Marriott International’s Future of Food: Asia Pacific 2027 report is built on one idea: “The Rise of Place.” Across the region, dining is getting smaller, more local, and more personal. The Philippines gets its own chapter, which describes a market developing a more confident culinary identity, with Manila increasingly recognized as a dining destination in its own right.
The report draws on a survey of Marriott F&B teams in 284 properties across 20 Asia Pacific markets (completed July 2026), plus interviews with chefs, editors, and industry leaders. Marriott operates over 1,500 restaurants and bars in the region, and says the research helps it stay ahead of what diners want.
A note on the data: Philippine sample sizes appear small. Percentages like 7%, 20%, and 33% suggest roughly 30 properties, so everything below is framed as “properties report.”
Here are our Top 10 Takeaways from the report, cross-referenced with our own firsthand experience in the food industry, to highlight the trends, challenges, and opportunities that matter most to food entrepreneurs and restaurateurs.
1. Authenticity beats everything
Across Asia Pacific, 95% of surveyed properties named authentic local signature dishes as the biggest trend in their market, and the report says authenticity even outranks value for money when diners choose where to eat. In the Philippines, 67% of guest decisions are driven by the authenticity of local signatures. For restaurants, the message is that the dish people can only get here is the strongest pull you have.
Our take: Café Juanita is our favorite Filipino restaurant in Manila, and it just celebrated its 30th anniversary. It keeps serving the dishes people come back for, like its Kapampangan Kare-Kare, traditionally made from scratch. In an era of fusion and modern Filipino cooking, we always return to the true taste of Filipino cuisine. Café Juanita continues to serve mostly locals. Not many foreign visitors have discovered it yet, and even the Michelin Guide has yet to feature it. Authenticity is the key to its longevity, and it comes from the vision of Doc Efren Vazquez.
2. Depth over breadth
Abba Napa of The Moment Group expects Filipino chefs to focus on fewer ideas with more depth behind each one, producing menus rooted in personal memory and place. She also sees chefs becoming more comfortable expressing their history and culture through food and hospitality. In practice, that points to tighter, more focused menus where every dish has a story.
Our take: Chef Angelo “Chubby” Timban of Kingsford Hotel Manila champions local cuisine with Lauya de Palanyag, a comforting heirloom stew that the hotel is the first to officially serve. Think of it as pochero’s cousin, with a lighter, achuete-tinted broth, slow-cooked meat, saba bananas, vegetables, and a subtle sweetness from panutsa. We love their passion for digging deep into Parañaque’s food heritage and preserving these local flavors at Kingsford Café.
3. Look beyond Manila
The report says Manila provides the international platform, while regions like the Visayas and Siargao add the texture. Jordy Navarra of Toyo Eatery points to Bacolod and Iloilo as places with strong food cultures that are becoming more widely understood. Chef Ines Castañeda Matos of Roots in Siargao describes contemporary luxury as what is real, authentic, and endemic to a place. For travelers and food writers, it’s a case for exploring the provinces, not just the capital.
Our take: Siargao locals say Cev is the best restaurant on the island, and we’d have to agree. 👌 Founded by Mark del Rosario, it puts our very own Kinilaw in the spotlight while contrasting it with Peruvian ceviche. The ceviche uses kalamansi for a fresh zing, while the Kinilaw is made with tuba (coconut vinegar) for a deeper, local flavor. This is the kind of food you can only get on the islands, with the fresh catch of the day and the deeply rooted flavors of Mindanao.
4. Filipino food is ready to travel
Petr Raba, Marriott’s VP of Food & Beverage for Asia Pacific excluding China, sees Filipino cuisine gaining traction. Through Marriott’s Sinagtala program, chefs from its Philippine hotels developed their own elevated interpretations of dishes like adobo and sisig. Raba’s wish is to take those dishes to Marriott properties outside the Philippines, which would put Filipino food in front of new audiences. He also notes that local chefs are on the rise in Manila, blending classic and modern techniques, and expects more pairings of traditional Filipino cooking with contemporary approaches.
Our take: Finally, Marriott has created Filipino recipes it can champion across its properties, not only in Manila but around the world. The Filipino diaspora is everywhere, and authentic contemporary Filipino flavors are in demand to satisfy those cravings. Congratulations on the Sinagtala Recipe Book, curated alongside Director of Culinary Chef Meik Brammer. It compiles winning recipes from properties like Clark Marriott, The Westin Manila, and Manila Marriott, with the aim of standardizing Filipino cuisine and exporting it to Marriott menus internationally.
5. Think small and intimate
Regionally, 40 to 60 seats is emerging as the sweet spot for new restaurant concepts. In the Philippines, 67% of properties report growing guest preference for intimate, quiet dining spaces, well above the regional 44%. Raba says diners want more personal, experience-rich settings, which opens the door to smaller-footprint restaurants. Abba Napa adds that smaller spaces can support tighter concepts and menus, while strong teams can deliver thoughtful service in any size of room.
Our take: One of our favorite chefs, Chef Mikel “Kel” Zaguirre of Locavore fame, has launched a new micro dining concept with Food Records Inc. and partner Martin Gino Palma. It follows their first venture, Mabuhay Craft Coffee in San Juan, and starts with Binondo Boys, a 24/7 Filipino-Chinese eatery in Diliman, Quezon City. It’s a good example of the report’s 40 to 60 seat sweet spot: a small 50-seater with a young, confident brand and approachable prices, outside the mall and with the option to run around the clock. We like how the format works for different guests, with a counter for solo or quick bites and air-conditioned seating for groups. The menu is North Park-style comfort food with authentic Binondo dimsum and dishes, “Zaguirrized” with Chef Kel’s bold twists, plus a secret menu where he gets to show off his own creations. Small footprint, bold flavors, and a reason to come back: that’s the micro-concept formula.
6. Private dining is growing
Half of Philippine properties (50%) report more demand for private dining rooms, compared with 43% regionally. That fits the wider move toward gatherings and celebrations, and the report notes that cultural events and celebrations are the most popular dining experiences across the region. Solo diners are part of the picture too: Manam in Manila offers three portion sizes so a single guest can still sample several signature dishes, and regional solo covers rose 18% in the evening and 15% at lunch.
Our take: A good example of this unique communal dining concept in Silang. Obscure Table is a secret salo-salo private dining concept by Dennis Hipolito and Chef GB Barlao, tucked away in a private house in Silang, Cavite. It seats only 15 to 20 guests per service, Friday to Sunday by reservation, and serves a three-act dinner family-style. You can book the whole dinner for your family, friends or team, or join as a couple and meet fellow food lovers at the communal tables. It shows where private dining is going: celebrations built around one group, one table, and a sense of discovery. Birthday celebrants get a carrot cake and everyone goes home with pa-sharon food. The highlights were the chicharonillo and the lamb kare-kare, the best we’ve tasted. It’s also worth the drive beyond Manila.
7. Alcohol-free is a real category
This is one of the biggest Philippine swings in the report. Properties report a 77% increase in alcohol-free beverage sales and a 71% increase in soft drinks and water, while alcohol is slipping: 20% report lower premium spirits and cocktail sales, 24% lower wine sales, and 17% lower beer and cider sales. Raba attributes the shift to growing health consciousness, including awareness of sugar and alcohol intake. Bars and restaurants that treat alcohol-free drinks as an afterthought may be leaving money on the table.
Our take: We noticed the no-alcohol trend early this year, but we hadn’t tasted a good non-alcoholic beer locally until we tried Moritz Zero Alcohol at Bar Pintxos Alabang. That’s when we realized this trend could be good not only for Gen X, cutting down on alcohol to protect their livers, but also for Gen Z, who don’t like alcohol at all. Non-alcoholic wines are available too, but they can taste like natural wine, and vinegary when not stored and handled well. Mocktails are now on the menu at Curator, and our kids always look at the mocktail menu when we dine out.
Across the region, properties ranked social media as the top driver of restaurant bookings. Third-party booking websites came second, and influencers and KOLs third, ahead of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program (fourth), the hotel’s own website (fifth), word of mouth (sixth), and AI (seventh). The report doesn’t break this ranking down by country, so treat it as a regional picture. For restaurateurs, the message is that guests discover you in their feeds before they ever visit your website, and creators rank above your own channels.
Our take: Social media is saturated. There’s almost no organic reach left, and the networks force you to advertise to reach your target market. Influencers and KOLs without a real following on Instagram or TikTok are not very effective. That’s why the travel industry is putting more focus on writers and bloggers like us at Our Awesome Planet. We have a mailing list of close to 10,000 subscribers, and we broadcast every blog post to it when we publish. The report ranks AI last, at seventh, as a booking driver today. We expect that to change. AI engines will be a key driver next, which is why optimizing our posts for generative engines (GEO) is a priority. We also see Threads becoming the real Google Reviews, where the food industry and community tune in for honest reviews.
9. Wellness and longevity are going mainstream
Health is now a major driver of what people order. Across the region, 82% of properties say guests are influenced by health and nutrition, and 37% have introduced a wellness menu. The report also treats longevity as one of the defining trends for 2027, with restaurants increasingly building dishes around ingredients associated with living well for longer. Of surveyed properties, 97% serve dishes featuring these wellness and longevity ingredients, led by turmeric and ginger (80%), black sesame (64%), matcha (59%), miso (52%), and purple sweet potato/ube (47%). The report links this to traditional diets that are heavy on plants, fish, and fermented foods and low in sugar and red meat, citing longevity Blue Zones like Okinawa. It adds that longevity and the occasional indulgence can share the same table. The mindset reaches the hotel room too: 30% of Philippine properties have replaced turndown cakes or chocolates with healthier options, double the regional 15%. For Philippine restaurants, ube and other local ingredients with a health halo are a natural fit for telling a wellness and longevity story rooted in place.
Our take: Nurture Wellness by Cathy Turvill just celebrated its 25th anniversary and remains at the forefront of wellness in Manila. She has also released the second edition of her book, which now focuses on longevity and not just wellness. When we eat out these days, we look for healthier options on the menu that are also good value for money. Bar Pintxos, for example, now serves grilled apahap. The matcha craze is real, partly because some people can’t tolerate the acidity of coffee, and yogurt, sourdough and kombucha have become mainstream choices that foodies crave.
10. Time is the new luxury, but tradition still rules
Regionally, 58% of properties say fine-dining meals now last 1.5 to 2 hours, and Marriott’s “99-minute fine dining” concept offers up to five courses in a shorter window. In the Philippines, 40% of properties say guests are spending less time in restaurants and bars than a year ago, though the market is split, with another 40% reporting longer stays. Navarra notes that diners are increasingly comfortable trusting a chef-led experience, especially at counters. Raba also expects Filipino diners to keep valuing tradition this Christmas season, with family gatherings, signature recipes, and lola’s cooking, while staying open to new experiences.
Our take: Many diners are already complaining about three-hour+ tasting menus, even at a one-Star Michelin restaurant in Manila. One of the latest openings, Tadhana Makati, opened in May 2026 at the Levanto building in Makati as Mama Lou’s Group’s first big move into Manila fine dining, with Chef Frances Tariga. Its ₱6,500 tasting menu runs 10 courses in under three hours and tells her story from the UAE to New York and home to Manila. It’s still quite long, and we agree with the report that tasting menus should run under two hours. Good pacing adds to the deliciousness of the overall experience.
You can read the full report here: The Rise of Place: Future of Food Asia Pacific 2027 by Marriott International
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: This article was written entirely by a human—reflecting my own biases, opinions, and insights—with grammar and clarity checked using AI assistance. Thank you to Marriott International for inviting us to the media launch of the Future of Food Asia Pacific 2027 report on October 6, 2026.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
It’s Marriott International’s food and beverage trends report for Asia Pacific excluding China, released on October 6, 2026 under the theme “The Rise of Place.” It’s based on a survey of Marriott F&B teams at 284 properties across 20 markets (completed July 2026), plus interviews with chefs, editors, and industry leaders. The Philippines gets its own chapter.
Authenticity. 95% of surveyed properties named authentic local signature dishes as the top trend in their market, ranking it above value for money. Four in five properties added new local ingredients to their menus over the past year, and nearly three-quarters say local ingredients now appear more often on beverage menus. In the Philippines, 67% of guest dining decisions are driven by the authenticity of local signatures.
Not dying, but getting smaller. The report sees 40 to 60 seats emerging as the sweet spot for new concepts, and nearly half of properties in the region report growing demand for casual lounges and bars. In the Philippines, 67% of properties report guests preferring intimate, quiet dining spaces (vs. 44% regionally), and 50% report more demand for private dining rooms (vs. 43%).
It describes a market with a more confident culinary identity, and Manila is increasingly recognized as a dining destination. Chefs are expected to go deeper on fewer ideas rooted in memory and place, and regions like the Visayas, Siargao, Bacolod, and Iloilo are gaining recognition. Through Marriott’s Sinagtala program, chefs at its Philippine hotels created elevated versions of adobo and sisig, which Marriott hopes to serve at properties abroad.
Philippine properties report a 77% increase in alcohol-free beverage sales and a 71% increase in soft drinks and water. Meanwhile, 20% report lower premium spirit and cocktail sales, 24% lower wine sales, and 17% lower beer and cider sales. Marriott links the shift to growing health consciousness about sugar and alcohol.
97% of properties serve dishes with wellness and longevity ingredients. The most common are turmeric and ginger (80%), black sesame (64%), matcha (59%), miso (52%), and purple sweet potato or ube (47%). Across the region, 82% say guests are influenced by health and nutrition, 37% have introduced a wellness menu, and Marriott plans a region-wide plant-forward program for 2027.
58% of properties in the region say fine-dining meals now last 1.5 to 2 hours, and Marriott’s “99-minute fine dining” concept serves up to five courses in that window. The Philippines is split: 40% of properties say guests spend less time dining than a year ago, while another 40% report longer stays.
Social media ranks first as a booking driver across the region. Next come third-party booking sites, influencers and KOLs, the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, hotel websites, and word of mouth, with AI in seventh place.
You can download The Rise of Place: Future of Food Asia Pacific 2027 as a PDF from Marriott’s news center. We’ve linked it at the end of our 10 takeaways above.
