Joel's Place Offers a 'Grocerant' Experience and More

The portmanteau has been existing for a long while now, yet it’s only lately when 'grocerant'—a hybrid of grocery and restaurant—has been given a legit representation in the metro. The latest brand to strengthen and reinforce this is Joel’s Place, a one-stop shop that promises to elevate and redefine the way we experience food. 

Bienvenido “Donnie” Tantoco III, who is recognized and respected in the field of luxury retail, was itching to get back into food, much like his cousin Christopher. As the president of Rustan Commercial Corporation, he has been providing shoppers with luxury destinations loaded with elusive merchandise. It was around 2020 when the drive to extend his service to the food and beverage sector went on first gear. And as with many of his businesses, he went about it strategically.

The new Joel's Place is located at the Proscenium in Rockwell, Makati City

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

Lobster Thermidore

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

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“We went to the stores that inspire us and talked to the owners so we would understand the root, the why and the how,” he says. “We had an opportunity to do that in January 2020. We visited them and said, let’s create something that’s inspiring but make it Filipino. That’s how Joel’s Place began,” says the CEO of the new venture. Christopher, meanwhile, has taken the role of the COO.

Among those that culled influence and stimulation was the Le Marais district in Paris. “It felt like stepping into an art gallery, going to cafes and wine bars. It’s such a beautiful neighborhood to walk in throughout the day,” he adds.

“It’s a bit of Whole Foods, Fortnum and Mason, and Selfridges,” says Christian Tantoco, who acts as the brand’s marketing consultant. “It’s a gastronomic gallery. Our retail style is very theatrical. We go above and beyond the retail experience.”

Shop for groceries or have something to eat at Joel's Place

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

Adlai Seafood Paella

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

I felt that the moment I stepped foot inside their shop at the Proscenium Retail Row, with the Type A barista greeting me a good morning. His engaging smile drew me to inquire what he was serving, and though I personally don’t drink coffee, his friendly presence had me probing.

He suggested for me to visit The Juicer, where I would most likely find a drink. And with the wide variety of juices on offer—from cocktails and ginger-based power shots to a mais con yelo smoothie, and my choice, the pinepeach shake.

As I enjoyed my drink and wandered about, I noticed the intention in the space’s design. The high ceiling and expansive windows that let the natural light in help make the 800 square meter shop even more pleasant and enticing; the type that would make customers want to linger (which I always do when I go to groceries abroad). And the sections, decked with colorful menu boards, glass displays and blown-up photographs, make shopping a breeze, offering less chances of customers getting lost in between towering aisles (which even a tall guy like me is quite guilty of!).

Donnie, Camille, Christopher, Crickette, and Christian Tantoco 

Photo by Joel's Place / Miguel Rondilla.

Bite-sized pastries

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

There’s purpose even in their baked goods. There are pastries that can be more than enough for a solo diner. At The Bakery, the team worked with the sizes and came up with a range of smaller baked goods, allowing for a taste with moderation and adequate satisfaction in mind.

In a sea of bronzed beauties, one thing caught my attention—the Cronada, an empanada encased in buttery, flaky dough and shaped like a croissant. The popular viennoiserie pastry has been turned into a sandwich and even the TikTok craze pancake, and so it only makes delicious sense to stuff it with something savory—in this case, beef bourguignon and pork adobo.

Joel’s Place also has huge bamboo lobsters sharing icy cold space with pitik and ulang, lamb rack and angus ribeye steak, a rainbow array of edible flowers, wagyu burger and bacon, green butterhead and red batavia lettuce that are still rooted in soil, tangelo and ruby grapefruit, drinkable yogurt from Bukidnon Milk Company, and boneless dilis from Roxas. On the shelves, meanwhile, there is dry penne pasta made with cauliflower and spaghetti from chickpeas, organic panko breadcrumbs, momoya Japanese chili oils, asin tibuok from Bohol, Fu Kwei majestic ham, and my favorite, Maggie Beer fig vino cotto, which I use in place of reduced balsamic vinegar.

There's a juice bar that offers a selection of fresh and healthy beverages

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

A gifting station helps you wrap purchases 

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

In between shopping and gift wrapping (yes, they have a stall for boxing, wrapping and labeling your picks), customers can indulge in their ready-to-eat items: adlai seafood paella, lobster Thermidore, kalim-aw sweet potato with spicy maple glaze, Caesar salad, Mango Cream Bomb, and Coconut Streusel Pie.

It is a unique experience that Joel’s Place promises, and, apart from the bags of hard-to-find and well-curated pieces, offers an impression and fun memory that will certainly have customers going back for more.

The 'cronada'

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

Maggie Beer Vino Cotto

Photo by Angelo Comsti.

Joel’s Place is located at the G/F The Proscenium Retail Row, Estrella St., Rockwell Center Makati and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Their second location will be at Rustan’s Makati, Ayala Center. Contact info: 02-889-97034; www.joelsplace.com; @joelsplacePH in social media.