Unknown to many people, the Visayas region offers a rich and lively culinary scene. The region itself is composed of breathtaking islands blessed with diverse cultures, majestic beaches, and friendly people that will keep travelers coming back for more.
The Visayas is one of the most diverse regions in the Philippines in terms of food and culture. That diversity may be attributed to the many different islands that comprise the Visayas. Aside from food and culture, the Visayas is blessed with majestic beaches and friendly people that will keep travelers coming back for more.
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The famous Masskara Festival in Bacolod | Photo by Leonardo
Villasis
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The 4 Top Must-try Cuisines From The Visayas
The most famous dishes from the Visayas
The rich natural resources of the region, both from land and sea, is the source of the countless inimitable dishes that the region has to offer. As
Khris and I always say the best way to experience the culture of a locality is to taste its signature cuisine.
So, go on and have a bite of some of these unforgettable dishes from the
Visayas and experience a one-of-a-kind journey:
1. Original Chicken Inasal at Bacolod
Bacolod is also dubbed as the City of Smiles. Here, you will meet people who are among the friendliest in the country. It's also a place where festivals are religiously observed so be sure to take part in the merriment.
Of course, to fully experience Bacolod, travelers have to try their delicacies. First on the list is the real star of their food scene, the famous chicken inasal.
It can be had in almost every restaurant or even a food stall in the city, but
if you want to try the best, head over to Manokan Country, which is actually
a strip of food stalls offering various takes on the classic chicken
inasal.
Plus, you can also enjoy here some of the tastiest grilled offerings like isaw (chicken or pork intestine), atay (liver), and isol (chicken butt). It’s best to eat these with your bare hands; the Bacolod (read, the best) way to enjoy your food.
The Tacloban food fare is definitely Filipino but what makes their food so distinct is their generous use of gata or coconut milk in their cooking.
As home to expansive sugar haciendas, Bacolod is aptly nicknamed the country’s sugar bowl. As such, expect to see many varieties of sweet treats in almost every corner of the city. Try the delectable specialties
of famous pastry shops like Felicia’s Pastry Café and Calea Pastries and
Coffee, where you can also buy large packs for pasalubong.
Finally, don’t miss out on the original Negrense favorite—piaya. This is an unleavened flatbread that is filled with muscovado sugar. Locals
recommend getting piaya from Bailon’s Food, located at San Sebastian
Street. Their in-house restaurant, Weego Bistro, is something you don’t want to miss.
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| Weego Bistro via Instagram: @kyxvee |
It’s hard not to notice Weego Bistro with its colorful exteriors that depict Bacolod’s local art scene. Aside from chicken inasal, you can
enjoy some Negrense favorites here like batchoy, KBL, and kansi; all-day
breakfast meals, other rice meals, and flatbread pizzas.
2. Taste authentic batchoy in Iloilo
The hunt for delicious bites is not really an overwhelming task when in the province of Iloilo. In fact, Iloilo food is popular almost everywhere around the country. Ilonggo cuisine is influenced by diverse cultures and
backgrounds and they’re definitely worth trying.
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La Paz Batchoy: a famous Ilonggo delicacy | Photo by Zarah Mercado
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Iloilo is the origin of the renowned La Paz Batchoy. It is a
rich-flavored noodle soup that is a favorite among locals from as far back as the 1940s.
The best ones are available at food stalls at La Paz
Market, where the dish is supposed to have originated. Among the most
popular stalls are Netong's Original Special La Paz Batchoy and Deco’s
Original La Paz Batchoy.
Seafood is also very common in the whole province of Iloilo. Satisfy your
taste buds with freshest seafood dishes at Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafood
Restaurant, and savor their signature dishes like kinilaw na tanigue,
baked oysters, and boneless bangus. For those who love chicken, try daraag
which is native chicken that is roasted in charcoal and marinated in
vinegar.
For light merienda, a good idea would be to try pancit molo, another
Ilonggo favorite, at Tita Paz: The House Pancit of Molo, which is just a few minutes away from Tatoy’s.
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| Chika-An Menu via Facebook |
If you are traveling in large groups, Chika-An Restaurant is the ideal dining place for families and barkadas. Their extensive menu is largely made up of Pinoy dishes like seafood, vegetables, sizzling meals,
salads, meats, and even breakfast food. Most diners, however, would recommend Chika-an’s crispy pork belly, squid, sisig, and seafood kare-kare.
3. Tacloban City’s coconut milk craze
Tourists who are visiting the Visayas may not have Tacloban as the first option but the city definitely has a lot to offer its guests. Tacloban
City is the biggest in Eastern Visayas and is home to the country’s longest bridge, the San Juanico Bridge.
Moreover, Tacloban City serves as the gateway to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines. Of course, Tacloban also has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine.
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| Baked scallops from Ocho Seafood and Grill via Instagram: @sabugoesto |
The Tacloban food fare is definitely Filipino but what makes their food so distinct is their generous use of gata or coconut milk in their cooking.
One of the best places to try ginataan specialties in Tacloban would be
at Ocho Seafood and Grill where you can have their purbidang kangkong
and ginataang ganga or spider conch. Their seafood is also some of the
freshest and tastiest; savor baked scallops, crispy tuna skin, and even
crispy scallops.
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| Buttered shrimps from Ocho Seafood and Grill via Instagram: @sabugoesto |
Another favorite restaurant among travelers is Chew Love Tacloban, which
features alfresco dining and is most notable for its appealing,
Instagram-worthy look.
Diners would be amused by their quirky menu with catchy names: Be Kare-Ful
with My Heart (kare-kare), Love at Pork Sight (pork liempo with eggplant
salad and rice), and halo-halo which comes in three sizes (Gold Digger,
Double Digger and Freaky Digger).
After a day of roving around the city, you might want to conclude your day
with a glass of the Tacloban classic coconut wine, Vino de Coco, which can
be bought at some supermarkets and re-sellers in the city.
In the morning, wake up to yummy Mexican food offerings at Mex ‘Em Up Grill,
Go Hotels Tacloban’s official breakfast provider. They serve most breakfast favorites—from toasted bread to rice and eggs—and some famous Mexican food served with drinks.
For those who aren’t fans of breakfast food, Mex ‘Em Up Grill’s menu also
includes Angus beef fajita, beef mushroom, and buffalo wings, among others,
all at reasonable prices.
4. Dumaguete’s chicken inato and seafood offerings
Dumaguete City is a quiet, little seaside town often overlooked by
tourists, but with its many hidden gems, this city leaves good memories to
its visitors.
Dumaguete offers the best of both worlds: it’s where you can find big
universities where Visayans and Mindanaoans converge, and it’s also a diving haven which is home to some of the most beautiful secret beaches in
the Visayas, and probably even in the Philippines.
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| Crystal clear waters of Dumaguete | Photo by Namhwi Kim |
The food at Dumaguete is also unforgettable. Their cuisine is a combination of different Filipino, mostly Visayan specialties, that is why Dumaguete is one of the recommended jump-off points to get you started with Visayan cuisine. For certified foodies, Dumaguete is the place to be.
Begin your gastronomic adventure with the city’s institution: Jo’s Chicken
Inato. You’ll instantly fall in love with chicken inato, their specialty chicken. What’s even better is that it’s affordable despite being famous!
Jo’s Chicken Inato’s menu also includes other delicious Visayan dishes
like sizzling and seafood, and also yummy desserts like the buko
halo-halo, a bestseller.
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| Silvannas from Sans Rival via Instagram: @sansrivalph |
For those who are craving seafood, the freshest ones can be had at
Lab-As Restaurant, which boasts of an extensive menu of seafood favorites. Here, you will be serenaded by the sound of waves as you enjoy your food at the alfresco dining area beside the sea.
After exploring Dumaguete City, cap the day by ordering drinks at the
Hayahay Treehouse and Viewdeck or try the sushi at Taco Surf Steaks and
Sushi Bar, which is both located beside Lab-As Restaurant.
For those who have sweet tooth, don’t forget to drop by the famous Sans
Rival Cakes and Pastries, a Dumaguete institution and landmark. It offers buttery savannas and creamy sans rival, perfect for meryenda with coffee and pasalubong for your friends and loved ones.
For refreshments, there is Scooby’s, a snack bar with a quaint vibe near
Go Hotel in Dumaguete is a great place to have a leisurely afternoon.
Students and freelancers frequent this place, mostly because of the relaxing environment, stable Wi-Fi signal, and yummy desserts. Try their
Instagrammable freak milkshakes and pair them with pasta, bread, or fries.
Epilogue
Traveling to the Visayas is a trip that is worth embarking on. While the region is more famous for its island activities and beautiful sights, its
culinary offerings are worth the journey as its culture, beaches, and
people.
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Single bedroom at Go Hotels Tacloban
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For those who are traveling to the Visayas region, there is Go Hotels
near prominent food spots, so accommodation is not a hassle. They offer
all the essential needs of travelers at very affordable rates, that
means being able to allot more budget for food and activities for
maximum enjoyment without hurting one’s wallet.
Flying to the Visayas anytime soon? Book direct now at
http://www.gohotels.ph/. Make sure to follow Go Hotels on
Facebook
and
Instagram
for more information.
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Holy. Moly. This entire post is making me hungry. I would seriously eat my weight in all of that. Like until I popped.
ReplyDeleteYum! Everything looks and sounds so delicious. I would love to try it all.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things while traveling is tasting traditional local food. I haven't tried Philippine cuisine until now, and it is so different from ours (Bulgarian). I definitely would like to try some of these dishes... Buttered shrimps sound so tasty. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNnniiiiccceeeee....it's a big yes, for me, to the buttered shrimps! I just can't stop scrolling to their location on the blog (hihi)!
ReplyDeleteI have a family of foodies. We love to try food from all cultures and my boys are especially adventurous when it comes to food.
ReplyDeleteWow so much great food! The Tacloban food looks the most intriguing to me!
ReplyDeleteI haven't had any of these dishes before. They all sound wonderful and something to enjoy while traveling.
ReplyDeleteThis looks yummy, it's cool to try food from other countries and learn more about them.
ReplyDeleteFransic - https://www.querianson.com
This made me so happy! Wonderfully curated! I am a true blue bisaya and your food features are on point. But i do hope there is a part 2 for this blog since there are still a lot of authentic visayan dishes you have not featured!
ReplyDeleteInasal is a staple for me. This is the first time I heard about inato. Hope I can try it soon.
ReplyDeleteI've had Batchoy before and loved it so much. I'd love to try the rest of these too since Batchoy went down such a treat.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the photo credit on my Lapaz Batchoy food photo. Namit gid! Like me on fb @hellozarahph.
ReplyDeleteWhen travelling to Tacloban, musy try local restsurants:
Ocho Seafood and Grill - fresh seafoos
Ayo Cafe - Asian fusion
Sunzibar - Rum Ribs, Nacho, Tomato Soup
Canto Fresco - Pizza, Pork Barrel
Giuseppe's - Italian food fine dine
Pasqualino
Q Kitchen
The Brunch
Crispy King
and more!
Hit me up for a local's insight ✨️