Baguio Food Crawl | The Other Bloggers x Turista Boy (Day 1)
Baguio Food Crawl: A gastronomic journey in the City of Pines (Day 1)
Known as the Philippines’ Summer Capital, Baguio City is also becoming a major tourist destination when it comes to food tasting. A City so small yet there are plentiful restaurants and cafés which must be tried. The Other Bloggers, including Turista Boy, slated our very first version of the Baguio Food Crawl. It is a culinary journey featuring 15 different restaurants, 5 food hubs, 17 bloggers, and over 100 dishes that can be locally eaten in Baguio!
Who would have thought that Baguio would offer such gastronomic adventures that added to its tourist-friendly reputation? The Baguio Food Crawl is just a glimpse of what can be tasted in the City of Pines. From small, medium, to popular restaurants, this only means that Baguio is the North’s Food Hub.
On its first day, we featured 8 restaurants. The main food items served for the first day were Western fusion and some Asian dishes:
The Kitchen
One of the house-turned-restaurants in Baguio, The Kitchen was the first stop of the Baguio Food Crawl. With homey dishes that is close to the Filipino palate, The Kitchen could be your home away from home. Its all-day buffet setup makes people go out of the restaurant full. Before I forget to mention, they also serve a la carte meals. One of their newest dishes on the menu are their pan-seared duck breast and their lamb steak. As of 2020, The Kitchen Restaurant is now permanently closed and is now replaced by Rubia Bed and Breakfast.
| Address: | #80 Upper General Luna Road, Baguio City (near 2600 Gastropub) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @TheKitchenBaguio |
| E-mail: | thekitchenbaguio@gmail.com |
| Mobile Number/s: | +639159266325 +639209499963 |
| Operating Hours: | 0630 – 2100 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
Gossip Coffee Shop
Wanna talk about something? Gossip Coffee Shop is the right place for you! Just a few steps from The Kitchen, Gossip Coffee Shop is a quaint coffee shop with delish food on their menu! One of the more popular cafés in the metro, this coffee shop should definitely not to be missed. What I personally like in their menu is Gossip Food Trip, “Backstabber” sandwich, and their matcha oreo shake.
| Address: | #76 Upper General Luna Road, Baguio City (near Laubach Road) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @gossipcoffeeshop |
| Landline Numbers: | +63 74 422 8661 |
| Operating Hours: | 0900 – 2300 H (Mon-Sat) 1300 – 2300 H (Sun) |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
Sessions Gallery Cafe
If you are into art and good food infused into one, Sessions Gallery is the place to be. With its support to local Baguio artists, Sessions Gallery also exhibits good local food with some Western dishes on the side. As the restaurant is owned by a Cordilleran, he envisions the Sessions Gallery to be the home of local artists wanting to show their craft. My personal faves are their Glazed Chicken and their blueberry shake. It definitely is a must-try! As of 2020, Sessions Gallery Cafe is now permanently closed and is now replaced by Hub-a-Byte Cafe.
| Address: | 411 Jose De Leon Center III, Session Road, Baguio City (across Baguio City Post Office) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @SessionsGalleryCafe |
| Mobile Number: | +63 906 568 5584 |
| Operating Hours: | 0900 – 0000 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
The Coffee Library
This café-restaurant mainly specializes in serving Asian cuisine, particularly Vietnamese. As the owners have visited various Asian countries, they love Vietnam in particular. In their menu, they serve Pho /pha/ (Vietnamese noodle soup) and spring rolls, which is regularly seen on the Vietnamese table. They also serve various Vietnamese and Italian coffees that are definitely new to Baguio’s taste. In line with their Vietnamese food, they also serve hearty home-grown Filipino dishes that would complement every food item in their menu.
To know more about The Coffee Library, read here!
| Address: | REX Residence Hall, Upper Bonifacio Street, Baguio City |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @TheCoffeeLibraryPH |
| Mobile Number: | +63 917 503 7962 |
| Operating Hours: | 0800 – 2300 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
Cafe Cueva (at Ili Likha Artist Community)
Have you ever tried eating in the outskirts of the suburbs? You can experience it here in Cafe Cueva! In this edition of the Baguio Food Crawl, we have visited this restaurant and for your information, this is part of the Ili Likha Artist Community in Assumption Road (owned by renowned artist Kidlat Tahimik.)
The name “Cafe Cueva” came from the owners’ friends suggesting that the place looks like a cave. The owners, too, wanted their customers to try the garden-to-table food. That is, organic and healthier than any other food option. They also host several local artists and display their artworks all over the place. My personal favorites are their green smoothie (you have to try this!!!) and their grilled pork chop with salsa and tinapa fried rice.
| Address: | #32 Ili Likha Artist Community, Assumption Road, Baguio City (near AMDC) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @CafeCuevaBaguio |
| Mobile Number: | +63 995 487 5361 |
| Operating Hours: | 0900 – 2100 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
Tangay-Tangay Restaurant
This restaurant can easily be located as it is located just behind Nevada Square in Loakan Road. This Asian fusion restaurant features dishes that are quite common to those aforementioned in this post. They serve Korea’s bibimbap, Singapore’s laksa, and Philippines’ pigar-pigar.
If you’re bored and want to unwind, they also have various and spacious karaoke rooms just beside the restaurant (just below Locked In). Just ask the staff for price quotes and rental fees. As of 2020, Tangay-Tangay Restaurant is now permanently closed and is now replaced by Fork N’ Dagger.
| Address: | Greenwater, Baguio City (Behind Nevada Square) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @Tangay-Tangay-Restaurant |
| Mobile Number: | +63 916 585 5059 |
| Operating Hours: | 0900 – 0000 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
Kalye Uno Restobar and Grill
Talk about delish Filipino food! Kalye Uno Restobar is your go-to place! In this edition of the Baguio Food Crawl, I have to say that is a ‘dark horse.’ Meaning, their menu is surprisingly and unexpectedly delicious! I rate would rate this restaurant 11/10 (Yep! No bias here!) It actually is my first time to hear about this restaurant near The Mansion as it is relatively new. Its bamboo-clad interior together with some interesting antiques makes Kalye Uno your new food hub.
My personal favorites in this restaurant are their sinampalukang manok (chicken in tamarind soup) and horse tapa (horse meat). Their okoy (flat shrimp cake) is just fine, too! As of 2020, Kalye Uno Restobar and Grill is now permanently closed.
| Address: | 1 J. Felipe Street cor. Baltazar Street, Gibraltar, Baguio City (near The Mansion) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @KalyeUnoRestobarAndGrill |
| Landline Number: | +63 74 424 3173 |
| Operating Hours: | 0900 – 2200 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
Arca’s Yard
If you want to be close to nature and you want that much-needed peace of mind, Arca’s Yard is perfect for you. This house-turned-restaurant-and-museum is located far from the city’s hustle and bustle. Here, you’ll get to feel a close-to-nature experience. On one side of the restaurant, you have the Sierra Madre mountains as your backdrop, perfect for your Instagram-worthy shots. Their library is also one of the highlights of Arca’s Yard. This is where you can have a private space for you to work on stuff while eating their sumptuous food. (Ask the staff-on-duty on how to make reservations at the library.)
Their bestsellers here are their pesto carbonara, camote pie (must try!), cloud tea, and their Asian salad.
| Address: | Ambuklao Road, Baguio City (right after APT Seminary) |
| Social Media Page/s: | Facebook: @Arcas-Yard-Baguio |
| Landline Number: | +63 74 442 9706 |
| Mobile Number: | +63 929 325 1868 |
| Operating Hours: | 0900 – 2000 H |
| Operating Days: | Daily |
The first day of the first leg of the Baguio Food Crawl was full of Asian and Western dishes. Though some of the food choices are now seen in the Philippine setting there are also dishes that are unique to the palate.
Do you want more? Click here to read the Day 2 of our Baguio Food Crawl!
Baguio Food Crawl 2017 Participating Bloggers (photo by Potpot Pinili – Travel Trilogy)
Participating bloggers:
www.eatsinbaguio.wordpress.com, www.wheretobaguio.com, www.sheryllstoryteller.wordpress.com, hanaoka photography, www.thelocalfolke.co, www.hellorelyn.com, www.gotophilippines.com, www.traveltrilogy.com, and www.turistaboy.com
About Aldrick 'chiki' Agpaoa
