Veer away from your usual eats, and take your belly on a Makati food adventure. You’ll have to work a tad bit harder to spot these restaurants, but the extra effort will be duly rewarded. Finding these 8 delicious hidden treasures is like being let in on Makati’s juiciest secrets. Happy hunting!

Yokohama Meat Kitchen

16 Jupiter corner Antares Street, Bel-Air, Makati City
(02) 831 6546, 0916 377 3655 | Facebook | Website
Open daily from 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 11pm
Budget for two – P600

Here’s your local ticket to the land of the rising sun. Yokohama Meat Kitchen sources all of their meat and most of their ingredients from Japan, so expect a topnotch yakiniku experience. You can enjoy Wagyu here, of course, and it doesn’t come with a ridiculous price tag. Don’t forget to enjoy your barbecue with Yokohama’s special sauce.

Alek Café + Kitchen

Builders Centre, Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
(02) 816 7513, 0945 3387737 | Facebook
Open Monday to Friday from 7am to 8pm | every Saturday from 9am to 5pm
Budget for two – P500

Get to know Salcedo’s new kid on the block as you satisfy your caffeine fix plus a whole lot more. Aside from a great selection of coffee, Alek Café + Kitchen offers a wide variety of grub from all-day-breakfast options, interesting mains to designer sandwiches.

Persephone

120 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati City
(02) 802 6064 | Facebook
Open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 10:30pm
Budget for two – P900

With no signage yet, it’s easy to miss Persephone amidst the busy street of Jupiter. But, once you do find it, you’ll find yourself returning again and again. Upon entering, a gorgeous floral mural and an array of charming lights will greet you. That good impression will only be sustained with their short and well-curated, seasonal menu. The line-up is currently a fusion of Filipino, Japanese and Korean, but who knows—they may switch things up by the time you swing by.

OTO

5880 Enriquez Street, Poblacion, Makati City
(02) 728 2433 | Facebook
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 2am
Budget for two – P800

Audiophiles, search no further (well, after looking for this bar’s location). OTO, which is sound in Japanese, is a secret bar concentrated on delivering excellent sound quality. It’s basically the best listening room you’ll ever visit with its fantastic speakers, amplifiers, turntables and even vinyl records.

OTO’s drinks are sure to just heighten your listening experience with The Curator’s David Ong behind the bar, serving both cocktails and coffee.

Kazunori

2301 Chino Roces Avenue, Magallanes, Makati City
(02) 989 3152
Open daily from 11:30am to 2:30pm, 6:30pm to 11pm 
Budget for two – P800

From the same makers of stellar ramen restaurants, Ramen Yushoken and Mendokoro Ramenba, comes another Japanese joint worth looking for. This time, although still present, ramen isn’t the only star. Kazunori lends the spotlight to other Japanese food items like nigiri, yakitori, katsu and many more.

Il Fiore Gelato

4740 Salamanca corner Eduque Street, Poblacion, Makati City
(02) 555 5645 | Facebook
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 12nn to 11pm
Budget for two – P300

You’ll gladly go through the trouble of finding Il Fiore for their awesome gelato, but make sure you visit with an empty stomach. You will definitely want to taste their healthy, vegetarian offerings before ending your meal on a sweet note. Even meat-lovers will swoon over dishes like the Portobello Mozza Burger, Spinach & Squash Lasagna and Quinoa Chili Shepherd’s Pie.

As for dessert, just some must-tries are the Matcha, Mascarpone and of course, their signature Fior di Latte gelato.

Lagrima

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BSA Mansion, Benavides Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
0917 895 4157 | Facebook
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 10pm
Budget for two – P500

Unwind from the day’s stresses with Lagrima’s intimate and friendly environment. Mingling with the staff is just as much a part of the experience as stuffing yourself with Mexican comfort food. Delicious staples—tacos, burritos, quesadillas, flautas, tostadas, etc.—are presented simply with no frills, but done exceptionally well and comes with so much flavor.

Don’t forget to complete that de-stressing with Lagrima’s Agua Frescas, which they will happily spike for you upon request.

Cù Chi

2F 5767 Ebro Street, Poblacion, Makati City
0927 244 5409, 0949 103 1880 | Facebook
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to 2am
Budget for two – P800

Hidden somewhere within Poblacion’s packed bars is a cool joint pairing Vietnamese street food with refreshing libations. Cù Chi’s Vietnamese chef will let you try authentic pho, spring rolls, and banh mi. Plus, their wide liquor selection won’t disappoint.

What’s first on your hidden restaurant hunt? Sound off below!