Milky Way Café Makati Review: The House That Halo-Halo Built

The short version: Milky Way Café is the house that halo-halo built. A Filipino restaurant in its own building next to Greenbelt, run by the same family since the days when they sold ice cream, and still where I’d send you for halo-halo in Manila. The sisig is the best in the city, and the paksiw na lechon is excellent. The big trick is that you can order from the Spanish, Japanese and Thai restaurants downstairs, because the family owns all of them. It’s cozy and old-Manila rather than fancy, the service is friendly but not fast, and a big dinner works out to about ₱850 a person. One of my favorite places in Makati.

I had dinner at Milky Way on October 24, 2026, with family and friends, six of us, and I’ve been several times before. Dinner was my friends’ treat, so I didn’t see the bill, and the restaurant didn’t know I was writing about it.

Pros

• The halo-halo, probably the best in the Philippines
• The sisig, which comes up from Cirkulo downstairs
• A very soft, just-sweet-enough paksiw na lechon
• You can order from Cirkulo, Tsukiji and Azuthai in the same building
• A menu that goes well beyond Filipino: pasta, dim sum, Hainanese chicken rice, Caesar salad, even pizza
• A historic building with a calm, old-Manila feel
• Parking out front and in the garage
• Works for families, visitors, dates and kids

Cons

• Service is friendly but not fast, and orders occasionally get mixed up
• Not fancy, if that’s what you’re after
• Portions are family style, so it’s better with a group
• The crispy hito didn’t do much for me

Getting there

Milky Way is in the Milky Way Building at 900 Arnaiz Avenue, on the corner of Paseo de Roxas, right next to Greenbelt. It’s an easy walk from the Raffles, the Shangri-La and even the Peninsula; they’re all in the same part of Makati. There’s parking out front and in the garage.

One tip: the restaurant is on the second floor, and the ground floor is Cirkulo and Azuthai. Don’t go in through those. Use the entrance past the garage, then take the elevator or the stairs up.

The history

Milky Way started as ice cream. An American family introduced Milky Way ice cream to the Philippines, sold the business to the Araullo family, and the Araullos went on to supply ice cream to shops around Manila. When the owner of a Makati food court asked them to sell halo-halo, they opened a small kiosk. The kiosk grew to fill a floor, then a building, and the building is now also home to Cirkulo (Spanish, and in the 2026 Michelin Guide), Tsukiji (Japanese) and Azuthai (Thai). The historian Ambeth Ocampo called it “the house that halo-halo built,” which is about right.

The setting: 8.5 out of 10

It’s a traditional-style building, and the restaurant feels that way inside: brown undertones, cozy, not fancy but nice, with a calm, old-Manila feel. Some of my best friends like to come here when I’m in Makati, for lunch or dinner. It’s a happy place for me.

The location does a lot of the work too. You’re next to Greenbelt, so a walk or some shopping before or after is easy, and the hotels are all close.

The food: 8 out of 10

Portions are family style, so order to share, and get rice.

Sisig (₱695): 8.5 out of 10. This comes from Cirkulo downstairs, and it’s my favorite sisig in Manila. A good-size portion too.

Paksiw na lechon (₱795): 8.5 out of 10. Very soft, with just the right amount of sweetness, and it goes really well with rice. I liked this one a lot.

Chicken binakol: 8 out of 10. Very tasty, especially the chicken, and the coconut makes it quite refreshing. The only improvement would be more chicken. It was off a special menu, so I don’t have a price.

Tortang talong (₱350): 7 out of 10. Pretty good, fairly soft, with a hearty taste. It’s just not my type of food, which is personal preference.

Crispy hito (₱895): 6.5 out of 10. Deep-fried catfish with a fresh tomato and cucumber salad and crisp mustard greens. The salad was the best part, and the two go well together, but I’m not a fan of catfish, and there wasn’t enough fish on it.

Milky Way halo-halo (₱295): 8.5 out of 10. This is what they’re known for, and it’s probably my favorite halo-halo in the Philippines. If you haven’t had one: finely shaved ice over sweet beans, jello, kaong and langka, with leche flan and a scoop of ube ice cream on top, and you mix it all together. Milky Way’s is smooth and sweet, but not as sweet as most in the Philippines. We got three. The ones with the jello are especially good. They’ll split one between two people, but not more than two.

The menu is much wider than Filipino: pasta, dim sum, a classic Caesar, Hainanese chicken rice, even pizza. And then there are the other three restaurants in the building, which you can order from at the table. That’s a huge benefit.

Service: 7 out of 10

Friendly. In a big group you don’t really notice the service, and it wasn’t super fast. On some visits they haven’t been that attentive, or they’ve mixed up an order, but never in a way that mattered.

What it cost

I didn’t see the bill, but I can add it up at menu prices. The sisig (₱695), paksiw (₱795), hito (₱895), tortang talong (₱350), three halo-halo (₱295 each), a mango drink (₱225), an iced tea (₱195) and three waters come to about ₱4,265. Add the binakol, a salad and rice, and I’d put the meal at roughly ₱5,000 for six, about ₱850 a person before any service charge.

Value: 8.5 out of 10

Great value: very good food, a menu that runs from Filipino to Chinese to Western, and three more restaurants on the same ticket. A historic building in the nicest part of Makati, for under ₱1,000 a person.

Who it’s for

Friends visiting from out of town, and families in particular. The halo-halo makes it good for kids, and it works for a date after a walk through Greenbelt. It fits a wide range of people.

Tips if you go

• Use the entrance past the garage, not the Cirkulo or Azuthai doors, and go up to the second floor.
• Ask for the Cirkulo sisig. You can order from any of the restaurants in the building.
• Order family style, and get rice.
• Get the halo-halo. They’ll split one between two.
• It wasn’t busy on a Friday night, but for a bigger group, make a reservation; we did.
• If someone in your party is a senior, bring their senior citizen card. In the Philippines it usually gets about 20% off one dish.
• Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

A classic, fairly affordable place with the best halo-halo and the best sisig in Manila, and a building full of other restaurants you can order from. One of my favorites in Makati. This restaurant is in my Where to Eat in Manila guide, with all fourteen ranked and matched to occasions.

FAQ

Where is Milky Way Café?

Second floor of the Milky Way Building, 900 Arnaiz Avenue at Paseo de Roxas, Makati, next to Greenbelt. Use the entrance past the garage.

What is Milky Way known for?

Halo-halo. The family started in ice cream, grew a halo-halo kiosk into a whole building, and it’s still probably the best halo-halo in the Philippines.

Can you order from Cirkulo at Milky Way?

Yes. Cirkulo, Tsukiji and Azuthai are in the same building and the same family, and you can order from all of them.

How much does Milky Way cost?

Halo-halo is ₱295, mains run ₱350 to ₱895, and a big family-style dinner works out to about ₱850 a person.

Do you need a reservation at Milky Way?

Not on a quiet night, but for a larger group, yes.

What are Milky Way Café’s hours?

11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.