The best restaurants Luzon

In a tropical setting (including a small bridge that spans a stream where turtles graze), we eat under small thatched huts. On the menu, Filipino specialties such as fried squid, kare kare (stew of vegetables, beef, tripe in a peanut sauce), sizzling pork , sisig (roughly pig's head and liver) or adobong kangkong (spinach stew in vinegar). You can also eat grilled chicken with all kinds of sauces!

It's the address that gets passed on by word of mouth. The reason - and not the least! - this family restaurant has a rooftop terrace. At the end of the day, it offers one of the best views of Coron Bay, with the sunset, it is superb. Concerning the food, a well-stocked menu, from breakfast to dinner, with a multitude of vegetarian options and Filipino dishes. We recommend the chicken adobo and the grilled fish with curry. The service is very slow, but the terrace is so nice. Go early.

A very cute café, where you want to sit down. It serves simple but good food: delicious pesto pasta, toasted sandwiches, burgers and very tempting desserts. The decoration is modern and the prices quite reasonable. You have to try the homemade cream puffs. In the early afternoon, the family prepares the desserts on the spot, and the preparations give the café a sweet smell of greed. The waffles and drinks (coffees, frappuccinos, refreshing lemonades) are also very good.

Ideally located in the city, it is a nice address at any time of the day. In the morning, they serve pancakes and smoothie bowls that are as pretty as they are good to fill up on energy. At noon, you can choose between sandwiches, pastas, salads and waffles. And in the afternoon, we will let ourselves be tempted by a snack break. Their halo-halo, the most famous Filipino dessert (a mixture of crushed ice and condensed milk on which various toppings are added), is recommended by the locals, it would be the best in the city!

Located in the heart of Vigan, in a big old building, with exposed beams, Calle Brewery opened in 2018 with a rather original concept and which seems to please since the restaurant is never empty. The idea is to offer craft beers, made directly in a micro-brewery on site (which can be visited by the way) and to accompany them with a cuisine essentially ilocana, based on meat and especially fresh and tasty seafood. The marriage is a success. All served without fuss on a tray.

Behind a bamboo door, here is a well hidden gourmet address. The dishes are prepared in a kind of hut and wooden tables are laid out under a semi-covered terrace in the heart of a very pleasant tropical vegetation. The menu is quite small but good: usual Filipino specialties (rice, adobo, meats, seafood) and some Western dishes. Moreover, Gubat wants to be zero waste, the dishes are served on banana leaves and you are invited to eat with your hands. It's cheap, it's good and it's original.

Renowned by tourists and locals as one of the best restaurants in town, Small Talk Café has been around since 1999. It serves a varied cuisine with local Bicol specialties and international dishes, the choice is vast. From the starter to the dessert, the prices are reasonable, the wait can sometimes be a little long but it is not what we remember. The staff is friendly and attentive and the decoration which mixes wooden furniture and colored walls is warm. There are vegetarian options, which is always appreciated in the Philippines.

Just a stone's throw away from the Tam-Awan Village, the Farmer Daughter is in the same vein as it is housed in a traditional ifugao hut with a thatched roof. Baguio is modernizing and seeing a lot of western cuisine restaurants coming in. Here, the will is to remain anchored in the region and to propose authentic dishes of the Cordillera. A lot of smoked meats (kinuday) but also the pak-pako, a salad made of ferns and vegetables, and the pinikpikan soup. A real culinary experience!

Asiano Gourmet Cuisine is the restaurant that Sabang was missing! Already from the outside, this big hut made of wood and bamboo with its beautiful terrace and its wooden furniture has something very typical and welcoming. And in the plate, it is even better, fresh and quality products like fish, Filipino dishes skilfully made and greedy as desired, vegetarian options galore... All in a friendly atmosphere, this is the place to stop for a meal and a drink in Sabang.

Small restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine at a very reasonable cost. On the menu, pita bread with falafel and tahina sauce remains a classic, and for the rest, there is a wide selection of pitas, shawarma, samusas, hummus, shakshuka, eggplant babaganush, etc. Rare enough in Manila to be informed, there are many vegetarian and even vegan options. The staff is charming and welcoming. It's a simple but effective place to eat on the go at any time of the day or night.

Located just in the street in front of the tourist office, this restaurant, which certainly does not look like much but is well known by the regulars, offers a wide choice of typical Filipino dishes at very low prices and with copious portions. Many long-stay tourists use it as their lunchtime canteen. It is also a good place to have a Filipino breakfast at a very low price. The kitchen that opens directly onto the dining room brings a little warmth to the very basic but colorful place.

Bontoc's first real restaurant is a pizzeria serving oven-baked pizzas. Because dusty mountain roads are hard on the stomach! A pleasant surprise and a welcome stop-off that was missing in the village. On the menu, the classic margherita, but for the more adventurous, especially Filipino or even Indian-inspired recipes mixing pineapple and bacon, 4-viandes, or the Longganisa based on spicy sausage, a few vegetarian options and also pasta. It's a cosy and popular address in the village.

Located in Casa Vallejo, a historic 1909 hotel, this restaurant has a chic chalet atmosphere. They serve cuisine that perfectly blends Filipino and international influences. They are particularly famous for their paella Negra and paella Valencia, their spicy shrimps and on the Filipino side, the Bistek filipino with caramelized onions and a lemon soy sauce. Also a breakfast and dessert menu. Hill Station has also opened Bistro at Camp John Hay.

Gaia is Sagada's first vegan and zero-waste restaurant, serving inventive cuisine. You can also try coffee made from soy or rice. The place became famous since the shooting of a local soap opera in 2014, since then it has not been empty. The service can be particularly long at noon, when tourists come here for lunch on their way up from the caves. To fill the wait, the restaurant / cafe-library enjoys a beautiful view of the rice fields below and houses a small souvenir store.

Restaurant held with passion by the sparkling Juliet. On the plate, the menu varies from one day to the next. In fact Juliet shows you the catch of the day and then lets you choose the fish that will end up on your plate. It couldn't be fresher and more local! All this in a heavenly setting since this big rattan hut, illuminated with its garlands in the evening, directly overlooks the sea. Grilled fish and sunset... an exceptional evening in perspective.

Near the tourist office. On a narrow balcony bathed by the sun, you can have lunch hanging from your stool, your eyes riveted on the superb panorama over the city. The menu is varied (Western and Filipino cuisine), the cooking is very well done (breakfasts, sandwiches, rice, meats and vegetarian options). And the portions are delicious. In season, try the sautéed pechay, the local cabbage. The rooms are basic but nice and have private bathrooms.

Leo has never set foot in America but sings Elvis with heart. Incidentally it is also him who cooks and ensures the service in this small eatery. We love the kitsch decoration mixing Igorot fabrics, frilly curtains and disco balls. One of our favorite restaurants in Banaue, as well frequented by tourists as locals. The rooms are in the pure Banaue style, i.e. basic and comfortable. Good value for money.

Large selection of dishes for this restaurant which mixes the classics of the Filipino cuisine with American and Mexican influenced dishes (tacos, pizzas...). The rations are generous and the hamburgers are the most ordered. There are also some vegetarian dishes on the menu. Nothing extraordinary as much in the place as in the plate but it is an address which is appreciated by the locals and the visitors for more than ten years.

There are two branches of this restaurant that offer a wide variety of Filipino dishes in Puerto Princesa, one near the airport with a more authentic, colorful and artisanal decoration and the other in the city center in a more impersonal setting. Filipinos love to go there especially to eat grilled chicken but you can also be tempted by the chicken sizzling or the seafood dishes. Note that the menu offers some desserts like buko, which is rather rare in the Philippines. A good place to eat local.

This restaurant, in the style of a local bistro with a vintage decoration, is strategically located on the Malate traffic circle. On the well-stocked menu, you'll find all the Filipino specialties (Adobo, grilled meats or in sauce, garlic rice, fish specialties, etc.) but also a rather simple Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine and great international classics, steak fries, omelets and salads. It's fast and efficient. Other addresses in the city. A very popular address for Filipinos.

It's a typical local restaurant, so without fuss and with a very family atmosphere. The food is simple but homemade and of high quality. Mainly Filipino dishes, the usual breakfasts based on rice, meat and egg, pancit noodles, meat and fish dishes. Everything is good and the prices are very attractive. Let's mention the terrace with a view on the bay. Rooms are also available.

Ideally located on the pretty beach of Talipanan, this Italian restaurant is a bit of a reference in Puerto Galera when you have a craving for pizza! They prepare very good pizzas cooked on wood fire, the dough is fine and crispy, the size is very generous. Other Italian specialties are offered on the menu such as pasta, sandwiches, cheeses. Also breakfasts and seafood specialties. Nice terrace to wait on, directly overlooking the beach (the wait can be long).

Here is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant (quite rare in Legazpi). Located in a former garage and open on the street, it is true that it does not look like much and yet! Here is a family address which serves excellent food and classics of the Philippine cuisine revisited in vegetarian version and that, it does not happen every day so you have to enjoy it! The sizzling sisig is amazing (normally a typical pork-based dish) and convinces even the carnivores. Delicious burger too. Very nice address and very reasonable prices!

Every day and at any time of the day and night, this restaurant serves breakfasts mixing Filipino and American cuisine. You can find all the local specialties based on chicken and pork, but also a whole menu of pancakes and waffles that can be topped with different toppings (chocolate, caramel, oreo, fruit sauces, etc.) as well as a wide selection of drinks. It's good, it's not expensive and the setting is nice.

Certainly one of the best places to eat in Coron. The service is fast, the waiters friendly and efficient, the food delicious. There are plenty of vegetarian options (the pad thai with tofu is delicious). We also recommend the chicken with pineapple or cashew nuts. The prices are a bit above the Filipino standard, but the quality is really good. The portions could be a little more generous (it's so good, that we are never full!). In the evening, there are live concerts on the roof terrace.

Azuthai serves family-style Thai cuisine prepared according to the recipes of Chef Watee. The menu is well stocked and the dishes are copious, enough to make the amateurs of the country of the smile happy. We recommend the delicious fish and shrimp cakes, or the crispy duck salad to start. And if you feel like tasting a local fish, the steamed apahap with lime is simply divine. The desserts are also very good, don't leave without trying the mango with sticky rice. Attentive and smiling service.

According to the many foodies who are regulars in the capital, it is the best Filipino specialty restaurant in the city. Who are we to contradict! In a refined 1990s Filipino bistro setting and in the hands of a friendly staff, you'll enjoy traditional dishes that (finally!) showcase the culinary qualities of the Philippines. Soups, Sisig, lechon, Adobo, Pancit... it's the perfect opportunity to try one of the many local specialties. Don't miss the rice cooked with coconut. To be discovered!

Welcome to Bana's Coffee, specialists in locally grown Arabica coffee. Here, you will be served delicious cups of roasted, local coffee. The taste is incomparable. And the coffee is even found in the dishes, which gives original flavors. In addition, the place has a beautiful little terrace and a beautiful view of the valley. It is also nice for those who need to work (plugs and wifi) or who just want to relax for a while. You can also buy ground coffee or beans. A solid coffee place!

The Veranda restaurant is considered the best restaurant in Puerto Galera. Be careful, not to be confused with the Verandah restaurant of the Out of the Blue resort which is also considered as one of the best (definitely!). In a superb setting, directly on the beach, it serves Asian and European fusion cuisine. The selection is large and should delight everyone, pasta, pizzas, risotto, soups, even a fondue, freshly caught fish... We appreciate the refinement of the dishes and their careful presentation. A popular address, with good reason.

The Riverhouse restaurant has a panoramic terrace with an incredible view of the river. No noise or visual pollution, just a light refreshing breeze. In the kitchen, simple dishes are prepared with fresh products. The pumpkin and coconut milk soup is prepared at the last minute, it is a delight. The meat and fish are a delight, as are the pancakes for breakfast. Judith can also organize original activities for you: a tour of deserted islands, of a village and its customs, in a banca to observe the fireflies (magical!).

A very secret address that we are proud to let you discover! Behind a grilled facade that doesn't look like much, in an alley away from the road (as we said, it's hidden!), a pretty patio and a café with a slightly bohemian-chic decoration. It is especially for the cooking of the chef Ian that we come: pasta (the gratinated penne with tomato, cheese and pesto are exquisite) and more local specialties, cooked to perfection by this former chef of a starred hotel restaurant in Manila who left everything during the Covid to come here. We love it!

Located next to the Daraga church, Red Labuyo offers internationally inspired food (pasta, fries, salads...), nothing revolutionary on the plate, which can nevertheless be well executed. The staff are welcoming. So, what's the best thing about this restaurant? We recommend this place above all for its unique setting: the rooftop terrace offers one of Legazpi's finest views of the Mayon volcano, and sipping a drink or even enjoying a meal at the end of the day promises to be a very pleasant experience.

Choosing to eat in one of the Manila Hotel's restaurants is already an opportunity to immerse yourself in this historic place. Cafe Ilang-Ilang, on the other hand, is sure to please every palate as it offers all-you-can-eat buffets from around the world: Italian-style pizza, freshly made sushi, fresh seafood, Filipino specialties like suckling pig, Korean dishes and a masterful dessert counter, all in a casual atmosphere. It's the perfect combination of the elegance of the iconic Palace and the promise of a great dining experience!

Here's an address that feels good in Manila's somewhat monotonous culinary landscape: a vegan restaurant, yes, but a Filipino restaurant nonetheless! When it opened in 2018, Cosmic had at heart to make vegetarian cuisine accessible to Filipinos so unused to not eating meat. And the bet is successful since the place (which has since become 100% vegan) is always full and a second address has opened in Pasig. On the menu, the classics revisited and delicious!

Here, they revisit the classics of Catalan and Spanish cuisine with great talent. No wonder Las Flores has become the talk of the town and attracts the whole of Manila (the concept has grown and Las Flores is now popping up all over the city). The décor, both warm and modern, has been thought out in every detail, while the outdoor terrace is ideal for sipping one of the many perfectly executed signature cocktails. On the plate, we recommend the rather original tapas and the paella with black rice.

Near the main road, towards San Pedro beach, this café-restaurant is brand new in the gastronomic landscape of Romblon and yet, it already promises some nice surprises. Run by an enthusiastic Franco-Filipino couple, the place is quite charming, with a nice elevated terrace and wooden tables. But above all, one comes and comes back here for the food since everything is delicious, from the chicken burger with its melting bun to the profiteroles for dessert and the grilled tuna filet. To be tried.

A restaurant with a long history in Baguio, renowned for its quality Chinese, Filipino and American fusion cuisine, using fresh ingredients. A wide selection of soups, meats, noodles, rice... and in addition, a wide selection of vegetarian dishes. The chopsuey is said to be one of the best in the Philippines! Just a stone's throw from Burnham Park, it enjoys a central location in the city. It is suitable for big appetites... or for those who like to share. The service is fast, efficient and friendly. A recommended address.

Friendly and romantic atmosphere for this very good restaurant and its pleasant terrace. On the menu you will find a wide selection of seafood, meats but also pasta and salads. We appreciate the gambas with garlic, the scallops from New Zealand or the smoked salmon. Also to be discovered: the cochinillo, a roasted pig for special days. The desserts are also not to be missed, provided you like sweet and tasty cakes. On Sundays, a large all-you-can-eat buffet is offered as a lunch.

A fairly recent address that is already a must. It's true that Besaga has everything to please: pretty wooden picnic tables placed on the beach, between the palm trees, the light garlands in the evening: everything is gathered to spend an excellent moment. From breakfast to dinner, Filipino dishes made with finesse and delicacy such as grilled fish or vegetarian curry with coconut milk ... A cozy and good restaurant that also serves as a guest house.

Inspired by the world of flamenco and the tapas bars of the 1980s, the decor is lively, in red tones, warm, festive and Latin. On the taste buds side, you can enjoy a multitude of tapas to share, as pretty as appetizing, or classic but always creative Iberian specialties. A long list of cocktails, Gin Tonic and wines. A lively atmosphere for a colorful evening! Tomatito has proven itself to be one of the best "modern Spanish" restaurants in Manila.

Taste is the first 100% vegan café in El Nido. An intimate space with a "loft-chic" spirit where you can sit around low tables on an artificial grassy area upstairs. On the menu, invigorating and vitamin-packed breakfasts based on excellent coffees (try the soy milk cappuccinos) and smoothie bowls, a colorful mix of fresh fruits, seeds and antioxidants of all kinds. But also wraps and pastas, as good as beautiful, in addition to being healthy and not very expensive. To fill up on energy at any time of the day!

On the main road, 15 minutes from the center of El Nido, Kusina Ni Maya is a very good address, well known by the locals, much less by tourists. Traditional wooden hut, with an open restaurant room, the setting is calm and pleasant. On the menu, a whole range of Filipino specialties, we recommend Dynamite as a starter, these long green peppers coated with cheese and fried, as a main course the sizzling tofu, the sisig pork or the sweet and sour lapu-lapu. The portions are very generous. The staff is very attentive. A good local restaurant.

A good address, with a nice terrace, in blue and white tones, located on the pleasant Lio beach, 15 minutes from El Nido. The Punta Playa restaurant is run by a Spaniard. It offers Mediterranean and Asian fusion cuisine of excellent quality. We recommend the paellas, speciality of the house. Also several vegetarian options and many tapas, everything is prepared with fresh and good quality products. The service, if not fast, is friendly. The wine is good. The setting is idyllic.

On the top floor of, we come across this oasis of wood and greenery. It is the most popular vegetarian restaurant in Baguio, with very low prices. It serves simple food, based on pasta, noodles and local red rice. The ingredients are fresh and local. The menu also includes a banana flower burger (KKK sliders). On clear days, the balcony offers a beautiful view of downtown. Once a month, there are exhibits and all works are for sale to benefit the Victor Otezya Community Art Space. Worth a visit!

Maxine by The Sea, which has been located on the waterfront in Lucap for over 30 years, is one of the best places to eat in the area. We come here as much for its pleasant terrace that looks out over the sea and offers a beautiful view of the Hundred Islands as for tasting crab and lobster, on fresh and tempting seafood platters. And at very reasonable prices considering the quality and quantity! It is also a lodge where it is possible to spend the night in one of the nine rooms (even if we have a preference for the restaurant).

We can say that the Log Cabin is a bit of an institution in Sagada since visitors flock to this restaurant since 1991. Restaurant where we serve western dishes rich in flavors, in a small cottage full of charm. The food is very good, we serve mainly meat but also other recipes that change regularly. A French chef sometimes comes to cook during the weekends (all-you-can-eat buffet in season at 350 PHP). It is advised to make a reservation especially in high season when the restaurant can be full. Good address.

At Café Leona, in the famous Crisologo street, they serve Ilocana cuisine such as Bagnet (fried pork belly), but also Japanese and Italian dishes. The restaurant is in fact the former home of the famous Ilocana poetess Leona Florentino. Inside, the decoration immediately takes us back a few centuries, every corner seems to be a scene from an old movie. You can also eat on the terrace. It is an institution in Vigan, a good address but very touristy, expect to queue.

In the heart of El Nido, Happiness Beach Bar is a bar-restaurant with a chic-casual atmosphere, with counter swings and rattan furniture. It serves mainly specialties at the confluence of Israeli and Mediterranean cuisine with a vegetarian and vegan twist. Good and healthy in short. Falafels, pitas, hummus... everything is delicious! In the morning, it's bowls of fruit and granola, beautiful and vitaminized, in the evening, the choice is between one of the countless cocktails, undoubtedly among the best on the island.

The name cannot fool you: Here is a very good French restaurant with a bakery where you can enjoy good bread and pastries. Ideal for breakfast or for a well prepared tartar.

Both a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant and a cocktail bar, this is a highly recommended address! On the restaurant side, only fresh quality products: salmon ceviches and other fishes, a multitude of tapas revisited in the Japanese way with original flavors of yuzu, edamame puree, sesame, mushroom and chicken yakitoris, homemade sushis to fall. The cocktails are also very original and elegantly presented. Festive atmosphere on weekend evenings and very friendly service! We love it.