Some restaurants may come and go, but these stayed and are getting better with age!
Images: Bascon Café Facebook page
When someone mentions Bacolod, the first thing most think of is food. The city’s culinary reputation is so established that foodies flock to it to taste its specialties. Many newly-opened restaurants may have caught everyone’s attention, but one thing still rings true: locals still love going to the city’s culinary treasures.
Read about five famous restaurants in Bacolod—old but gold dining places—and where to find them as you scroll down below! Listed in this article are the timeless favorite restaurants Bacolod has to offer. If you want to go where locals go, discover these restaurants that stood the test of time.
1. Chicken House
Where: 24th Corner Lacson Street, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Sunday, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Recommended Budget for Two: PhP300
Chicken House is synonymous with a local legend. The place also serves pork and seafood dishes like grilled spareribs and squid.
Image: Dennis T. Sebastian
In 1982 when the first Chicken House located along Lacson Street was opened. This restaurant in Bacolod only served the grilled chicken on sidewalks, also known as chicken alleys. Since then, the exact recipe and style of preparing the chicken have been used. Over the years, Chicken House has captured the hearts of Bacolodnons and brought back lovely memories. The restaurant’s success has been ongoing for 43 years now, and they have opened nine branches in Bacolod and nearby provinces. They have also ventured to Metro Manila: Makati, Intramuros, and Parañaque.
How to go to Chicken House (Lacson Street branch): If you are coming from the Capitol Park and Lagoon, take either a Bata-Libertad or Mandalagan-Libertad jeepney going north. Ask the driver to drop you off right in front of Chicken House, located near the Citi Appliance.
2. Bob’s Restaurant
Where: B.S. Aquino Drive, Corner 21st St., North Drive, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Recommended Budget for Two: PhP600
The Sate Babe is a must-try if you dine at Bob’s.
Images: Bob's Restaurant Facebook page
This place to eat in Bacolod is a pioneer in Bacolod’s foodservice and is famous for its sate babe (pork barbecue smeared with peanut butter sauce) and unlimited Mongolian bowls. 54 years ago, Bob’s Restaurant had a “drive-in” set up where customers could park their cars, order from waiters, and eat inside their vehicles, just like in western movies. Then in 1995, the restaurant moved to a two-story building. It has since become a favorite eatery for Bacolodnon families.
How to go to Bob’s Restaurant: If you are at the South Ceres Terminal, cross the street and take a Shopping La Salle-Libertad PUV bound north. Ask the driver to drop you off in front of Mang Inasal (Riverside branch), located beside Bob’s Restaurant. Walk a few meters to your left, and you will see the restaurant entrance facing Riverside Hospital.
3. Bascon Café
Where: 27th Corner Lacson Street, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Recommended Budget for Two: PhP400
You will lick your fork clean with this Baba Cake from Bascon.
Images: Bascon Cafe Facebook page
Bascon Cafe has been serving Filipino and Spanish-inspired dishes for 61 years already. Aside from that, this cafe is known for serving the best Baba Cake (chocolate cake with Oreo cookies on top) in Sugarlandia. Bascon Cafe is one of the restaurants that serve classic dessert specialties along Lacson Street, a strip where most of Bacolod’s popular restaurants are found.
How to go to Bascon Cafe: Take a Northbound Terminal PUV near the Burgos Public Market or STI West Negros University. Ask the driver to drop you off in front of the Rolling Hills Memorial Chapel located along Lacson Street. From there, cross the street, and you will find the entrance of Bascon Café.
May 2022 Update: Bascon Cafe has been temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/basconcafe/, to be the first to know when they resume operations!
4. Roli’s Cafe
Where: G/F, Roli’s Arcade, La Salle Avenue, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Recommended Budget for Two: PhP350
Roli’s started serving delicious food during the 1940s.
Image: Roli’s Cafe Facebook Page
The longest-running famous restaurant in Bacolod, Roli’s Cafe, has been around since the childhood years of our parents and grandparents. Many claims that its chicken sandwich still has the same flavor that brings back good old memories. Roli’s Cafe is the first to introduce the Napoleones, a tasty creamy puff snack glazed with white sugar on top, so it is safe to say that Roli’s classics have created fond memories for Negrenses for almost 80 years and still counting.
How to go to Roli’s Cafe: If coming from the east, take a jeepney passing along Burgos Ave with any of the following routes: Homesite-Central Market, Fortune Towne-Central Market, or Santa Fe-Central Market. Tell the driver to drop you off at “Bangga Patyo,” at the corner of Bacolod Public Cemetery. On your right, you will see Shopping La Salle-Libertad jeepneys bound north. Take that jeepney route and ask the driver to drop you off at Roli’s Arcade just before the bridge and the University of St. La Salle. Then, cross the street to reach the building. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Roli’s Arcade building.
May 2022 Update: Roli’s Cafe has been temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Follow them on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/p/CA2BeExpwnB/, to be the first to know when they resume operations!
5. Pendy’s
Where: 25th Corner Lacson Street, Rolling Hills Compound, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Recommended Budget for Two: PhP600
If you want to take home some delicacies, they have a wide selection of savory pasalubongs (souvenirs).
Image: Pendy’s Facebook Page
Pendy’s is a casual dining place and a one-stop souvenir store established in 1976. Delicious and freshly baked pastries are the highlight of this restaurant. For one, Pendy’s bestseller, Half Moon, is a light and fluffy crescent-shaped cake topped with a creamy bright yellow egg custard that can serve as a dessert or a snack. If you want to have dessert here after a meal, walk around first! Let your stomach rest before taking in some delicious second course to make (and taste) the most out of your Pendy’s experience!
How to go to Pendy’s: Find a Northbound Terminal PUV located near the Burgos Public Market and get off in front of Rolling Hills Compound along Lacson Street. You will see Pendy’s on your right side when entering the compound’s entrance.
May 2022 Update: Pendy’s is permanently closed.
The locals’ love for the original recipes was why these restaurants have continued success. Decades may have passed, but some tastes still stay the same. Check out Yoorekka Magazine for more restaurant recommendations in Bacolod!
Stay safe as you travel and dine in! Make sure to follow social distancing protocols and observe health precautions. For now, keep safe!
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on October 22, 2019.
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