Hapag

Hapag takes its name from the low family dining table around which Filipino households traditionally gather, and the restaurant is built on that idea of shared meals and family values. Its young chefs, known simply as Nav and Thirdy, set out to present Filipino cuisine to an international audience using local produce from the country's mountains, jungles and seas. The restaurant holds one star in the 2026 Michelin Guide.

The Michelin inspectors describe a kitchen that respects regional recipes and traditional methods while giving them a refined, modern finish. The main offer is a tasting menu, and there is also a lunch menu on the days the restaurant opens at midday, along with a wine list. Menus change, so the best approach is to look at the current tasting menu on the restaurant's website before booking and to let the team guide you through the regional stories behind each course.

The restaurant is on the seventh floor of The Balmori Suites on Hidalgo Drive in the Rockwell Center, in Makati. Its website also lists a sister concept, Ayà. Smart casual dress suits the setting, and the restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

Hapag serves dinner from 6pm to 10pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and lunch from 11am to 3pm and dinner from 6pm to 10pm from Thursday to Sunday, according to its website. It is closed on Mondays. Booking is online, and the restaurant warns that seats run out fast, so reserve as early as you can. If your preferred date is not available, the team can be reached by phone between noon and 9pm. Allow at least two and a half hours for the tasting menu at dinner.

First-time visitors often find it useful to read through the tasting menu PDF on the restaurant's website before arriving, as it gives a sense of the regions and ingredients the kitchen is drawing on. The wine list is also published online, which helps if you want to plan a bottle or a pairing in advance rather than decide at the table.

Lunch is a good way to try the kitchen if you cannot get a dinner table or would rather keep the evening free. Rockwell is easiest to reach by taxi or ride-hailing car. The restaurant suits diners who want a serious introduction to Filipino regional cooking, couples celebrating an occasion and anyone building a trip around Manila's new Michelin-starred restaurants. Tell the restaurant about allergies and dietary needs when you book.