Top 5 places to eat and drink

It’s no surprise that a chef who trained at The Fat Duck is taking traditional food and reinventing it, but chef Jordy Navarra is doing this with Filipino food to such acclaim from critics and customers alike, that Toyo Eatery ( facebook.com/toyoeatery) in chic Makati won the 2018 Miele One to Watch Award for Asia. (Tasting menu around £40).

As the only historical global territory under the American flag that was exempt from prohibition law in 1920 (it’s joked that not even prohibition agent Eliot Ness dared enforce temperance here), an ironic nod means hidden-away speakeasies like ABV (abv.ph) are now the trendiest nightspots. With some of the best bottles from around the world and the isles, they welcome all who admire a well-crafted tipple. (Cocktails from £5.) Rural Kitchen of Liliw, Laguna

in Población ( facebook.com/ ruralkitchenof liliwlaguna), the burgeoning creative and cultural district of Makati, is well-suited to its surroundings. Offering unassuming but inventive dishes in a chic setting, this is a firm favourite of families and other local chefs. (Mains under £8.) Visit Sugarlandia (the local name for Negros Occidental, an hour from Manila), and you’ll land in Bacolod, also known as the City of Smiles. There, you can indulge in island specialities like batchoy (rich noodle soup) at 21 (+63 34 433 4096), an elegant restaurant at affordable prices. Left to bubble all day, batchoy is at its most savoury after 2pm. (Mains from £6.) In Manapla, there’s a once-in-alifetime food opportunity. By prior arrangement, you can be invited to dine on the heirloom recipes of Hacienda Santa Rosalia (+63 928 500 9105), an ancestral mansion owned by the Gaston family, who are pioneers of sugar cultivation. Lunch is a genteel affair, and you can take tea on the veranda overlooking the lush and verdant gardens while absorbing fascinating tales of local life.