CEBU CITY—Forty-eight hours are not enough to try the different restaurants in the city that truly capture the Cebuano taste. But for tourists who have only two days to spare, these are the dining destinations that will introduce them to what the Queen City of the South has to offer.
Straight Up at the roof deck of Seda Hotel in Central Bloc is a nice place to unwind after a long day. Bonus: View of the Cebu IT Park. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
DAY 1
Breakfast: Doming’s Ngohiong
Location: Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City (main branch)
It is only in Cebu where you find ngohiong—fried spring rolls loaded with julienned ubod (coconut palm heart) and singkamas, seasoned with five-spice. Cebuanos flock here for breakfast (also lunch) that consists mostly of fried ngohiong, native chicken and liver and gizzard and puso (hanging rice).
Morning Snacks: Café Merci
Location: Streetscape Mall, Paseo Saturnino, Barangay Banilad
This chic café offers the best French pastries in town. When here, don’t forget to try their French macarons too which are perfect for your coffee or tea.
Lunch: Harbour City Dimsum
Location: Shopping malls
in the city Another Cebu creation: Steam fried rice—rice topped with starchy gravy of pork and shrimp. And only Harbour City and its other brands—Dinq Qua Qua, Dimsum Break, Ding How—do it best. They also have a variety of dimsum that can make your tummy happy.
If you want a brief getaway from the city center, then head to the Cebu Trans-Central Highway that connects the city to western Cebu.
Breakfast: Montana Café
Location: Barangay Busay, Cebu Transcentral Highway
It is known for its all day breakfast feast, smoothies and coffee with the view of sunset or sunrise. While in Busay, don’t forget to snack on the famous sweet corn sold by roadside vendors.
It is good to note that the Cebu City section of Trans-Central Highway is also home to several attractions like the Temple of Leah, Don Emilio Botanical Garden, Tops Lookout and Sirao Flower Garden, among others.
Lunch: Balay sa Busay
Location: Barangay Busay
They offer interesting twists of Cebuano and Filipino dishes that are delicious. Don’t forget to try their Paboritong Sisig ni Tatay, Ginataang Mongo and Adobong Binisaya.
Morning Snacks: Tamp Café and Co.
Location: Crossroads, Barangay Banilad
While this cozy café offers delicious cakes and coffee, its unique blend of Asian and Western cuisine makes you want to go beyond the sweets. One hack while in Tamp: Get a slice of cake for P1 when you order food and a beverage.
Dinner: Sugbo Merkado
Location: Cebu IT Park
At Sugbo Mercado, barbecued meat on skewers is a staple dish and a crowd favorite.
An open-air hawkers’ place where diners can choose from a wide variety of affordable tasty eats. Don’t go there early because they are fully open past 6 p.m. to midnight.
Sugbo Mercado features kiosks offering authentic local and international dishes.
But if you’re on to something fancy: Bell + Amadeus
Location: 88th Avenue, Barangay Banilad
Progressive dining best describes the vibe of this restaurant that elevates modern contemporary cuisine. It is known for its wagyu cubes, tuna tartare and chicken confit with guanciale cranberry marmalade. For dessert, order the ylang-ylang creme brulee which is described by the owners as deconstructed halo-halo.
Nightcap: Turning Wheels Craft Brewery
Location: P. Almendras Street City
A must try is Cebu’s first beer brewery which started operating in 2014.
Option: Straight Up Bar
Location: Seda Central Bloc, Cebu IT Park
A rooftop bar located on the 17th floor of Seda Central Bloc, it offers cocktails, wines and pica-pica selection with a panoramic view of the city in the middle of Cebu’s bustling BPO hub.
DAY 2
Breakfast: Putohan sa Carbon
Location: Inside Carbon Market on Magallanes Street downtown Cebu City
Head to the city’s biggest public market for a taste of puto maya (steamed sticky rice cooked in coconut milk, sugar and ginger), sikwate (Cebu’s version of hot chocolate) and sweet mangoes. Two orders of puto maya and a cup of sikwate won’t cost you more than P20.
If you want a dose of caffeine after, head to Good Cup Coffee Company on Ramos Street. This hole in the wall café is known for its freshly roasted coffee. Drinking coffee is sacred here so be sure to drop by for a cup or two.
Another breakfast option: Abaca Baking Company
Location: Crossroads, Barangay Banilad, although it is also located in malls in the city but they open at 10 a.m.
Abaca is known for its artisan breads, pastries, butter croissants and good coffee as well as its huge breakfast selection.
Lunch: Alejo’s Lechon
Location: Barangay Labangon, Cebu City
Alejo’s is the underrated lechon from all of Cebu’s roasted pig versions. Go early because the line is long at Labangon Public Market.
Option: House of Lechon
Location: Acacia Street, Cebu City
It is one of the places that serve good lechon, particularly Carcar City-style where the roasted pig is served with a “sauce,” which is actually its drippings.
Afternoon Snacks: Siomai sa Tisa
Location: Barangay Tisa
Barangay Tisa is known as Cebu City’s siomai capital where a festival is celebrated every September. Pay P100 for unlimited puso (rice wrapped and boiled in casings made of coconut leaves) and savory siomai (in pork, chicken, beef varieties).
Option: Pungko-Pungko sa Fuente
Location: J. Llorente St., Barangay Capitol Site (Across Apple Tree Suites)
This is heaven for deep-fried food lovers who don’t mind sitting on long benches. The bestseller here is the ginabot/chicharong bulaklak (deep fried pork intestines) which is best dipped in spiced vinegar with a generous serving of white onions.
Dinner: The Barracks
Location: Carbon Public Market across University of San Jose Recoletos
The Barracks is a hawker center at the Carbon PublicMarket that is bustling with activity. —PHOTO BY EMMANUELLE SAWIT
This hawker center is smacked right at the heart of Carbon Public Market. Aside from lechon and barbecue, try the chicken or beef pater, the Maranao dish consisting of steamed rice topped with shredded chicken or beef and wrapped in banana leaves.
If you want to splurge: Mott 32
Location: NuStar Resort and Casino
A wide variety of comfort food awaits those who want to head out for a midnight snack. One of Cebu’s newest attractions is the five-star NuStar Resort and Casino at the South Road Properties, along the Mactan Strait, owned by the Gokongwei Group. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
This world-famous restaurant from Hong Kong has indeed lived up to its reputation. Its Apple Wood Roasted 42 Days Peking Duck is something that shouldn’t be missed as well as its barbecue Iberico Pork and Soft Quail Egg Black Truffle Siu Mai.
If you are not up for Chinese food, try Nustar’s Il Primo Italian Steakhouse, the first of its kind in Cebu. Aside from its Italian dishes, its Angus Ribeye makes one salivate just thinking about it.
Nightcap: Asmara Urban Resort and Lifestyle Village
Location: 1 Paseo Saturnino, Cebu City
A wide variety of comfort food awaits those who want to head out for a midnight snack.
An Italian restaurant that serves amazing cocktails and great wines, coupled with a superb location that makes you forget that you are within one of Cebu City’s busiest areas.
As Cebuanos would love to say: “Mangaon na ta, bai (Let’s start eating, friends).” INQ