Travel & Nomad

What's New in Manila, Makati and BGC for Travellers Right Now (2026)

Metro Manila's newest is happening in Makati side streets and BGC malls: a one-dish hamburger counter with famous queues, a shrimp-only lunch spot, a punch bar behind an unmarked blue door, card taps at LRT-2 gates, and three summit days in November that will change your plans.

Quick answer: The newest things worth your time in Metro Manila this autumn are Hikiniku To Come's queue at Uptown Mall in BGC, shrimp-only Pura on Valero in Makati, Scratch's brunch lines in Legaspi Village, the Ultramilk punch bar behind a blue door, and contactless card taps at all 13 LRT-2 stations since 13 July 2026. Plan around 16 to 18 November, when the ASEAN Summit makes those days special non-working days in Metro Manila; visitors can pay QR Ph codes from USDT with Fizen QR Pay, and an eSIM keeps Grab and maps working.

Key takeaways

BGC's queue is a hamburger. Hikiniku To Come at Uptown Mall serves one main dish, a charcoal-grilled hamburger in three pieces, and SPOT.ph calls its lines famously long.
Makati lunch has new stars. Pura on Valero cooks only shrimp (Ebi Toast P180), and Scratch in Legaspi Village is still drawing long brunch lines.
The bar to find is behind a blue door. Ultramilk, on the second floor of the Creekside Building in Legazpi Village, serves punch by the bowl.
Tap a card at LRT-2. Since 13 July 2026 you can tap a contactless Visa card or phone at all 13 stations.
Mind 16 to 18 November. The 49th ASEAN Summit brings special non-working days, road restrictions and possible flight changes.

At lunchtime in BGC's Uptown Mall, the line for one small Japanese counter can run longer than the counter itself, and inside everyone eats the same dish in the same order. That is Metro Manila this autumn: the buzz is in one-dish counters, office-tower side doors and bars with no sign, not in the old mall food courts.

Everything below comes from reports dated July to October 2026. Hours change often, so check before you go. We close with the practical part: Fizen is building the stablecoin neobank for people on the move, a wallet you own, local QR payments and travel data in one app.

What is BGC queuing for right now?

Hikiniku To Come (say ko-meh), on the Upper Ground Floor of Uptown Mall in BGC, has one main dish: a charcoal-grilled hamburger served in three pieces. First-timers are told to eat the first piece plain, the second with grated daikon and ponzu, and the third dipped in whisked egg. It opened at Uptown late last year, added a branch at SM Megamall, and has a Greenbelt location in the works. SPOT.ph's 50 Great Restaurants list (9 October 2026) calls its queues famously long.

Queue tip: from Monday to Thursday it closes between 3pm and 5pm, so aim for just after it reopens. Skip it if you hate eating to a script.

Where should you eat in Makati this month?

Pura, Valero Street: a new Japanese counter where every one of its six dishes uses shrimp. The okonomiyaki-style Ebi Toast is P180. Everything is cooked to order, so expect a wait in the weekday lunch rush. Skip it if you have a shellfish allergy.
Scratch, 106 Aguirre, Legaspi Village: moved into a new space and crowned brunch king of Makati by SPOT.ph, with lines that have not shrunk. Start with the scone, whipped butter and house jam. Open 9am to 4pm; closed Mondays. Skip it if you cannot do brunch before noon on a weekend.

Both made SPOT.ph's 2026 list, which also pointed readers to Rekdi in Poblacion, film director Erik Matti's three-level modern karinderya with a ground-floor bar built like a sari-sari store.

Which new bar is worth finding?

Ultramilk is a punch bar on the second floor of the Creekside Building in Legazpi Village, behind a blue door with no sign, across the hall from Big Fuzz's red one. Order one punch and it comes in a glass; order three or more of the same and it arrives in a bowl for the table to ladle. SPOT.ph (1 September 2026) said much of its young crowd found it on TikTok, and that everything from the cassettes to the cups is vintage. Fish House Punch is P550 a serving; the pre-batched freezer martini is what regulars talk about.

Skip it if you want a quiet, serious cocktail: the room is built for groups and strangers mixing.

What changed for getting around, and which days to avoid?

LRT-2 now takes card taps. Since 13 July 2026, you can pay your fare at all 13 stations by tapping a contactless Visa card or a compatible phone, or by QR code, so a visitor no longer needs a transit card for that line.

16 to 18 November 2026 are special non-working days in Metro Manila for the 49th ASEAN Summit, centred on the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay. The Civil Aeronautics Board has told airlines to expect schedule changes and travellers to expect road closures, tighter security and longer drives to the airport. Check your flight often and leave much earlier than usual. Skip Pasay and the bay area those days if you can.

Where do Manileños go for a weekend out of town?

SPOT.ph's 20 September feature sent readers to Liliw, Laguna, a small town known for handmade slippers and shoes and buttery uraro cookies. Two family-run picks: Arabela on Plaza Rizal Street, an Italian bistro in the family's former shoe store, and 1938 White House Bistro on Gat Tayaw Street, cooking Liliw dishes in an ancestral house. Skip it if you are driving a big van: the streets are tight and parking is hard.

How do you pay and stay online in Metro Manila?

Many counters and stalls show a QR Ph code. If you are visiting (not a Philippine resident), Fizen QR Pay pays QR Ph codes from USDT: create or import your Fizen wallet (non-custodial), get USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it, deposit from the wallet into QR Pay (KYC per wallet and per device), then scan and confirm the amount in pesos. BNB Chain deposits need no gas; on Solana keep a little SOL. Limits: US$800 per payment, US$1,000 per week. Steps: QR Pay guide.

Traffic means Grab and live maps. When checked on 26 October 2026, Fizen's Philippines plans ran on Globe (4G and 5G), including unlimited plans with no speed cap stated, and on Smart 5G for regional plans. New users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the Fizen app's eSIM tab.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Hikiniku To Come in Manila?

On the Upper Ground Floor of Uptown Mall in BGC, with a second branch at SM Megamall and a Greenbelt branch in the works. Expect a queue at peak meal times.

Can I pay LRT-2 fares with my bank card?

Yes. Since 13 July 2026, LRT-2 accepts contactless Visa cards, compatible NFC devices and QR codes at all 13 stations. Check with your bank that contactless payments abroad are switched on.

Is 16 to 18 November a bad time to be in Manila?

Expect disruption. Those days are special non-working days in Metro Manila for the ASEAN Summit, with road restrictions around Pasay and possible flight schedule changes. Leave early for the airport.

Can tourists pay QR Ph codes with USDT?

Yes, with Fizen QR Pay, funded with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain. It is for visitors and foreigners only; people who live in the Philippines cannot use it in the Philippines.

Why did my QR Ph payment fail?

Common reasons are a receiving bank under maintenance, an old or expired code, special characters in the payment message, or going over US$800 per payment. If it is still processing, do not pay again.

Which network does a Fizen eSIM use in the Philippines?

When checked on 26 October 2026, Philippines plans ran on Globe 4G and 5G, and regional plans on Smart 5G. Plans are data only, so keep your home SIM for bank texts.

Pay QR Ph codes as a visitor

Fizen QR Pay works for travellers and foreigners in the Philippines. Fund it from your Fizen wallet with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, scan the QR Ph code and confirm the amount in pesos. Travel eSIM data is in the same app, payable with USDT or by card via Stripe.

Get the Fizen app

Terms and conditions

Information only. This article is information only. It is not an offer or a sale, and it is not financial, legal or travel advice. Venue details, prices, hours, transport rules and event dates come from the sources listed and can change; check before you go.
For readers in the United States. This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
QR Pay availability. QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. The Fizen wallet is self-custody; USDT you move into QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms, so only move in what you plan to spend. KYC applies.
Independent. Fizen is not affiliated with the restaurants, bars, transit operators or publications mentioned. Acceptance of any payment method at a given venue is not promised.

Sources

Venues, hours, transit payment and summit dates checked against reports dated 13 July to 26 October 2026; eSIM networks checked in the Fizen catalog on 26 October 2026.