Makilala: The Filipino Word for “Getting to Know”
There’s a reason Makilala has stayed with me.
I photographed the restaurant twice for Toronto Life in 2025, and those shoots gave me time to really understand the space - not just how it looks, but how it works. The rhythm of the room. The way people settle in. The way the night unfolds. The more time I spent there, the clearer it became that Makilala isn’t just a place you go to eat. It’s a place you get to know.
The Space
Makilala is located on Church Street, but it doesn’t feel like anything else on the block. The layout is open and active, with clear sightlines from the bar through the dining room and toward the back of the restaurant. A painted basketball court on the floor anchors the room - a direct reference to how courts in the Philippines function as everyday gathering spaces. It’s not decorative; it’s structural to the concept.
At the rear of the space is a private dining room designed for longer meals and group gatherings. It seats roughly fourteen and offers a more contained version of the main room’s energy, making it well suited for shared dinners and special occasions without losing the feel of the restaurant itself.
Food & Bev
The menu balances familiar Filipino dishes with more elaborate plates. Kare-kare, adobo, pancit, silog breakfasts, and grilled meats sit alongside dishes like lobster palabok and whole fish preparations. Portions are generous, flavors are direct, and the food is meant to be shared. Cocktails follow the same approach - playful, well built, and easy to stay with for the evening.
The Details
The walls are filled with personal and cultural references: vintage Filipino film posters, family photos, jerseys, and objects pulled from the Regular family’s history. The bar is modeled after a sari-sari store, the small neighborhood shops common across the Philippines. These choices don’t overwhelm the space - they give it texture and context.
Background & Concept
Makilala comes from chefs Jeff and Nuit Regular and Jeff’s brother Joel. After years building Thai restaurants across Toronto, Jeff wanted to focus on Filipino food — the cooking he grew up with. Makilala means “getting to know,” and the restaurant is built around that idea: learning a culture through food, conversation, and shared time.
If you’re opening a new restaurant or planning a content refresh, feel free to get in touch.