Sebastian’s wasn’t always supposed to be Sebastian’s.
“The original plan was actually to open an elevated Breakfast at Antonio’s,” Basti explains. Even the construction hoarding—the temporary wall concealing the storefront—signaled that the brand’s all-day breakfast and bistro concept was already in the works.
But as the space was being developed, the team saw an opportunity to create something bigger. The concept evolved into an all-day restaurant—and with that came the opportunity for Basti to make it more personal. Hence, the namesake restaurant.
How Sebastian’s Came To Be
Growing up with Antonio’s meant Sebastian “Basti” Escalante was a witness to one of the country’s most enduring dining institutions. But when it came time to put his own name on a restaurant, he knew he wanted to do things a little differently.
“I grew up with Antonio’s, and I love what my dad created, but I’m personally a much more casual diner,” says Basti, son of Antonio “Tonyboy” Escalante. “I wanted somewhere you could have a proper breakfast, come back for lunch, have a steak and a bottle of wine for dinner, or just drop by for something simple.”
When developing their Rockwell space, he began thinking about the restaurants he visited in his travels, particularly the sort of neighborhood place he could imagine returning to again and again. Together with his father, executive chef AC Agra, and the rest of the team, those ideas eventually took shape.
“It wasn’t really me pitching a finished concept,” he says. “Sebastian’s evolved through conversations.”
Putting His Stamp on It
Basti was hands-on and involved in everything, from the restaurant’s design to its menu. For him, if his name was going to be on the door, it had to be somewhere he sincerely wanted to eat in. “I didn’t want it to feel too formal or intimidating,” he says. “The food can be serious, but eating there shouldn’t have to be.”
That inevitably is what defines—and differentiates—Sebastian’s. Casual but never careless, the place feels as welcoming for breakfast at nine in the morning as it does for dinner at nine at night.
“Antonio’s has been around for a long time, so there are expectations that come with our name,” Basti says. “Putting my own name on a restaurant adds another layer to that.”
Consequently, Basti moves and decides with intention, relying on the lessons he learned from his father. Among them is the unwillingness to compromise on quality.
Familiar Food, Different Table
That balance between family tradition and Basti’s personal style comes through most clearly on the menu.
Take the Antonio’s Steak Tartare, for example. Basti grew up with the dish, which has been served at Antonio’s for years. Serving it in Sebastian’s gives the younger restaurant a clear connection to its roots.
The Steak Frites, on the other hand, may be the clearest expression of Basti’s own dining philosophy. “It’s probably the dish that best represents Sebastian’s to me,” he says. “Good beef, house-made fries, and béarnaise. It’s simple, familiar, and, when everything is done properly, really satisfying.”
And then there is Manang Myrna’s Sinigang, which perhaps is the most personal of the three.
Manang Myrna has cooked for the Escalante household for close to three decades, and Basti grew up eating the meals she prepared for the family every day. Her sinigang, made with gabi that gives the broth extra body and heartiness, became such a fixture at the Escalante residence that the family decided restaurant guests should be able to experience it, too.
“This dish is so good that we wanted to share the comfort my family has enjoyed from it with our guests,” Basti says.
Together, the three dishes beautifully tell the Sebastian’s story: one comes directly from Antonio’s, another represents the simple food Basti personally loves to eat, and the third comes straight from his family table.
That, in essence, is what Sebastian’s is all about. It isn’t an restaurant attempting to keep its distance from Antonio’s and step out of its reputable shadow, nor is it trying to be a younger, more casual version of Antonio’s, which one might be easy to assume. Instead, it’s Basti making full use of the standards he grew up with and applying them based on how he eats now.
It’s Basti recalling his dad’s idea of hospitality and using that as inspiration in setting up his own dining table.
Sebastian’s by Antonio’s is located at GF-RS-101, Edades Tower and Garden Villas, Rockwell Center, Poblacion, Makati City
Frequently Asked Questions
Sebastian’s by Antonio’s is all-day restaurant owned and named after Sebastian “Basti” Escalante.
Basti Escalante is the owner of Sebastian’s and widely known as the son of restaurateur Antonio “Tonyboy” Escalante. After working for his father, he wanted to venture out and created a restaurant that resonated more with his own personal vision of food and dining.
Sebastian’s by Antonio’s is located at GF-RS-101, Edades Tower and Garden Villas, Rockwell Center, Poblacion, Makati City
Compared to the restaurants under Antonio’s Group, Basti Escalante is more of a casual diner, and this is reflected in the menu of his namesake restaurant. There are dishes inspired from his time working for his father like the Antonio’s Steak Tartare. There are dishes that align more on his own dining philosophy like the Steak Frites. And then there are that have more personal origins like the Manang Myrna’s Sinigang.
