SM Megamall is adding a wave of international restaurants that have long been on Filipino travelers’ must-visit lists.
Manila diners have spent years flying out for their favorite meals, but nowadays, that has become a rarer sight. SM Megamall has never been shy about importing hype, and this year, the mall is bringing in a run of names that we once had to travel abroad to try. From Korean salt bread to Okinawan steak, SM Megamall is expanding its dining lineup with a slew of world-renowned concepts. Here’s a look at the global dining options landing at the mall this 2026, and what makes each one well worth the trip.
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Hatoya Matcha
Nobuhiro Maruyama built Hatoya in Kyoto on a simple premise: that matcha tastes better when the person selling it also grew it. He still works the harvest himself, standing in the fields with the farmers instead of outsourcing the relationship to a supplier. Manila has been ordering Hatoya online for a while now, and the upcoming Megamall location finally gives local matcha obsessives somewhere to spend their money in person.
Mensho Tokyo
Chef Tomoharu Shono opened the first Mensho Tokyo in 2005 and has spent two decades turning it into one of the most followed ramen names on the planet, with a Michelin recommendation trailing its San Francisco branch and outposts now open from Bangkok to Melbourne to Hawaii.
Cheung Hing Kee
This Hong Kong shop didn’t need a sprawling menu to earn a Michelin Bib Gourmand. It made its name with just one dish, executed with a standard precision done the same way for decades: the pan-fried soup buns. They feature a crisp, seared bottom every time, with a filling that stays juicy all the way to the last bite.
Standard Bread
Seoul diners fell head over heels for this bakery café, with its fresh loaves coming out of the oven every 30 minutes, all day, inside a space that feels like someone’s countryside kitchen. The format already made the jump to Singapore, and the appetite for a Manila branch has been building steadily, producing the kind of demand that naturally caught SM Supermalls’ attention.
BHC Chicken
South Korea’s largest fried chicken chain got to where it is by nailing the fundamentals and refusing to mess with them. BHC initially entered the Philippine market through a franchise agreement between Dining Brands Group and Suyen Corporation, with SM Supermalls handling the local rollout. Now, Filipino diners have direct access to the exact crunch that built an entire country’s loyalty.
Hikiniku To Come
Japan’s hamburg-on-rice format came to the Philippines and immediately went big. The appeal is part theater and part meal, as freshly ground beef gets shaped and grilled over open flame right in front of diners, then served straight over rice.
Läderach
Three generations of the Läderach family have spent decades perfecting Swiss chocolate, and it shows in every delectable slab of FrischSchoggi. The flavor pairings sound unlikely written out—raspberry blackberry white chocolate, chili lemon dark—yet they work marvelously, delivering exactly what they promise and more.
Yappari Steak
Okinawa gave the world a steakhouse format built around both spectacle and flavor. Here, a rare seared cut lands on a lava stone hot enough to keep cooking, and diners finish the job themselves at the table. The chain has already expanded well beyond its first Philippine branch, with multiple locations across Cebu and one in Cagayan de Oro.
Yakiniku King
Japan’s number one all-you-can-eat barbecue chain earned that ranking with more than 350 locations in its home country, and it didn’t get there by cutting corners on service. The table order system keeps dishes moving fresh throughout the meal, ensuring that there’s no waiting on a rotating grill for your turn.
Photos courtesy of SM Supermalls
Frequently Asked Questions
SM Megamall is welcoming Hatoya Matcha, Mensho Tokyo, Cheung Hing Kee, Standard Bread, BHC Chicken, Hikiniku To Come, Läderach, Yappari Steak, and Yakiniku King.
The new lineup includes ramen, Japanese steak, yakiniku, Hong Kong-style soup dumplings, Korean fried chicken, bakery cafés, Swiss chocolate, and specialty matcha.
Japanese concepts include Mensho Tokyo, Hikiniku To Come, Yappari Steak, Yakiniku King, and Hatoya Matcha, offering everything from ramen and hamburg steak to yakiniku and matcha desserts.
South Korea is represented by Standard Bread, known for its fresh-baked loaves, and BHC Chicken, one of the country’s largest fried chicken chains.
The new openings bring internationally known brands such as Mensho Tokyo, Yappari Steak, Hatoya Matcha, and Cheung Hing Kee to Manila, giving local diners access to concepts that previously required traveling abroad to experience.
