Hot new restaurants sustain industry momentum in 2026
These new restaurants and expansions suggest a crucial factor that hits the sweet spot of consumers today: experiences over possessions.
Instead of pushing just the menu, Siklab+, La Taperia Martinez, and Pluck understand the value of what they offer to improve the quality of their customers’ lives. Even if it simply means limited-time discounts, happy hour deals, or a willingness to serve an experience that yanks you out of your comfort zone.
Siklab+
There is likely something for everyone at Siklab+’s S Maison branch. It is, after all, the biggest branch to date of The Bistro Group’s bold Filipino concept, with the capacity to accommodate 265 guests across its main dining hall and three fully equipped function rooms.
“With the consistent support from our guests, we are excited to build on Siklab+’s momentum and make it more accessible,” says Guia Abuel, chief operating officer of The Bistro Group, indicating the brand’s aggressive expansion plans in the first quarter of the year, which include openings at Kamagong in Makati City, Park Triangle in BGC, Vermosa in Cavite, and Evia Lifestyle Mall in Las Piñas.
Though Siklab+’s center of gravity has always been its equally expansive Filipino menu, it’s three function rooms that accommodate up to over 100 guests embrace the opportunities of catering to corporate clients and social events, all while providing access to accredited event suppliers.
Size doesn’t always equate to success, but in this case, it looks like The Bistro Group’s development strategy works.
Siklab+ S Maison, Level 1, S Maison, Conrad Manila / Monday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. / 09156492058
La Taperia Martinez
What more can we say about Luis Martinez? Since his Manila debut in 2022, the Valencian chef has been on a triumphant run that includes a Michelin Selected recognition for Terraza Martinez, the opening of Alma in Poblacion, and now a new big-ticket restaurant bearing his name, La Taperia Martinez.
There’s no telling what the seemingly reluctant star chef will do next, but we do know that his food is predictably tantalizing. The sprawling menu of the tapas bar includes 45 items categorized into cold and hot appetizers, a huge sharing plate of txuleta la brasa (a kilo of charcoal-grilled Black Onyx beef), arroz al horno, and elevated desserts.
Obviously, the thunderous tapas capture the spirit La Taperia Martinez embodies—from familiar plates of pulpo dressed in arbequina olive oil and tortilla de patatas with jamón Ibérico to bolder dishes such as mejillas de rape (monkfish cheeks with shrimp) and seafood ravioli (finished with a drizzle of Carabinero prawn oil).
He may be a man of few words, but Martinez lets his food, his products, and his commitment to Spanish cuisine do all the talking. That’s loud and clear at La Taperia Martinez.
La Taperia Martinez, L214, 2/F One Bonifacio High Street, 5th Avenue corner 28th St, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig / 0945 663 8052
Pluck
If you’re keen on exploring a bit north of Makati, then Pluck in Mandaluyong is an essential stop. A cozy, glowing-in-orange space plucked straight out of the creative minds of Pat Curitana (Los Tacos), Ralph Sy (Goods from Scratch), and Butz Tenchavez (Toka Wine), Pluck launched on Jan. 9 with dinner-only service from 5:30 to 11 p.m.
Its distinct orange glow and chicken imagery, which portrays its fresh brand language, make sense for the kind of offering they have—eclectic shareable plates that defy categorization, a full beverage program, and a desire to express and experiment.
Dishes like housemade flatbread with bonito butter, squash and squash flower fritto with miso aioli, radish-potato cake with nduja salsa, and onion tart with blue cheese, and desserts like burnt honey panna cotta with granita proliferate the menu.
“But the key main dish is our koji-marinated rotisserie chicken that is served with a few charred cabbage leaves, chimichurri, and chicken jus,” says Tenchavez.
Judging by the reception on its soft opening period, Pluck’s positioning sets it up for future success.
Pluck, NBS Park, 125 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong
Follow @pluck.mnl on Instagram
