I don’t know how many times I told this but I always love going back to Baguio. Baguio is a place that no matter how many times you’ve been to, you’ll always find yourself getting back even without knowing the reasons. Baguio gives me so much unexplainable feeling that every time I visit, I found myself being comforted and drowned with so much solace. I would say “Baguio ang aking pahinga”. Aside from its cold weather and tourist attractions, another reason to go back here is their food! A trip wouldn’t be complete without trying Baguio’s best food places. So here are the places you have to definitely tick off the list once you visit the beautiful city of Baguio:
Canto Bogchi Joint
First in the list is the Canto Bogchi Joint. This cozy restaurant is located in Kisad Road just across Burnham Park and needless to say, a given blockbuster due to its appetizing meals. On our third trip to Baguio, we didn’t even get a chance to eat as the waiting time was too long. On our fourth trip in the city, we promised to ourselves to eat here no matter what. Upon dropping off our things in the hotel, we jumped right away to Canto and finally made a seat! The restaurant was undergoing a renovation at that time that maybe people thought they are closed. Good thing, we still went up to check and found out that they are serving on their smaller shelter across their main building. Don’t miss trying their famous Lomo Ribs (a grilled barbeque pork ribs) and Chicken Pastel (a stew of chicken and vegetables in creamy sauce, topped with mashed potatoes and melted cheese). We also tried their pumpkin soup, a perfect meal to sip for Baguio’s cold weather.
Address: 25 Kisad Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet
Grumpy Joe
This might sound biased but Grumpy Joe is my personal favorite in this list because of my love for their Aloha 5 Cheese Pizza! This well-known restaurant gives American and Italian food choices in a generous serving for a reasonable price. Waiting time may also be long especially during weekends and holidays. For our case, we usually wait for around 30 minutes to 1 hour just to be seated. Aside from their best comfort foods, I also love the interior of their place. The place is spacious and has homey interiors that could level up your overall dining experience. My favorites here are Baked Ziti, Breaded Parm Chicken Breast with Mozarella Cheese Stuffing and of course, their Aloha 5 Cheese Pizza.
Address: 15 Gibraltar Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet / Upper Session Rd, Baguio, Benguet
Good Taste Cafe and Restaurant
A Baguio food trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting Good Taste. It is probably the most famous and most recommended restaurant for both tourists and locals. What made them famous is that they serve large servings of their Chinese and Filipino cuisines in a very affordable price. Honestly, servings here are much more than what stated in the menu so this place is really a gem for budget travelers. It is a common thing to see a long line in front of the building they occupy along Otek St. across Burnham Park but no worries, waiting time could not be that long as the restaurant is huge and few floors are used to accommodate customers. They are famous for their buttered chicken and one viand serving good for 4-5 people will only costs you Php 200–Php 300. My personal favorites here are Lechon Chopsuey and Buttered Chicken.
Address: Otek St, Baguio, Benguet
50’s Diner
An America diner that serves burgers, milkshakes, steaks, rice meals, sandwiches, etc. with an ambiance that will definitely bring you back in the retro 50’s. Our first dine in experience was on their General Luna branch but from what I heard is they already closed that OG branch but continued their legacy on branches that can be found in Porta Vaga Mall (Session Rd.) and Military Cut Off Rd. Honestly, the food here are kinda generic but knowing the price, how big their servings are and experiencing a retro aura, definitely worth at least a go.
Address: 166 B Military Cut Off Road 2600 Baguio City / Porta Vaga Mall, 105 Session Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet
The Farmer’s Daughter Restaurant
If you want to savor Cordilleran cuisines, then this might be the place for you. Get a first hand experience of Cordilleran tradition by tasting authentic cordilleran food choices and ambiance as it is located in a place designed as a traditional Igorot house that stands just beside the famous attraction, Tam-awan Village. Don’t missed out to try local dishes such as Pinikpikan which is a cordilleran version of chicken tinola, Dinakdakan and Pinuneg.
Address: Tam-awan Village, Long Long Benguet Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet
Sizzling Plate Baguio
It is the first ever restaurant we tried on our first Baguio trip and surprisingly, didn’t disappoint. It is also one of the Baguio’s classic restaurant and a home of quality yet affordable steaks. Aside from their hearty meals, the cabin wood style interior of this place will surely add up on the vibe and will fit to your Baguio cold weather experience. Main steak meals are served with java rice and soup and you can’t help but crave as you see and hear how your steak sizzles as you pour their in-house gravy or steak sauce. Don’t also miss trying their famous sansrival for your dessert.
Address: 86 Session Rd, Baguio / Leonard Wood Rd, Baguio / 4 Carino St, Baguio / SM City Baguio
Ili-likha Artists’ Wateringhole
Used to be known as Ili-likha Artist Village, this place was conceptualized by film director, Eric De Guia or known as “Kidlat Tahimik”. It is a food hub where good food and art collides. The place is like a tree house with few floors and paths or holes that will lead you to its different food stalls. The entire place is made of overgrown trees, recycled materials such as woods, steels, tiles, a wall that is made of glass bottles, Ifugao sculptures, and many more that you couldn’t imagine. It is definitely a must visit when touring around Baguio City! If you want to know more about this place, you can read a more detailed blog about it here.
Address: #32 Assumption Road, Brgy. Kabayanihan, Baguio City
Vanilla Café
Vanilla Café is a French-inspired café located inside Kamiseta Hotel. It is for sure, the most beautifully decorated café I’ve ever been so far. Chairs, tables and furnitures used here are all vintage in style that will make you feel staying in a royal palace. The whole place is well lit with their high glass windows and sitting beside it is surely the best spot to eat your meal. The cold breeze and the smell of pine trees outside the café will make you fall in love in the place even more. When it comes to the food they serve, honestly, it’s a so-so for me and a bit pricey. But with the ambiance and view you can get from here, it is surely worth the time even just for once.
Address: 20 Brgy Lualhati, Ignacio Villamor St, Baguio City
Mang Ed Bakareta House
Just like The Farmer’s Daughter Restaurant, Mang Ed Bakareta House offers authentic cordilleran cuisines. The difference here is that, it gives a lutong-bahay or karinderya vibe that could give you a different dining experience from the other food places on this list. As what I heard, there are other Mang Ed branch that is more modern and airconditioned but we opt to went on their branch in the Slaughterhouse compound that has a turo-turo style setting to get a more local experience. We tried Pinapaitan, Kilawin, Dinakdakan and my most favorite is their Tinuno or grilled liempo served with blood sauce. I was skeptical to try it first because of the sauce, but surprisingly it was good and it is comparable to the crispy dinuguan dish.
Address: Slaughterhouse Compound (Main-Inside Basketball Court Slaughterhouse Compound (Extension-Infront of Brgy. Hall, Baguio City
Pizza Volante
I’ve been hearing this restaurant for so long and we were able to finally try it during our fourth visit in the city. The place offers pasta dishes, desserts and of course, pizza as their name suggests. I would recommend you trying their pizzas as you could get a well topped meal in a very cheap price. We visited their branch along session road (second floor) for an early dinner and it made the feels more special. How could you not love eating a slice of pizza with an overlooking view of the iconic Session Rd. as the sun sets for the day?
Address: Session Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet / Wright Park, Romulo Dr, Baguio / Ordonio Dr, Camp John Hay, Baguio
Choco-late De Batirol
A café restaurant set in a garden located inside Camp John Hay. This place is famous for their chocolate drinks traditionally prepared. We went here during afternoon to take a rest after a lengthy walk since morning and I love that their al fresco setup gives so much relaxing feeling. We had their Baguio blend (strawberry) hot chocolate and iced batirol in almond flavor perfectly paired with their turon with chocolate drizzles. They also serve meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Address: Igorot Park, Camp John Hay, Baguio
Baguio Night Market
A Baguio trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting the famous Baguio Night Market in Harrison Road. Aside from buying ukay-ukay, many people go here for a food trip session. Food stalls are now placed on a parking lot beside the Harrison Road to accommodate more people. You’ll have a lot of food choices here from Filipino food such as sisig, dinakdakan, arroz caldo and mami, Mediterranean food like kebab and shawarma, Korean street foods such as tteokbokki and mandu and of course, don’t forget to try tasting their strawberry/ube flavored taho. The night market is open every day from 9:00 PM until 12:00 AM.
Address: Harrison Road, Baguio City
