Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
Same taste, but in a wider space! Well-loved coffee shop harlan + holden introduces its flagship store with a two-story dining space, catering to more customers than their previous branch.
What’s good about this new outpost is that customers don’t need to travel far to reach the second branch, as the coffee brand is located within the streets of Bonifacio Global City (BGC).
Still with the same minimalistic design, with shades of black and white, the latest branch closely follows the first branch’s layout with a counter of built-in coffee machines and exclusive harlan + holden coffee goodies you can buy in store.
The second floor of the store is a perfect spot to observe and appreciate mundane things while sipping your favorite coffee and catching up with friends after a long day of work.
The flagship store also offers an exclusive menu along with the usual menu items that you can find in the brand’s other branches.
Located on 28th Street corner 3rd Avenue, BGC, harlan + holden coffee is the place to be to sip on your favorite coffee and have a fantastic café experience. Follow them on Facebook or Instagram for more details.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
Okada Manila is embracing spring in style with a lineup of gourmet experiences, family activities, and wellness indulgences running throughout April. Enjoy everything from lavish Easter buffets to rejuvenating spa treatments, promising to leave you feeling as refreshed as a blooming flower!
Enjoy Seasonal Feasts and Easter Delights
Celebrate Easter with the Hoppy and Hearty Easter Buffet at Medley Buffet on Apr. 20, 2025. Diners can feast on fresh seafood, succulent roasts, and Easter-themed desserts, with a specialegg hunt for families. The buffet is priced at P4,500 nett per adult and P2,250 nett per child.
For a more refined afternoon, A Taste of Spring High Tea at the Lobby Lounge offers floral-infused pastries, finger sandwiches, and premium teas. Available from Apr. 1 to May 1, 2025, the set is priced at P1,150 nett for one and P2,280 nett for two.
Courtesy of Okada Manila
Foodies can also savor seasonal menus, including La Piazza’s Primavera Perfection, featuring marinated ocean trout, green pea ravioli, andRomana-style pizza with shrimp and stracciatella cheese. Available from Apr. 1 to 30, 2025, dishes start at P400. Meanwhile, Okada’s traditional Chinese restaurant Yu Lei offers the Flavors in Bloom set menu by Chef Mikiya Imagawa for P6,800 nett, available until Apr. 20, 2025.
For those with a sweet tooth, A Sweet Easter Surprise at the Lobby Lounge and Pastry Shop features Easter cakes and chocolates from Apr. 10 to 21, 2025, starting at P450 nett.
Family Fun
Families can enjoy Easter Fun at Cove Manila Beach Club on Apr. 20, 2025, with live entertainment, poolside activities, and special treats. Tickets start at P1,788 nett. Kids can also get active with Flip, Jump & Play Gymnastics Classes at PLAY, with trial sessions for P750 and full-term packages from P9,888 nett.
Seasonal Spa and Beauty Indulgences
Courtesy of Okada Manila
For a spring refresh, The Retreat Spa offers a Total Relaxation Package for P8,900, including a 60-minute Pore to Pure Facial, 30-minute Aromatherapy Scrub, and a 30-minute Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage.
The Beauty Salon presents the Springtime Glow Treatment, with a Glow Boost Hair Treatment for P888 when paired with a Base Hair Color service. At the Nail Art Studio, Blooming Nails offers spring-inspired nail art with a complimentary Hand Thera Paraffin treatment for P2,500.
Location: Okada Manila, New Seaside Drive 1701 Parañaque Metro Manila ·
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
Attention all vegans, plant-based enthusiasts, and adventurous foodies! The Philippines’ first and biggest vegan festival is set to take place on Mar. 29 to 30, 2025 along the Paseo de Roxas Avenue in Makati City.
Now in its 10th year, VegFest Pilipinas 2025 promises to be a vibrant celebration of veganism and invites everyone to enjoy this two-day festival filled with a wide array of delicious vegan cuisine, a culinary showdown from talented chefs, and inspiring talks and discussions about veganism!
This event is organized by Philippine animal rights and welfare group Vegans of Manila, and offers a look into the benefits of adapting a vegan lifestyle while still staying true to Filipino culture, creativity, and community.
Apart from the variety of vegan Filipino cuisine available, one of the festival’s highlights is the “Sarap Maging Vegan!” Cooking Competition LuzViMin Division, where talented chefs from the Philippine islands compete to present the most creative and innovative vegan dishes.
These talented chefs are Chef Richard Gomez of Chad’s Bar and Grill from Ilocos (Luzon), Chef April Lucero of Vegan Island Restaurant from Cebu (Visayas), and Chef Minerva Benzohan of Salirut Restaurant from General Santos City (Mindanao).
Interested to know what food stalls you’ll be seeing at the VegFest Pilipinas 2025? Here’s a list:
Maryland ChickAn (Deep Fried Watermelon)
Boochamama
Blue Eco Fam
Fungify
Bread x Salt
Earth Desserts
Edens Vegan Food Hub
Coolava Citrus Bar
Get Bowl’d
Aigoo
Dehusk
Diwata Vibe
Happy Scoop
Manalo Filipino
Marikina Vegan
Monki Monki
Moonchild Crystal
Planted
Remedy Drinks
The Farmassist
Nuttelex
Om Bakes
And more!
Entrance to this vegan festival is free, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore plant-based products and lifestyle!
For more information and updates, check out the VegFest Pilipinas pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
Couldn’t get enough of “Culinary Class Wars?”Solaire Resort is allowing you to experience some of the dishes featured on the hit Netflix show as they bring Chef Choi to Manila this April!
For two exclusive evenings, be part of an intimate dining experience with Chef Choi Hyun Seok, who will be showcasing some of his signature dishes from “Culinary Class Wars” alongside specially crafted amuse-bouches and desserts. You can witness the master at work at the Finestra Italian Steakhouse at the Solaire Resort in Parañaque City on Apr. 5,with a second serving at their Vertis North branch on Apr. 6.
Diners will be treated to a special Korean-inspired menu with his famed Vongole— a unique Korean twist on the classic Italian clam pasta — taking center stage. And yes, he’s including garlic this time! Other menu highlights include Miyeok-guk, a refined version of the classic Korean seaweed soup, and the masterful Jang Trio Steak, featuring the famed Korean “Jang” sauces. Satisfy your sweet tooth with the trio of desserts, which includes two amuse-bouchesand a sweet bingsu-inspired creation.
Fans of Chef Choi or the show can avail of this one-of-a-kind dining experience and taste his amazing creations for P11,888. You can reserve your spot here.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
Anyone up for a taste of a real St. Paddy’s Day celebration?
Get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with a taste of Irish whiskey at The Spirits Library this Mar. 15, 2025, at 4:30 PM with The Tasting Club.
Following their Irish Whiskey Tasting with Kris Ong from last year that featured a selection of rare Irish whiskeys, The Tasting Club continues this tasting journey through Ireland with another selection of Irish whiskies: Tullamore DEW, Writer’s Tears Copper Pot, The Irishman Single Malt, Waterford Ballymorgan 1.2, Yellow Spot 12 Years, and Redbreast 12 Years.
The Irish Whiskey Tasting is priced at P2,000 nett per person, with bookings to be directed to The Tasting Club on Instagram.
To get the most out of the Irish whiskey tasting experience, here’s a rundown of every Irish whiskey type. These liquors depend on the type of grain used and its distillation process.
Single Malt Irish Whiskey: These whiskeys are made entirely from malted barley that are distilled in a pot still inside a single distillery. These can be double or triple distilled. The Irishman Single Malt is a whiskey of this type.
Single Pot Still Whiskey: This is a mixture of malted and unmalted barley that is completely distilled in a pot still inside a single distillery. The difference between single malt and single pot still whiskey is the addition of raw, unmalted grain. Yellow Spot 12 Years is a single pot still whiskey.
Grain Whiskey: This is a whiskey type produced from continuous distillation in a column or Coffey still and is produced from a variety of grains.
Blended Whiskey: This is a mix of all other types and is the most common style of Irish and Scotch whiskeys. Tullamore DEW is a blended whiskey.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
The home of the burger and lobster has just arrived in the Philippines!
One of London’s most famous restaurants, Burger & Lobster, has opened their first branch in the Philippines, located at the Upper Ground Level of the SM Aura Premier in Bonifacio Global City.
Get ready to crack some shells, hear the sizzles of beef, devour some good food, raise a glass, and do all those things again at Burger & Lobster.
Launched in late February and opening its doors in early March, the restaurant features some of its classic dishes from London, including The Burger (The Mayfair) (P990), The Lobster (Classic Whole Lobster) (P4790), and The Lobster Roll (P1650). They also introduced two new Manila-exclusive dishes—The Honcho Burger (P595)and Surf & Turk Platter (P4290/P6390)—to cater to the Filipino palate.
Other items on the menu worth looking out for are the Lobster Mac & Cheese (P990), Atomic Burger (P695), Manila Roll (P790), Spicy Chili Lobster (P3190/P5490), The B&L Combo One (P5290), and the B&L Combo Two (P7090).
Location: Burger & Lobster, Upper Ground Level, SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City
Opening Hours: 10 AM to 10 PM
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
Nothing fills our stomachs – and our hearts – quite like a panaderiadoes. Despite the popularity of imported brands and flavors, Filipino-style bakeries continue to thrive in our community.
While this might mainly be due to accessibility and affordability, no one can deny the unique charm that these traditional bakeries imbibe. From delicious sweetbreads to affordable cakes and pastries, every neighborhood panaderia provides families with daily bread to get through the day.
Today, we list down some of the most iconic traditional bakeries that have built a name for themselves in the Philippine market. With decades of experience and a customer base spanning generations, these traditional bakeries serve up delicious goodies – plus a generous serving of comfort and nostalgia!
Kamuning Bakery
Kamuning Bakery hopia | Instagram/Kamuning Bakery
An icon of Quezon City, Kamuning Bakery was founded in 1939 by Atty. Leticia Bonifacio Javier and her husband, Marcelo. The former was familiar with the bakeshop business, being the daughter of the proprietors who ran Los Banos Bakery in Manila.
A favorite of generations past, Kamuning Bakery has been praised by renowned writers such as Nick Joaquin and Doreen Fernandez. Today, it is owned by entrepreneur and writer, Wilson Lee-Flores, who took over the bakery in 2013 and continues to uphold the traditional values that the bakery stands for. He has refused to open Kamuning Bakery up for franchise, choosing instead to focus on quality over quantity. In 2025, the brand continues the tradition of baking with a pugon (wood-fired) ovens and has also expanded to selling Pinoy and Chinese favorites such as pancit, palabok, and hopia.
Those who yearn for a taste of the yesteryears will also be happy to know that Kamuning Bakery still serves up some of their original breads and pastries such as their creamy egg pie, pandesal, cheese roll, and hopia.
Hindi Ko Akalain cookies from Panaderia Dimas-Alang | Instagram/Panaderia Dimas-Alang
Panaderia Dimas-Alang officially celebrated its centennial in 2019, entering its 106th year this 2025. This Pasig landmark was originally opened in the early years of the 1900s, calling itself Panaderia Dos Hermanos and was owned by Alejandro Gonzalez. After his wife’s death, Alejandro passed the bakery onto the hands of his sister-in-law, Teresa Santos. Teresa was the lady who officially renamed the bakery to Panaderia Dimas-Alang in 1919.
The bakery has proudly survived a fire, a World War, and now a pandemic, staying true to its patriotic name, “Dimas-Alang,” which means “untouchable.” Interestingly, “Dimasalang” was also Jose Rizal’s pen name during his stint at liberal publication La Solidaridad.
The bakery’spandesal is famous for its slight smoky aroma and crisp bite. Frequent customers also know that their pandesal recipe tends to be saltier than its commercial counterparts (which can be sweet). The bakery is also well-known for their square-shaped biscuits called “Hindi Ko Akalain,” as well as for staples such as pan de coco (bread with coconut), Spanish bread, egg pie, and brazo de Mercedes.
Yema cake from Panaderia Pantoja | Instagram/Panaderia Pantoja
Though famous around the world, Panaderia Pantoja finds its roots in the humble city of Tanauan, Batangas. Founded in 1950, the bakery first came about when its founders, Aurelio and Celinda Pantoja, found a worn-out oven in someone’s backyard. After investing P50,000 into the business, the Pantoja couple was able to fix the oven, hire a few panaderos (bakers), and begin making handmade bread to serve the community.
Today, Aurelio and Celinda’s son, Arturo, helms the business as Chairman Emeritus of this full-fledged corporation. Panaderia Pantoja has also begun exporting certain goods to countries such as the United States, Qatar, and Japan.
For fresh bread, we recommend heading to their bakeries for a bite of their famous yema cake or ensaymada. However, if you’re looking for pantry goods that you can snack on later in the day, Panaderia Pantoja is known to make deliciousbiscocho(twice-baked breads that can be sweet or savory), lengua de gato(butter cookies), and broas(ladyfingers).
Panaderia Pantoja has multiple branches located in San Juan City, Quezon City, and Taguig City
Sampaloc-based bakery, Tinapayan Festival, is the brainchild of Lucito Chavez, a Batangas native who founded the bakery in the 1980s. While good business sense and knowledge in baking has helped Lucito navigate the industry, creativity has also been a boon that’s helped grow his business. This fun bakeshop takes the vibrant palate of the Filipino and creates wonderful breads to serve to their customers. They are particularly famous for their ube loaf, a vibrant purple that boasts of a deep ube aroma.
Tinapayan Festival has also come up with unique recipes such as a “fruity” loaf and a Biscoff loaf. In the past, Tinapayan Festival served up healthy and unique alternatives to their traditional pandesal recipe, releasing squash pandesal, malunggay(moringa) pandesal, and kamote(sweet potato) pandesal.
A Salcedo Market favorite, Masa Bakery is a hit amongst the contemporary crowds who frequent Makati. They’ll be celebrating 20 years of business in 2027 and are continuing to build a legacy honouring traditional Filipino bread and pastry.
Of course, a contemporary brand must know how to reinvent and cater to the current palate of their customers. To cater to their cosmopolitan audience, Masa Bakery adds a modern twist unto their recipes. They’d recently released heart-shaped bread for Valentine’s Day 2025 and are known to makeensaymada out of brioche. Nevertheless, traditionalists can also drop by their Salcedo Market stall for a taste of nostalgic favorites such as Spanish bread, pan de coco, and adobo pandesal.
Masa Bakery can be found every Saturday, at Salcedo Market from 7am to 2pm
Visit them at Jaime C Velasquez Park on Tordesillas St. Cor Toledo St., Salcedo Village, Makati City
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
After 15 years of globetrotting through the kitchens of New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, Chef Kevin David is finally opening the doors to his own culinary haven,Restaurant Idalia.
Before opening its doors permanently, Restaurant Idaliais offering a sneak peek at its menu with an exclusive Kitchen Takeover at Bibio. For two nights only, Chef Kevin David will be showcasing his signature produce-driven cooking in an intimate dining experience that blends refined technique with bold, ingredient-focused flavors.
Taking place at Bibio Natural Wine Bar in Poblacion, Makati City on Mar. 14 and Mar. 15, 2025, this is a rare chance to sample Idalia’s highly anticipated menu.
Instagram/Restaurant Idalia
Restaurant Idalia is rooted in a passion for purposeful, ingredient-led cooking. Expect a thoughtfully curated selection of dishes, from Laffa FlatbreadwithHummus for P375 and Crispy Calamari (P600) to an umami-packedUdon "Carbonara" with Togarashi and Onsen Egg (P500).
For mains, the NY Strip steak with soubise, leeks, and wine jus(P1,950) promises a perfectly executed indulgence, and dessert lovers can end the night with an Auro Chocolate Tortawith pistachio, orange, and crème fraîche(P425).
Instagram/Restaurant Idalia
This takeover sets the stage for Restaurant Idalia’s long-awaited permanent home, marking the evolution of what began as a series of seasonal pop-ups into a full-fledged dining experience.
Seats are extremely limited, so book now!
For more information, visit Restaurant Idalia on their Instagram. Visit the wine bar Bibio's Instagram here.
Location:Bibio, 5659 Don Pedro St, Poblacion, Makati
Opening Hours: Mar.14 - 2 seating options, either 6 PM or 8:30 PM. Mar.15 - 2 seating options, either 6 PM or 8:30 PM.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
