Restaurant in Manilla, Philippines
Credentials-backed Spanish cooking, no fuss.
Txanton is a Michelin Plate-recognised Spanish restaurant in Makati led by Chef Justo Rodrigo Lopez, with back-to-back appearances on Opinionated About Dining's Asia rankings. It delivers disciplined Spanish cooking in a relaxed room without the tasting-menu commitment or booking difficulty of Manila's harder-to-secure tables. Open daily 11am to 10pm — the most practical Michelin-flagged option in its neighbourhood.
If you're choosing between Txanton and one of Manila's modern Filipino tasting menus, the answer comes down to what you're in the mood for. Gallery By Chele and Toyo Eatery will give you a more theatrical dining arc. Txanton gives you something rarer in Manila: a Spanish kitchen that earns a Michelin Plate recognition without the ceremony, the prix-fixe commitment, or the advance-booking stress. For Spanish food done with real discipline in a room that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is where to go.
Txanton is a Spanish restaurant on the second floor of the Alegria Alta Building on Chino Roces Avenue in Makati. The name references the Basque tradition, and the kitchen is led by Chef Justo Rodrigo Lopez. The Michelin Plate it earned in 2026 signals that inspectors consider the cooking worthy of attention — not just passable, but good enough to single out in a city with serious competition. Opinionated About Dining ranked Txanton among Asia's leading restaurants two years running: #339 in 2024 and #377 in 2025. That consistent double appearance on a list driven by peer votes and repeat visits means this isn't a one-cycle anomaly. People who eat widely across Asia keep coming back and counting it.
The Google rating sits at 4.7 across 209 reviews — a score that holds up under volume, which matters more than a high rating with a thin review base. At that count, the number is a reliable signal rather than a statistical fluke.
If you've been once, you already know the room doesn't try to impress you with its décor. What holds the attention is the cooking. Txanton operates in a register that's relatively uncommon in Manila: Spanish food with genuine technical grounding, served in a format that doesn't demand you commit to a full tasting menu or dress a particular way. For a city where Spanish dining often skews either toward casual tapas bars or high-formality Spanish-European hybrids, Txanton occupies a useful middle position. The casual setting is doing real work here , it keeps the experience accessible while the kitchen delivers at a level the awards record confirms.
On a return visit, the practical logic is direct: Txanton is open Monday through Sunday, 11am to 10pm, which gives you genuine flexibility that many Michelin-recognised restaurants don't offer. Lunch here is worth considering if you want the full experience without committing an evening. There's no price range published in the public record, so budget accordingly by checking directly when you book , but the positioning as a neighbourhood-accessible Spanish restaurant rather than a destination splurge suggests it won't require the financial planning of, say, a full omakase or tasting menu evening. Booking appears to be direct relative to the city's harder-to-secure tables.
For Spanish food at a comparable level outside Manila, ZURRIOLA in Tokyo and BCN Taste & Tradition in Houston represent what the format looks like when it travels well. Within the Philippines, Asador Alfonso in Cavite is the closest regional reference point for Iberian-influenced cooking. In Makati itself, Helm is the most obvious comparison for serious, independently-run cooking at a similar register.
Txanton works well for a two-person dinner where you want something with credentials but not a production. It suits solo diners who want to eat properly without the social weight of a tasting menu format. It's a reasonable pick for a low-key special occasion where the food matters more than the spectacle. It's less suited to large groups wanting a banquet format or to diners whose priority is a specifically Filipino dining narrative , for that, Toyo Eatery or Grace Park Dining by Margarita Forés are better fits.
If you're building a wider Manila dining itinerary, pair Txanton with something from our full Manila restaurants guide. The city's bar scene and hotel options are covered separately if you're planning around a longer stay.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Txanton | Easy | — | |
| Toyo Eatery | Unknown | — | |
| Gallery By Chele | Unknown | — | |
| M Dining + Bar M | Unknown | — | |
| Locavore | Unknown | — | |
| Antonio's | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Yes, with caveats. Txanton holds a Michelin Plate (2026) and has ranked on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia two years running, which gives it enough credibility to anchor a birthday dinner or a business meal. It's not a theatrical tasting-menu production, so if the occasion calls for a room that makes a visual statement, consider Gallery By Chele instead. For a dinner where the food is the occasion, Txanton delivers.
Bar seating availability at Txanton is not confirmed in available venue data. The restaurant occupies the second floor of the Alegria Alta Building on Chino Roces Avenue in Makati. check the venue's official channels to confirm seating options before arriving.
Specific menu items are not listed in the current venue record. Txanton is a Spanish restaurant led by chef Justo Rodrigo Lopez, with a culinary direction rooted in Basque tradition. Check current menus directly with the restaurant or via a recent visit report, as dishes can change seasonally.
Txanton suits solo diners who want to eat proper food with credentialed backing and without a group requirement. The format is a sit-down Spanish restaurant, not a counter omakase, so solo visits are a reasonable choice. It's open daily 11am–10pm, which means a solo lunch without weekend competition is an easy option.
Txanton is open 11am–10pm daily, so both are viable. Lunch is the lower-pressure visit: lighter foot traffic and a more relaxed pace through the second-floor dining room on Chino Roces. Dinner works better if the meal is the main event for the evening, particularly for two people who want a longer sit. No dedicated lunch set or dinner prix-fixe pricing is confirmed in the venue record.
Dietary accommodation details are not documented in the current venue record. Given the Spanish and Basque culinary focus under chef Justo Rodrigo Lopez, the menu is likely protein-forward. check the venue's official channels before booking if you have strict requirements, particularly around pescatarian or vegetarian needs.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
