The past seven months have been hard on businesses, including your favorite restaurants and bars. Here are two ways you can give them a boost.

Eat or grab takeout

Mercato Centrale and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) have collaborated to create High StrEat, which opens on Oct. 17.

“It’s Mercato’s latest initiative to help restart the F&B industry in BGC and promote safe outdoor dining,” said RJ Ledesma, cofounder of Mercato Centrale. “As you know, it has been a trying time for the F&B industry. Many restaurants have had to close down or lay off a lot of their staff just to survive.”

Mercato was affected by the pandemic, too, of course. Ledesma said, “We have had to shut down our original BGC location, and the livelihoods of our small food vendors were greatly affected.”

But the difficulties brought about by the pandemic fueled their desire to rebound and to help others get back on their feet. “Given that Mercato’s business and advocacy are to be an incubator for food businesses to survive and thrive, we worked with BGC, the Restaurant Owners of the Philippines and the City of Taguig to pioneer High StrEat, a safe and outdoor dine-in and takeout food market in Bonifacio High Street Amphiteather.”

Burnt Basque Cheesecake by Gallery by Chele

To make High StrEat happen, the group had to secure permits from the Task Force Safe City Taguig, which ensures that health and safety protocols are being followed.

Ledesma said, “You can enjoy the bestsellers and newest culinary creations of BGC’s top chefs and dining establishments, your favorite homegrown restaurants, and your Mercato street food favorites at affordable prices.”

Participating restaurants and vendors include Gallery by Chef Chele, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, The Mango Tree Manila, Brotzeit, El Chupacabra, The Alley by Vikings, Our Kitchen Café by Chef Laudico, Monga, Kashmir, A’toda Madre, Gourmet Farms, Corner Tree Café, Mission Wings, Monga Taiwanese Fried Chicken, FRNK Milk Bar, Carpigiani Gelatto, Metro Kusina, Mamay’s Ihaw, Ngon Vietnamese Deli, Chef Ian Sushi, Conflict Kitchen, Kuye Crepes, Roll Guru, Orime Japanese Jellies, and 3001 Burgers.

They will be offering a mix of new creations and old favorites.

High StrEat is outdoors, making it ideal for people still worried about eating inside restaurants.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Children Foundation’s Project Aral, which provides educational materials and alternative platforms for children in need.

(High StrEat is at Bonifacio High Street Amphiteather (7th Avenue), and is open from 11 a.m to 9 p.m. daily.)

Raise the Bar

Bars have been among the hardest-hit by the pandemic. It’s been heartbreaking to see iconic establishments closing one by one. But you can help save those that are still open.

Zomato Philippines and Diageo, the company behind liquor brands like Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray and The Singleton, are working together to help partner bars and restaurants recover.

They created Raise the Bar, a program that allows people to buy vouchers for their favorite drinks at their favorite bars in advance (and at P100 off), to be redeemed and enjoyed once quarantine regulations and liquor bans ease and operations resume.

You can purchase a negroni from Las Flores, a Johnnie & Apple from Southern Grind Bistro, a Tanqueray & Tonic from The Brewery at the Palace or Draft, a Gin Basil Smash from After Hours, a Spicy Mango Seltzer from Run Rabbit Run and more.

Not only will you be helping some of your favorite nightlife spots, you’re also giving yourself something to look forward to. (And who isn’t looking forward to grabbing drinks with friends when this madness is over?)All proceeds will go to the bars to help them stay afloat during these financially challenging times. INQ