Unique ventures, adventures await at Chino Roces Avenue

La Fuerza | PHOTO: JUDGEFLORO VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The stretch of Chino Roces Avenue, including the 2-km Chino Roces Extension, in Makati City is quite an attractive place to visit and settle in because it’s not as hectic as its neighboring Makati central business district but is accessible to major thoroughfares and benefits from the prominence of a Makati address.

A factor that adds to the competitiveness of Chino Roces Avenue as a real estate hotspot is its location. It passes through eight barangays in Makati City and a segment of it crosses Edsa, Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare. One end of Chino Roces Avenue is adjacent to the capital Manila while the other end links it to Taguig City, where another bustling central business district is located. Many developers have invested in this area, pouring in investments for prime residential and commercial buildings.

Aside from established brands and multinational companies, Chino Roces Avenue has also attracted businesses with niche interests and distinct purposes. Throughout the whole avenue, one can find unique ventures that you’d visit there specifically or destinations that one would come back to over and over again and become a routine go-to place.

Modeka Creative Space | PHOTO: MODEKA.SPACE

Over the years, the La Fuerza compound has built and established a reputation for housing different galleries, art studios, and event spaces. These include the Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Modeka Creative Space, Finale Art File, and White Walls Gallery.

La Fuerza compound is also the address of some home decor retail shops including the Pietro Collection, a leading lighting and home accessories store. The Pietro Collection offers a wide array of choices for interior design needs and multiple lighting fixtures with different styles and materials.

For sports-related activities or just unwinding purposes, several sports hubs and recreation centers can be found along Chino Roces Avenue.

DragonSmash Badminton Center, formerly known as Powersmash, has collected over the years a loyal clientele whose go to sports is badminton. The facility also offers summer camps where students are coached by professionals.

Bike Town Cyclery | PHOTO: BILOGGIRL.
COM

Bike shops can also be found along Chino Roces. Bike Town Cyclery, which dubs itself as the home of the best custom bicycle brands, has been around for years, serving every need of bikers and bicycle enthusiasts. The shop sells bicycle parts and even motorcycle accessories and other action sports products.

In April 2023, boutique bowling alley Studio 300 had its soft launching of its Makati branch in Chino Roces. The new branch features aesthetic bowling alleys, a full indoor football field, and high-end billiard tables. It also offers good food and drinks and a bar so friends and families can hang out together for long periods of time.

Amici | PHOTO: CLICKTHECITY.COM

Food is among the essential offerings of Chino Roces Avenue. There are lots of places to explore and feast in this area, from popular restaurants and food chains to independent food businesses.

A staple name in Chino Roces is Amici which serves delicious pastas, pizzas, and gelato. Its cake arm, Caramia, also offers amazing dessert treats. Amici is located beside Don Bosco Makati and the history of the restaurant is a story itself. Amici was built by Fr. Gianluigi Colombo, a Salesian Italian priest in charge of overseeing the operations of the Don Bosco Printing Press. After obtaining permission from the Don Bosco School’s management in June 1994, the Salesian priest set up a “canteen” to support its employees, giving birth to Amici di Don Bosco (Friends of Don Bosco). It later became a popular hole-in-the-wall joint in Makati patronized by people from different walks of life from all over Metro Manila.

Hungry Homies | PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/HUNGRYHOMIESPH

Hungry Homies, owned by social media influencer Laureen Uy and her fiance entrepreneur Miggy Cruz, opened its first store in Chino Roces last year. This burger joint earned a following during the pandemic and its delicious homemade burgers and sides are definitely worth checking.

Chef Rob Pengson’s Beso Beso | PHOTO: THEHUNGRYKAT.COM

Chef Rob Pengson’s Beso Beso Restaurant moved to Chino Roces for a bigger and more spacious place. Beso Beso offers fine cuisine and elegant dining experience that would make one feel they’ve stepped out of the busy hustle and bustle of the metro.

Aleanza Institute of Arts | PHOTO: THEHUNGRYKAT.COM

Aside from the restaurant, Pengson also runs the culinary and business school Aleanza Institute of Arts in the same space. The school first opened in December 2019 but operations paused during the pandemic. Aleanza reopened in 2021 and offered “work while you study” programs which means that students can do part-time work at Aleanza’s partner restaurants and get paid, unlike interns who just work for academic credits. The kind of work their students will get will be in fine dining at Pengson’s Beso Beso; catering at Prima Bakery and Catering (also his); at their cloud kitchen (a kind of commissary that caters to various brands); as well as in “food content production,” which is geared towards making one’s social media game better.

Chino Roces is also home to different niche schools like the La Manille School of Esthetics and Wellness which offers a 350-hour esthetic course in beauty and skin care, including in-depth knowledge on skin histology, skin analysis, facial nourishment, and facial machines.

Sources: Inquirer Archives, amici.ph, hungryhomies.ph, dragonsmashph.com, Official Facebook page of BikeTown, Official Instagram of Studio300