A food crawl in Baguio City is never a bad idea.
Everyone’s favorite thing about being a true foodie is that it doesn’t stop when you’re full; somewhere, new and exciting food is always dished out as often as we are hungry. This summer, that “somewhere” is the City of Pines. These restaurants in Baguio show that the city’s famed foodscape is thriving more than ever and remains as much a part of the local culture as the city’s landmarks. So set a trip to Baguio soon; these places to eat are all primed and affordable to satisfy our palates with new flavors. If you’re excited to know where they are, then read on!
1. Homie’s Milk Tea & Takoyaki
Where: 1/F Station 120 Building, 101 Lower General Luna Road, Baguio City
Operating Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM
Budget: PhP150 to PhP400 for a whole meal
Homie’s Milk Tea & Takoyaki takes the Japanese snack to a whole other level of tasty.
Image: Homie’s Milk Tea & Takoyaki
Homie’s Milk Tea & Takoyaki is a great first stop for your Baguio food crawl at Lower General Luna Road. The store opened last 2019, and it wasn’t long until their customers returned. One of their specialties is the takoyaki (ball-shaped wheat snack). The Japanese grub is typically filled with minced octopus, but at Homie’s, they also make takoyaki with bacon or quail egg, and offer takoyaki draped in cheese. Choose among the chashu (stewed pork), spicy tonkotsu (pork marrow), or miso variants. If you have a hard time deciding, order their sampler to have a go at each takoyaki type. They also have a modest selection of ramen.
Their menu is called “Tea Tea Moo,” including around 20 flavor choices. The warmth of the takoyaki or ramen always goes great with their signature milk tea. They also have iced tea in fresh fruit flavors and Yakult-blended beverages.
2. Haru X DLF
Where: Lower Ground Floor, ECCO Building, Assumption Road, Baguio City
Operating Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Budget: PhP199 for unlimited food choices
With such a wide assortment of wing flavors, Haru Let’s Eat should be your favorite stopover.
Image: Haru Let’s Eat
The fanfare around unlimited offers isn’t dying down soon, and Haru X DLF at Naguilian Road is joining that list. This restaurant in Baguio offers unlimited wings, pasta, and rice for PhP199. But this isn’t any other wings place; their wings buffet features 23 different flavors. Savor flavors such as Garlic Parmesan, Teriyaki, Honey Garlic, Asian Sesame, Cheesy Lava, Mango Rojo (red), and so much more. They also have flavors of various hotness. If you’re a casual eater, settle for the mild buffalo, Thaisian, or spicy mango. But if you think you can take it up a notch, sample their Fire BBQ Cracker, Cajun, or Saucy Finger, or go all the way and order the Magma or Suicide flavors, the hottest on the menu.
Take note, though, that you aren’t allowed to share, take out, or leave any leftovers, or else they will charge you extra, meaning your wings are only yours to enjoy!
3. Dalikan Food Terminal
Where: 2F La Asotea Bldg., Session Road, Baguio City
Operating Hours: Daily, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Budget: PhP100 to PhP200
Try their zesty kinigtot and discover the Mountain Province’s original flavor!
Image: Dalikan Taste Asia
Suppose you’re looking for where to eat unique cuisines of Mountain Province, head on to this restaurant. The best cuisines of Mountain Province meet our modern sensibilities inside the modest corners of Dalikan Food Terminal in Long Long Road. Dalikan is an Ilocano word for “stove,” an inspiration from the owner from the first kitchenware his grandparents gave him as a prompt to start cooking. His pride of the highlands indeed shines through, as shown by sumptuous dishes like the etag (sun-dried salted pork), tinegteg (chopped beef sauteed in tomatoes), kinigtot (stewed goat meat and innards), and the ever-famous pinikpikan (chicken stew). Down these with a shot of tapey (Igorot rice wine) or bugnay (wild berry wine), and cap off your meal with their selection of pastries, or a serving of their patupat (glutinous rice cake).
Aside from the meals, they also sell bottles of vinaigrettes and jars of chili sauces and ba-ak (aged chili). The place may be small, but they sell out fast, so make sure to come early to savor the Mountain Province flavors in the morning!
4. Sittie’s Fil-Korean Restaurant
Where: G/F Calde Commercial Building, Assumption Road, Baguio City
Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM; Friday to Sunday, 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Budget: PhP278 for unlimited buffet
Take as many trips as you want to the buffet table in Sittie’s Fil-Korean Restaurant!
Image: Sittie’s Korean Restaurant Samgeupsal Buffet Eat All You Can
Another food trend that’s been gaining rave reviews is restaurants offering unlimited samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), and the trend seems to have made its way to the Summer Capital. Sitties’ Fil-Korean Restaurant at Calde Commercial Building in Assumption Road is a chain of do-it-yourself samgyeopsal restaurants. They have grown a solid following ever since opening last September 2018 because of their buffet that features several selections of Korean side dishes that go with several flavors of pork belly. They have tocino-style and bulgogi-style pork bellies, which boast sweet and tangy tastes, bringing out the best Filipino and Korean palates.
They also have Filipino and Korean dishes for short orders, like pork tapa (cured pork), japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), ramen, kimbab (rice rolled in dried seaweed), and tteokbokki (rounded rice cake sticks). Enjoy the Korean buffet for only PhP278 per head, or PhP139 for children aged five to 10 years old.
5. Mountain Chef International Cuisine & Cake House
Where: Baguio-La Trinidad’s Global Plate, Kilometer 6, Barangay Betag, Dangwa Square, La Trinidad
Operating Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Budget: PhP200 to PhP400 for a whole meal
Partner the savory cuisines of Mountain Chef with their sweet selections.
Image: Mountain Chef International Cuisine and Bake House
If choosing where to eat is always a difficult choice for you, you might need to go somewhere that offers the best from around the world—a place like Mountain Chef International Cuisine & Cake House in Dangwa Square.
This casual dining restaurant opened its doors last September 2018. Mountain Chef has already earned the approval of many with its sumptuous dishes influenced by international flavors. American, Asian, Mediterranean, and Italian cuisines made their way to the Igorot-owned eatery through dishes like chicken curry biryani rice (highly seasoned rice), American pork ribs, Greek calamari, Japanese shrimp tempura, beef kalbi chim (braised short ribs), and of course, Mt. Chef’s signature adobo (stewed pork). Aside from pastries and signature cakes, they also have artisan bread in their choices, such as focaccia sticks (Italian bread) and French baguettes.
These fantastic restaurants should never be left out of your Baguio itinerary with reasonable prices to match the delicious dishes!
Want to explore Baguio City further? Visit Yoorekka Magazine and get up-to-date travel information for your trip!
Stay safe as you travel! Make sure to follow social distancing protocols and observe health precautions wherever you go. For now, keep safe!
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on March 22, 2019.
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