5 Must-Visit Restaurants in Ilocos Norte for Your Next Food Trip

Location: Brgy 2, F. Julian Street, Arabella Events Place, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Operating Hours: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Here’s a restaurant in Ilocos Norte where the unique cuisine is as precious as its name: La Preciosa Restaurant. This best restaurant in Ilocos Norte is home to eccentric Ilocano dishes, including an Ilocano-style kare-kare (peanut stew) called Chicken ala Pepian and a sun-dried wild deer dish called Ugsa Pochero. While you’re here, remember to leave room for dessert and try La Preciousa’s famous carrot cake: a moist cake with cream cheese topped with white icing and sweetened shredded carrots. The tagline of this restaurant in Ilocos Norte goes “capture the exquisite taste of Ilocandia”, La Preciosa is sure to give you a superb Ilocano dining experience.

Location: Hernando Avenue, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Operating Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM

The next restaurant in Ilocos Norte, Cuisine de Iloco, was initially supposed to serve international cuisine, but owner Jaymar Aquino thought it would be more fitting to trademark Ilocano dishes. Some of the must-try dishes at this best restaurant in Ilocos Norte are the bagnet sisig. This Kapampangan dish features Ilocano’s popular pork belly bagnet, and igado, a pork liver dish cooked with pork tenderloin and innards. Inside this restaurant in Ilocos Norte, you’ll find walls embellished with lovely paintings for sale. If you’re finding where to eat in Ilocos Norte, you can see beautiful illustrations; this is the place to go!

Location: Barangay Burayoc, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

If you’re up for a little gastronomic adventure, then Bergblick Restaurant is the restaurant in Ilocos Norte to go for a food trip! This best restaurant in Ilocos Norte stands out because of its Filipino-German cuisine, which you don’t usually find in Ilocos Norte. Its menu has a vast selection of meals: from its German-inspired Bergblick Pan, which consists of schnitzel or breaded pork chop and schweinebraten or sausage, to spaghetti arrabiata, a pasta dish mixed with Italian sauce, basil, and chili for a bit of kick. At this restaurant in Ilocos Norte, you can pair your meals with cool beverages like a refreshing virgin mojito or wrap it up with a sweet dessert like creme brulee.

Location: 2nd Floor, Paseo de Paoay Building, Brgy. San Pedro, Paoay, Ilocos Norte

Operating Hours: Daily, 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM

The overall interior design of this restaurant in Ilocos Norte, the Smoke Bar and Restaurant, perfectly matches the baroque vibes from the historical landmark, Paoay Church that you can see from across the place. The best restaurant in Ilocos Norte is a feast for the tastebuds and the eyes. While it offers Western-inspired dishes, it also lends its local twist to its meals. Craving for a pizza with an Ilocano touch and still don’t know where to eat in Ilocos Norte? Go for the Laing Pizza, a thin-crusted pizza topped with laing made of shredded taro leaves cooked in coconut milk. You can also try the smoked pork adobo cooked with balsamic vinegar at this restaurant in Ilocos Norte.

Location: #10 Giron St., Brgy. 7-B, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Kicking off this list of best restaurants in Ilocos Norte is Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant, the in-house restaurant of Balay de Blas Pensionne House. This restaurant in Ilocos Norte, named “Saramsam” is an Iluko word that means informal or constant dining. The place truly lives up to its reputation, offering a fun and relaxing ambiance. It is adorned with antique furniture and decoration. The resto exudes vintage vibes. Unique Ilocano dishes such as the best-selling Saramsam Past, a pasta dish with shrimps, cilantro, and green and ripe mango slices, and Gcng-Gcng Pallang, a spicy coconut pork stew dish, are only some of this restaurant in Ilocos Norte must-try recipes.

August 2023 Update: Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant and Bar has been permanently closed due to the pandemic. But don’t worry! Check out Kamalig Grill and Restaurant in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, for possible replacement.

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