Your Local in Makati City started off as a bit of a secret, and still has no signage and a hidden entrance from the next-door café. The food is the chef’s own take on comforting Asian favorites, such as chicken rice and salmon donburi (rice bowl dish). It’s a great spot for foodies to take lunch.

Here at Your Local, you can indulge in Asian favorites that are both elevated and reimagined, offering a fresh take on beloved dishes. This is the perfect spot to bring your family and guests, as the flavorful and vibrant offerings are sure to impress while you enjoy the relaxed, casual atmosphere of the restaurant. Be sure to try the Truffle Aburi Pork Chasyu, which combines rich flavors with a touch of luxury, and the Striploin Hokkien Mee, a deliciously satisfying dish that showcases the best of Asian cuisine!

Why we love it: Your Local is a restaurant on Esteban Street that offers a unique fusion of Southeast Asian flavors with a Western touch. With their dishes offering a delightful blend of flavors and textures to the palate, it’s no wonder that Conde Nast Conde Nast Traveler’s included it in their best restaurants in the world list. The restaurant also boasts a comfortable New York-like industrial interiors, creating a cozy atmosphere and the perfect spot for a casual yet memorable dining experience.

Your Local, of course, hardly needs any introduction; they've been serving feisty modern-Asian fare at Legazpi Village since opening in 2014. Your Local elevates the basics to a whole new level and puts their signature modern Asian twist to these classics. Nosh on sweet and savory sandwiches like the Brown Butter Kaya Toast (P160) and Beef Brisket Hash Croissant (P550), or for a heartier meal, go for any of their rice bowls like Hot Stone Breakfast Nasi Lemak (P650).

If you and your date are keeping it low-key, you'll like an IYKYK resto like Your Local along Esteban Street in Legaspi Village. Come during dinner service to fully appreciate the dimly lit interiors plus dark-wood fixtures, cozy couches, and an open kitchen by the bar where you can see all the action. Here's a pro-tip: if you want the vibe to be more intimate, reserve a corner table—it's tucked away enough to give you and your not-yet-beau some privacy.

While a casual restaurant, Your Local[2] offers a great venue for those organizing a romantic dinner date in Manila in 2024. This affordable romantic restaurant in Manila specializes in Asian fusion, ensuring that each dish is an otherworldly combination of the unique and the familiar. To give you an idea of how Your Local’s culinary artistry works, the restaurant serves Laksa Fettucini, Lamb Rendang with red raisin black rice, and Chili Crab Buns.

Adding some much needed vibrancy and cool to our dining scene are chefs Denny Antonio and Nicco Santos of Your Local. Their brand is casual, delicious, trendy, and accessible but the grub here isn’t loyal to any particular cuisine. However, on the menu are many Southeast Asian-inspired dishes like chili crab buns, laksa fettuccini, and lamb rendang alongside dishes like the crowd favorite, torched salmon donburi with ebiko and shiitake black rice.

This Brooklyn-inspired neighborhood hangout offers inventive Asian comfort food for the hip and hungry, if you’re lucky enough to snag a table. While waiting, enjoy a cup of joe at the adjacent third-wave coffee shop Yardstick. Must-tries: Torched Salmon Donburi served with shitake black rice (P440), Beef Rendang Buns (P290), and Feel Good Chicken (prawn paste chicken wings with maple cream cheese, P295)

In the Philippines, it’s usually with garlic rice, eggs, and some cured meat or dried fish. In this edition of EATSplorations, we will be sharing about a one of a kind breakfast EATSperience from one of the best restaurants in Metro Manila or even in the whole Philippines. It’s been known for its Asian / Southeast Asian menu, chill vibes, and for being some sort of hidden from the crowd.

Here’s a pro tip: Every meal will make for a good time at Your Local. But Sunday brunch—when they swing open the door linking the restaurant to its sister cafe Yardstick Coffee—is especially pleasurable. Enjoy that salmon donburi with cold brew from Yardstick, all while a selection of classic ’60s and ’70s soul soundtracks your meal.

Savor authentic flavors at Esteban, a hidden gem for local cuisine in Makati. Discover Esteban’s eclectic menu that promises a delightful culinary journey right in the heart of the city. Makati, with its bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, is a hub for food enthusiasts hunting for an exceptional dining experience.

This restaurant is a legend when it comes to Asian dishes – they put mouthwatering twists to Asian favorites that will just blow your mind away. There’s a full bar available and coupled with their cozy ambiance, it’s hard to get out of here. Try out their Lamb Rendang, Tofu Steak and Chorizo Burger.

You’ll wish that Your Local really was your local, as it’s that good. This hip neighbourhood bistro has been featured in Condé Nast and is a real gem. There’s all sorts of good things to eat, from the semi-fried eggplant with mascarpone and tempura flakes, to their salted egg chicken buns.

You’ll wish that Your Local really was your local, as it’s that good. This hip neighbourhood bistro has been featured in Condé Nast and is a real gem. There’s all sorts of good things to eat, from the semi-fried eggplant with mascarpone and tempura flakes, to their salted egg chicken buns.

This is a hidden gem that I discovered while I was still working in Makati. It's perfect for a chill night out after work with a good selection of cocktails. They have an interesting Asian fusion.

But beyond the cool vibes this restaurant gives off is a mission to reintroduce Asian fusion comfort food to discerning Filipino diners.