(Dined 09/11/2025 TH @ 6:00pm): I "recognized" this Filipino restaurant and nothing was going to…read morestand in my way to try them!
I was in town for the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and as I explored the cuisine landscape, I asked around for a Filipino place to eat, and Makilala was hands down the spot everyone said to go. Named for a municipality in the Philippines and the Tagalog word for "recognize" or "to get to know", Makilala opened in July 2025 by renowned Chef Nuit Regular and her husband Jeff Regular (the duo behind Michelin-starred Thai cuisine Pai in Toronto), and his brother Joel Regular, this team shifted its food focus to Jeff and Joel's Filipino heritage, drawing on 20 years of Chef Nuit learning traditional family recipes from her mother-in-law. A sort of love letter to Filipino culture and food but with a touch of finesse and style to traditional comfort dishes.
PURCHASE(S)
Makilola Lager Beer 20floz Draft ($7.00CAD): Rich amber color, bready malty aroma, light body, malty sweet flavor, crisp finish, and malty aftertaste. Their own beer creation was simple and went down easily.
5pc Lumpia Shanghai ($15.00CAD): Wheat wrapper, ground pork, jicama, pickle relish, soy sauce w/sweet spicy dipping sauce, I've never seen lumpia this long before, but once I started eating, it was like the pork version I knew and loved.
12pc Lechon Kawal ($25.00CAD): Crispy fried pork belly includes coconut vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, onion w/pork liver sauce, each plump cube with its crunchy thick skin was nicely proportioned of meat and fat. I squealed with joy as I ate this dish!
Garlic Fried Rice ($4.00CAD): I loved garlic fried rice and would sometimes make it at home, but rarely did I ever buy it at a Filipino restaurant because it was usually pricey. Be that as it may, this was very garlicky (yes!) as I sparingly ate it due to the small portion size.
Palamig Ube Slush 12floz Drink ($8.00CAD): I treated this as a dessert as the ube flavor was awesome but felt a dollop of whipped cream would've really topped this off nicely.
SERVICE
I was cheerily greeted by a young woman at the front when I entered. As I made my way towards a stool at the bar, I was then happily greeted by a young man behind the bar who gave me a menu and proceeded to quickly take my order. My beer arrived immediately while everything else showed up minutes later - fast service! My empties were cleared away, and before I paid and left, my dessert ube drink was ready for the walk home - salamat!
PARKING
(Varied; N/A this instance): I was constantly in the area all day throughout the entire 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, so I simply walked. Otherwise, there were spots along the many main and surrounding streets, some nearby structures, numerous public transportation options, and rideshares - 'nuff said!
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
An enormous space that opened with a small front market that showcased Filipino artists and vendors, inside there was a bar styled like a sari-sari shop, a private dining room built for kamayan-style feasts, a full-size painted basketball court on the floor of the main dining room with long communal tables, and daily karaoke on a large stage. As you would imagine, there was plenty of Filipino paraphernalia throughout - Pinoy pride! Very good natural lighting came through the front door and many windows while electric ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were a couple of TVs throughout while people were doing karaoke in the background.
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
I beamed with Pinoy pride at Makilala and would love to return! It felt like a party when I arrived. One concern I had was the limited tight menu, so hopefully it changed from time to time for freshness. I loved the food while the beer was fine, the prices seemed a bit high, and the service was friendly and welcoming. Plus, I always preferred to support small mom & pop businesses although the family behind this restaurant already had others around town. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $67.00CAD BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS