Toyo Eatery earns ‘Best Restaurant in the Philippines’ title for 5th time

MANILA, Philippines — Toyo Eatery landed once more on the 12th “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” list by London-based awards body 50 Best, earning the title of “The Best Restaurant in [the] Philippines” for a fifth time.

The restaurant finished at the No. 24 spot on the list sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, an 18-spot jump from 2023 to make its best finish yet, and is the only representative from the Philippines.

It previously finished at no. 43 in 2019, down a spot in 2020, even lower to no. 49 in 2021, down to no. 94 in 2022, then making a huge leap to no. 42 last year.

In its write-up for Toyo Eatery, 50 Best noted that Toyo Eatery is run by husband-and-wife team Jordy and May Navarra and “prioritizes Filipino produce and people, fostering long-term relationships with local farmers and artisans.”

Another Makati-based restaurant, Metiz, managed to make the 51-100 list at no. 84, having previously been inside the Top 50 last year.

The new topnotcher of the list is Sézanne in Tokyo, Japan, which was last year’s runner-up and just debuted on the annual list in 2022 at no. 17.

Named after a medieval town in France’s Champagne region, the culinary style of Chef Daniel Calvert and his team is composed of “highly refined and beautifully delivered dishes.”

Completing the Top 5 are another Tokyo-based and France-inspired restaurant Florilège; the Indian cuisine Gaggan Anand in Bangkok; and Hong Kong restaurants The Chairman and Wing.

An awarding ceremony was held last March 26 at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas in South Korea.

RELATED: Director Erik Matti calls top restaurant Toyo Eatery ‘too gimmicky’