If you think of fine dining as a stuffy experience, Toyo Eatery will make you think again: “We wanted to create a place that reflected the soul of Manila: relaxed, welcoming, without too much formality”. So guests have fun, often eating with their hands and savoring Filipino conviviality.
The chef
There are restaurants that simply serve food, and then there are places that tell stories, evoke memories and transform every meal into an experience. Toyo Eatery, in the beating heart of Manila, definitely belongs to the second category. Led by chef Jordy Navarra and his wife May, this restaurant won the prestigious Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award 2025, an award that recognizes not only gastronomic excellence, but also the human warmth that envelops every customer from the moment they cross the threshold. One of the distinctive elements of Toyo Eatery, says 50 Best on its website, is its kamayan feasting menu, a tribute to Filipino conviviality. Instead of dishes served in the classic way, the table is covered with banana leaves and filled with dishes to be eaten strictly with the hands, just like in the country's traditional celebrations.
“It keeps your hands busy,” jokes Chef Navarra, pointing out with a touch of irony how this practice discourages overly posed photos for Instagram. But beyond the social aspect, kamayan represents a return to basics: “We want to remind people that eating is, first and foremost, a simple and shared pleasure,” he tells the magazine. Toyo Eatery is no stranger to the spotlight. After being awarded the One To Watch Award in 2018, the restaurant has continued to climb the rankings of Asia's best, holding on to the title of best restaurant in the Philippines for five consecutive years and winning the Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2023.
Sustainability is a fundamental pillar for Navarra and his team. In 2022, for example, they removed beef from the menu to reduce the environmental impact of importing it, and they have formed partnerships with small local producers to promote forgotten or little-known ingredients, creating new economic opportunities for farming communities. If you think of fine dining as a formal and stuffy experience, Toyo Eatery will change your mind. The restaurant welcomes guests in a minimalist environment, where wood and neutral tones form the backdrop to surprising dishes such as kinilaw, an explosion of freshness based on marinated fish, and the iconic bahay kubo, a salad with eighteen vegetables inspired by a popular Tagalog song.
“We wanted to create a place that reflected the soul of Manila: relaxed, welcoming, without too much formality,” explains Navarra. The impeccable yet informal service makes Toyo Eatery a place where you can feel at home, while enjoying a top-level gastronomic experience. Before opening his restaurant, Navarra gained experience in the world's most prestigious kitchens, including that of Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck, awarded the best restaurant in the world in 2005. “It was overwhelming,” the chef admits, comparing the leap from his home kitchen to Blumenthal's to a move from the Sunday league to the Premier League. After a period in the UK and then in Hong Kong, Navarra returned to the Philippines with a clear vision: to promote Filipino cuisine and share it with the world. A mission that has also brought him to Netflix (Chef's Uncut) and Rolling Stone, and which continues with increasingly prestigious international collaborations.
But the chef doesn't stop there. The next step? Perhaps a Toyo farm, where they can grow the ingredients used in the restaurant themselves. “To go deeper into the knowledge of the products and be able to grow them ourselves... that would be a really big step forward,” Navarra confesses, hinting that Toyo's future could be even more intertwined with nature and sustainability. Behind the success of Toyo Eatery there is also a perfect balance of partnership. “Working together is easier than you think,” May Navarra says with a laugh. “I can't cook, so I don't set foot in the kitchen. Jordy, on the other hand, doesn't understand anything about money, so I manage the operational side.” A formula that seems to work wonderfully, both for the business and for their marriage. And if anyone wonders who has the final say, May replies with a smile: “Obviously, I'm the boss.”
