost Bread, located on the second level, offers millennial and Instagram-worthy desserts like soft serve ice cream with various toppings and milk tea shakes.

FOR THE KIDS

On the fourth level, mall goers has a clear view of the new ceiling design. It is also at this level where the amusement centers and Movieworld are located. And majority of the restaurants here are “kid-friendly,” which means they offer meals that kids would love. This zone offers various eats not only for kids but for other members of the family as well.

“Level Four is our family bonding area, since this level is where the amusement centers are located like Tom's World, Toys R Us, and of course the first digital playground, Playlab, level four has more family bonding restaurants,” Yao explained.

There are fast food chains, dessert shops, and other casual dining restaurants. There's Mad Marks Creamery that specializes in ice cream. Then there's Go Salads that specializes in healthy eats like salads, smoothies, and paninis.

But there's a lot more to watch out for because new restaurants will be opening soon in different parts of the mall including Popeye's, Biggs Diner, Marugame Udon. Crisostomo, Chacha Go, Original Cake, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Zark's Burger, and Meat Depot.