Poblacion is Makati's old town district and the most interesting neighbourhood in the city for eating and drinking on a budget. What was a slightly rough residential area a decade ago has been colonised by small restaurants, coffee shops, and cocktail bars operating out of converted houses along narrow one-way streets. The density of options is remarkable: Filipino comfort food, Japanese ramen, Korean barbecue, Vietnamese pho, Mexican tacos, and Filipino-inflected fusion cooking all within a few blocks of each other.
For Filipino food specifically, Poblacion is one of the best places to eat in Metro Manila without paying upscale restaurant prices. Look for small eateries serving sisig (sizzling pork offal, a Pampanga classic that has become a Manila staple), kare-kare (oxtail in peanut sauce), and crispy pata (deep-fried pork knuckle). Street-level spots with plastic chairs and no air conditioning are not indicators of mediocre food here — the best meals in the neighbourhood often come from exactly these kinds of places.
The neighbourhood runs roughly between Kalayaan Avenue to the north, Zobel Roxas to the west, and the EDSA feeder roads to the south. It is a 15-minute walk from the Ayala Center or a short Grab ride. Evenings are when the area really comes alive, with the bar scene starting around 9pm and running well past midnight on weekends.