5 of the Best Ilocos Restaurants for Your Next Food Trip in the North

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

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

Here’s a restaurant where the unique cuisine is as precious as its name: La Preciosa Restaurant. The place 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. With a tagline that goes “capture the exquisite taste of Ilocandia”, La Preciosa is sure to give you a superb Ilocano dining experience.

Location: Hernando Avenue, Laoag City

Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Initially, Cuisine de Iloco was 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 in the place are the bagnet sisig, a Kapampangan dish that features Ilocano’s popular pork belly bagnet, and igado, a pork liver dish cooked with pork tenderloin and innards. Inside the restaurant, you’ll find walls embellished with lovely paintings that are for sale.

Location: Barangay Burayoc, Pagudpud

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

If you’re up for a little gastronomic adventure, then Bergblick Restaurant is the place to go for a food trip! What makes the area stand out is 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 that 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. 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: Monday to Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

The overall interior design of Smoke Bar and Restaurant perfectly matches the baroque vibes from the historical landmark, Paoay Church, that you can see from across the place. The resto is not only a feast for the tastebuds but the eyes as well. While it offers Western-inspired dishes, it also lends its local twist to its meals. Craving for a pizza with an Ilocano touch? 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.

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

Kicking off this list of best restaurants is Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant, the in-house restaurant of Balay de Blas Pensionne House. The restaurant name “Saramsam” is an Iluko word that means informal or constant dining. The place truly lives up to its reputation as it offers 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 cooked with shrimps, cilantro, green and ripe mango slices, and Gcng-Gcng Pallang, a spicy coconut pork stew dish, are only some of the resto’s must-try recipes.

January 2022 Update: Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant and Bar has been permanently closed due to the pandemic.

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