Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Manila: brunch review

The Great British Brunch at Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill: unlimited cheese toasties and sticky toffee pudding, and a chef with Ramsay tattooed on her arm.

Wakey… wakey, as Gordon Ramsay would say, egging us on to get this day started on the right foot and with laser-like focus. Hangover? Lacking three years of proper sleep? Reeling from a society spinning in blind orbits? (Where up is down and down is up; where black is the color and none is the number.) Hopefully, nothing that can’t be fixed by some tasty cheese toasties and latte potent enough to kill a stupor.

Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines at Newport World Resorts recently hosted us for the unveiling of its “Great British Brunch” as part of the restaurant’s first anniversary. Available every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Great British Brunch serves unlimited appetizers and desserts, paired with a choice of any of its signature main courses. This special is specific to the Philippines. We learned that while dishes are synchronized across all Gordon Ramsay restaurants, promotional activations are tailored to each location’s market.

Grilled cheese toastie oozing cheddar, topped with skewered pickles, on a white plate — Cheese Toastie: Sourdough stacked with cheddar trio and zingy homemade pickles.

The Jules Man, Avee T and I wolfed down those appetizers really quickly—Braised Lamb Benedict, Crab Royale, the aforementioned cheddar cheese toasties, prawn toast, the classic aged steak tartare, and a quinoa & kale salad. Flash forward to dessert time, when we indulged in unlimited servings of sticky toffee pudding, the 64-percent Manjari Chocolate Tart, and the Mango Knickerbocker Glory (more of this later on in the article).

“You can order as many appetizers and desserts as you want,” one of the managers told us. “We suggest starting with one of each, and if you like something, feel free to order more.”

Crispy crab cake stacked with smoked salmon and a poached egg draped in Hollandaise sauce — Crab Royale: Crispy crab cake, smoked salmon and a poached egg crowned with silky Hollandaise.

Such encouraging words. And oh, he added, “If you have a sweet tooth, go all in.” And to go all in is our motto.

For the main course, I chose the Gordon Ramsay Burger; Avee T, the fish & chips; and the Jules Man ordered that poster dish—Gordon’s Signature Beef Wellington. Guests can also opt for a plateful of cauliflower steak as a main course.

Mango Knickerbocker parfait layered with cream and crumble, crowned with a lattice biscuit — Mango Knickerbocker

I get catfished when ordering a burger in Manila and it does not remotely resemble the picture on the menu. (Like filtering yourself into Valhalla in your Instagram reels.) Not the case with GR burger; it is as plump, beefy and juicy as it gets. I could imagine gorging on this monster with a pint of ale, while watching Inside No. 9 or listening to Anarchy in the R.P., er, UK.

The coffee cups gave way to cocktails, and the grooves from a Brazilian DJ got more insistent.

Golden battered fish on a slate board with chips in a Union Jack cup, mushy peas and lemon — Fish & Chips: A British classic, fried to golden glory.

Chef Bea Therese Qua gave us a demo on how to prepare the Mango Knickerbocker Glory, a twist on a classic British dessert. Start with a layer of mango compote, followed by coconut shreds, then mango jelly. Add a layer of cream cheese diplomat, topped with mango sorbet. Pour in a splash of almond milk, then add lime juice and zest. Finish with desiccated coconut, lime shreds and a curl of lime peel.

Smashing!

Braised lamb benedict: poached egg and Hollandaise over meat on an English muffin, herb sprig on top — Braised Lamb Benedict: English muffin layered with tender lamb, poached egg, hollandaise and a hit of paprika.

As the chef was preparing the dessert, we noticed Gordon Ramsay’s face tattooed on her forearm. Talk about going all in.

Imagining Oktober

So, after a hearty British brunch, we are bound to paint the town amber with some German beer.

Warm toffee sauce being poured over a dark sticky toffee pudding beside a scoop of ice cream — Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Raise your steins and ready your lederhosen as Bavaria makes a layover in Manila. Newport World Resorts is staging a four-day cultural touchdown that fuses Munich’s centuries-old revelry with the capital’s own flair for spectacle. Think beer by the barrel, pork knuckles with golden crackling, as well as German songs and sing-alongs (as 99 red balloons go by). To parrot ChatGPT (preferred by many broadsheet writers over the spellcheck), “This isn’t Oktoberfest as usual—it’s Oktoberfest with Manila swagger.”

Chef Stephen Wood in an apron at the pass of a gleaming steel kitchen, cooks working behind him — Chef Stephen Wood, executive chef, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines.

Newport World Resorts presents its version of Oktoberfest from Oct. 8 to 11, 2025 at The Ballroom, Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts. Guests can look forward to immersing themselves in authentic Munich traditions while enjoying the Philippines’ signature hospitality. The festival will feature a buffet-style spread of Bavarian specialties, including pretzels with savory dips, sausages, sauerkraut, schnitzel and the delectable crispy pork knuckle, complemented by sides like Spaetzle and braised red cabbage, and capped off with desserts such as apple strudel, Kaiserschmarrn, and jam-filled Krapfen. Beer will flow fresh from the tap, led by Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery, serving Weissbier and Lager on draft, with dark beer available by the bottle. Adding to the festive spirit, Austria’s Anton Showband returns with lively music, while guests can join traditional games and contests, from stein-holding to beer-chugging challenges.