Michelin Adds Manila & Cebu

Michelin has put Manila and Cebu into a new pocket guide for 2026, extending its Philippines rollout beyond the first restaurant list published last October. (philippine-embassy.org.sg) The Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore said April 22 that the guide covers “Manila & Environs and Cebu” and will sit alongside Michelin’s digital listings for the country. Michelin’s official Philippines site already carries the Manila-and-Cebu selection online. (philippine-embassy.org.sg) (guide.michelin.com) This is not Michelin’s first move into the Philippines. Michelin announced on February 17, 2025 that its inspectors were beginning work in Manila and Environs and Cebu for a 2026 debut, then unveiled the first full selection on October 30, 2025. (guide.michelin.com) (michelin.com) The October launch gave the Philippines its first Michelin-starred restaurants. Michelin said the debut edition recognized 108 establishments: 1 restaurant with Two Michelin Stars, 8 with One Michelin Star, 25 Bib Gourmand picks, 74 Michelin Selected restaurants, and 1 Green Star. (michelin.com) Michelin’s geography in the Philippines is narrower than a nationwide guide. Its inspectors said they evaluated restaurants in Metro Manila cities including Makati, Manila, Pasay, Quezon City and Taguig, plus nearby destinations such as Pampanga, Tagaytay and Cavite, along with Cebu. (spot.ph) The embassy tied the pocket edition to Filipino Food Month, the government-backed April campaign known locally as Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino. The embassy said the guide supports efforts to promote Philippine gastronomy through tourism and cultural diplomacy. (philippine-embassy.org.sg) Michelin has been building out its Southeast Asia footprint city by city, with separate guides and selections across Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and now the Philippines. The Manila-and-Cebu book follows that model: a destination guide tied to a specific market, not a global list. (guide.michelin.com) For diners, the practical change is that Michelin’s Philippines coverage now exists in two formats at once: a live digital guide and a printed pocket edition for Manila and Cebu. For restaurateurs, it is another sign that Michelin’s first Philippines selection was the start of an annual cycle, not a one-off launch. (guide.michelin.com) (philippine-embassy.org.sg)