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A Filipino mother’s journey from cooking and selling food in the Philippines to building a family business in Adelaide will be celebrated through a new restaurant opening on Rundle Street.
Husband-and-wife owners, Cielo and Christian Velasquez are putting the final touches on Mutya’s, a contemporary Filipino restaurant from the family behind Pooraka favourite, 118 Kovenant Café & Restaurant.
The new venue will offer a refined and reimagined interpretation of Filipino cuisine, while remaining connected to the recipes, flavours and traditions that shaped the family.
“The name Mutya means the ‘pearl of the orient’ and it is Christian’s mother’s name,” Cielo said.
The restaurant pays homage to her story, starting a catering business after moving to Adelaide, before the family went on to open 118 Kovenant in the northern suburbs. Mutya’s represents the next chapter in that journey, with Christian leading the kitchen alongside Cielo and his sister, Danice Cruz, managing the front of house.
Traditional Filipino dishes and familiar flavours will be celebrated using contemporary techniques and refined presentation, with the owners determined to ensure the food remains recognisable and connected to its origins. The family hopes the restaurant will introduce Rundle Street to the breadth of Filipino cuisine.
“We’re hoping to educate the diners on Filipino cuisine because it’s not very well known here in Adelaide … and introduce Filipino flavours in a way that they’re familiar like using local produce.”
And the balance between tradition and modern interpretation will truly shine through the restaurant’s interior.
The space will combine contemporary Filipino design with traditional architecture, including rectangular windows inspired by those commonly found in homes throughout the Philippines. A shell-shaped chandelier will connect with the restaurant’s theme, while a large artwork depicting the waters surrounding the Philippines will add a bold coastal reference to the dining room.
But it’s the food that will transport diners to the heart of the Philippines. Cielo and Christian predict their most popular dishes will be the Squid Ink Pasta featuring fresh blue swimmer crab and prawns and rib-eye steak with Bistek sauce.
And, of course, the menu doesn’t end there with a range of vibrant desserts and cocktails, with Christian saying Filipinos are “very creative with our drinks.” Ube-inspired desserts and cocktails are set to wow guests such as ube tiramisu and ube-colada.
“We are playing with those Filipino flavours in local scenes even with our cocktails,” said Christian.
“We want to showcase the colonial era of the Philippines so the dessert is very influenced with the Spanish era.”
This is mainly explored in their ‘Maja blanca’, a coconut panna cotta with sweet corn and coconut crumble.
While Mutya’s will offer a different dining experience from the family’s original Pooraka venue, the owners say the generosity and sense of connection associated with Filipino hospitality will remain central to the restaurant.
“Filipino food is finally getting the global recognition it deserves.”
Mutya’s
When: Opening 31 July 2026
Where: 277 Rundle Street, Adelaide 5000
For more information keep an eye on their socials.
