Nilo Divina's Aurora earns second straight Michelin recognition

A restaurant inspired by a mother's home cooking has earned another place in one of the world's most respected culinary guides.

Aurora, the Makati restaurant established by lawyer Nilo Divina, has retained its Michelin Selected distinction in the 2027 Michelin Guide Manila and Environs & Cebu, marking its second consecutive year of recognition.

The restaurant was among the establishments included in the inaugural Philippine Michelin Guide in 2025, just two years after opening its doors.

Located on the ground floor of the Pacific Star Building in Makati, Aurora was established in 2023 as a tribute to Divina's late mother, whose cooking influenced his appreciation for food.

Divina, founder of DivinaLaw and dean of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, envisioned a restaurant that would bring familiar Asian flavors and the warmth of home cooking to a contemporary dining setting.

The kitchen is headed by executive chef Mark Jesraelle Sanchez and executive sous chef Christine Danielle Lim, whose menu combines Asian influences with modern culinary techniques.

Among the restaurant's notable offerings is grilled hamachi collar, a dish previously highlighted by Michelin inspectors.

Aurora's latest recognition comes as the Philippine dining industry gains wider international attention.

The 2027 Michelin Guide, unveiled on 29 October 2026, recognizes 127 restaurants across Metro Manila and surrounding areas and Cebu, including 10 Michelin-starred establishments, 31 Bib Gourmand restaurants and 86 Michelin Selected establishments.

Michelin Selected restaurants are recommended by the guide's inspectors for the quality of their cooking but have not received a Michelin Star or Bib Gourmand distinction.

Following Aurora's establishment in Makati, Divina expanded his restaurant business with Bistro Aurora at The Podium in Ortigas, offering another interpretation of the original concept's Asian-inspired comfort food.

The continued recognition places Aurora among the Philippine restaurants that have maintained their inclusion in the Michelin Guide as its local selection enters its second year.