Cafe Via Mare — Restaurant in Makati

Haven't been home in 8 yrs. To have Via Mare's puto bumbong was on my to do list while in PH. Went to the one in Landmark on 8/14/24 with my daughter. The puto bumbong came without butter so I asked our waiter Cliff for some. He insisted it never comes with butter (!) but he will bring me some if "I insist" (all the pics in the reviews seem to have butter with it). The butter never came. The puto bumbong started to harden. I tried to make contact with him but he seems to be looking everywhere else - including my uneaten puto bumbong - but me even when he passed our table. Maybe we weren't "dressed well enough" for him. Maybe we looked too simple and tired and not "sosyal" enough for him. I could've asked another waiter but at this point I wanted to believe in the superb customer service that I so love from our country. He never once checked on us. I had to ask another guy named Lan for our check. Lan left it with the cashier and it stayed there for a while. I saw him tell Cliff but it took a while before I got my change. I guess in case I leave a tip, Cliff brought back our change. I said "you never brought my butter". Ang sabi lang niya ay "Oo nga 'no; eh tapos na naman kayo eh" and walked away to behind the bar where he seems to do a lot of talking. No apologies. He seemed mayabang in the end as he did in the beginning. Sad. Been thinking about eating here since I started planning my trip. The guys cleaning tables down in the food court were more attentive and engaging than him. On a side note, wish we had Ely for our waiter. I watched in envy as he attended to his customers. Also, the chips were bland; the pan de sal was good. My tip: tell Cliff not to be judgmental even though we may be dressed down (who cares?!) and we may look haggard (after...

Via Mare has always been one of my favorite go-to spots for authentic and delicious Filipino dishes, and it has held that special place since the 90s. There’s something about their food that feels both comforting and timeless. it’s like a taste of home that never goes out of style. Every dish is prepared with care, bursting with the familiar flavors we all grew up with, yet consistently executed with a level of quality that makes you want to come back again and again.

From their pancit luglug, to the hearty dinuguan, to their fresh and flavorful seafood offerings, everything on the menu feels like a celebration of Filipino cuisine. And of course, their bibingka and puto bumbong are legendary…perfect for the holidays but just as good all year round.

Beyond the food, what I love about Via Mare is the consistency. Through the years, they’ve managed to maintain the same warmth in their service and the same authenticity in their flavors. It’s rare to find a restaurant that has stood the test of time, but Via Mare proves that when you serve good food with heart, people will always come back.

For me, Via Mare isn’t just a restauran…it’s part of my personal food journey, a favorite that has been with me since the 90s and continues to be a place I’ll...

Wayback like more than 20 years ago, Via Mare was in the middle of Landmark, If I will rate it for that time it was a perfect 5, It was one of my favorite place for traditional food, the food and service was very good, if you always visit, the staff will already call you by your name, then they moved to the side of the 2nd floor of Landmark, even if the waiters got older, they were still there serving with their best smile and it's like when they see you, they see their old friends or family, after the pandemic, I dont see the similar faces anymore, but I still went there and I hope they can improve on their service and food, the serving size got smaller so it became more pricey, there was also some changes when it comes to the taste of the food, though in this visit we only ordered Kare Kare, Fresh Lumpia, Kaldereta with fried lumpia. There is a crawling insect in the table that went straight to the Kare Kare. Maybe after all the years of enjoying their food, I might not consider going back, but I do hope they can improve, even when all prices goes higher, I hope they can serve food worth...