The Underbelly

What a Bib Gourmand Means on Chino Roces

Michelin's Bib Gourmand designation carries a specific brief: quality cooking at a price that doesn't require a special occasion to justify. In cities where the guide operates, the Bib tier typically surfaces the addresses that working critics return to on their own time, restaurants where the kitchen is technically serious but the format stays approachable. The Underbelly, at 2316 Chino Roces Ave Ext in Makati, earned that designation for 2026, placing it inside the small cohort of Metro Manila addresses that Michelin inspectors have endorsed by name.

Chino Roces Ave Ext sits in the southern stretch of Makati, away from the concentrated dining density of the Legazpi and Salcedo corridors. That address is itself a mild editorial statement: the restaurants that open here tend to be driven by the food rather than by foot traffic or hotel adjacency. The Underbelly fits that pattern. It is not the kind of venue that depends on location premium to fill seats.

The Bib Tier in Context: Where The Underbelly Sits in Makati's Critical Map

The Philippines' first Michelin Guide, which covered Metro Manila and launched in 2024, produced a compact list of starred and Bib-recognised addresses. By the 2026 edition, the Bib Gourmand category has become one of the more closely watched sections of the guide, partly because it signals where the city's cooking confidence is deepest relative to price.

Makati's restaurant scene has developed a recognisable internal hierarchy over the past several years. At the upper end, tasting-menu formats with Filipino contemporary frameworks Hapag (Filipino) sits in that conversation, command prices and booking windows that reflect their critical standing. Below that tier, a cluster of technically precise, less ceremonial restaurants has grown in confidence and recognition. That is the tier The Underbelly occupies, and the Bib Gourmand functions as external validation of what local diners had already identified.

For comparison points further afield, the Bib tier at guides covering cities like New York, where addresses such as Atomix in New York City operate at the starred level, demonstrates how Michelin uses its tiers to map the full range of serious cooking, not just the most expensive. The Underbelly's recognition is meaningful precisely because Bib Gourmand is a quality signal, not a consolation bracket.

What the Recognition Implies About the Food

The venue data on file does not include confirmed menu details, so no specific dishes are described here. What the Bib Gourmand designation does imply is a kitchen operating with consistency across inspections, Michelin inspectors visit anonymously and more than once before awarding any recognition. A Bib designation is not awarded on a single strong night. That process means The Underbelly's cooking has demonstrated repeatability, which is a harder standard to meet than a single impressive meal.

Restaurants earning Bib Gourmand recognition across Michelin's global guides tend to share a few characteristics: defined culinary focus rather than broad menus, cooking that prioritises craft over spectacle, and pricing that reflects awareness of the local market.

Makati's Michelin-recognised restaurants in the Bib tier are worth mapping as a group. Celera and Helm each bring distinct kitchen philosophies to the same general price register. Inatô and Kása Palma extend the map further. The Underbelly's Chino Roces address places it slightly outside the central cluster of these recognised addresses, which means a deliberate visit rather than an easy pivot from another booking.

The Broader Manila Critical Picture

Metro Manila's restaurant recognition has accelerated since the Michelin Guide's regional expansion. Outside Makati, Gallery By Chele in Manila represents the starred tier, while addresses in surrounding cities, including Asador Alfonso in Cavite, Linamnam in Parañaque, and Bolero in Taguig, confirm that the guide's coverage extends well beyond the traditional Makati dining core.

Within Makati itself, the concentration of critically recognised restaurants in a relatively compact area makes the city the logical base for anyone eating seriously in the Philippines. Blackbird Makati adds another reference point at the more architecturally driven end of the market. The Underbelly, with its Bib recognition and Chino Roces address, represents a different register: less designed-for-attention, more designed-for-return visits.

For completeness on the Metro Manila and Cebu picture, Abaseria Deli and Cafe in Cebu illustrates how the Philippines' serious-eating geography extends beyond Manila entirely, relevant context for visitors planning a longer country itinerary rather than a single-city stop.

Planning a Visit

The Underbelly is located at 2316 Chino Roces Ave Ext, Makati City, 1232 Metro Manila. Given the Bib Gourmand recognition for 2026, demand at this address is likely to be higher than at restaurants without guide acknowledgment. Bib-recognised restaurants across Michelin's global guides typically see a measurable increase in booking demand following guide publication, so planning a few days ahead rather than attempting a walk-in is the safer approach, particularly on weekends.

For a fuller picture of what Makati offers across dining, drinking, and accommodation, the EP Club Makati restaurants guide maps the full range of recognised addresses. The Makati hotels guide, Makati bars guide, Makati wineries guide, and Makati experiences guide cover the rest of the city's credentialed offering.