Places to Eat in Iloilo

Iloilo is one of the best destinations for food in the Philippines.

In addition to its own local specialties, there are many locations to get other traditional Filipino food and international delicacies.

Markets and Street Food

If you are interested in getting the traditional local experience, head out early in the morning to Lapaz Market in the downtown area of Iloilo City. Here, you will be able to get your morning coffee along with freshly baked Filipino treats.

Of course, because you are in the Philippines, there is no better place to try balut, the infamous partially developed duck egg. Just watch out for the feathers and beak!

Local Food

If you are looking for a spot to get some local Iloilo food, check out Ted’s Batchoy, where you can taste one of the dishes Iloilo is famous for. Batchoy is a mix of noodles and pork skins with local spices and broth. It’s a very filling dish so be sure to come hungry.

Another good option for batchoy if the line at Ted’s is too long is Netong’s Original Special La Paz Batchoy. It’s located on Donato Pison Avenue in Iloilo City and gets very good customer reviews. You can add special toppings to the soup such as rice cakes or bone marrow.

Beach Eats

One of the best beach eats is at Breakthrough Restaurant in Iloilo City on Molo-Arevalo Boulevard. Keeping in mind that it can be difficult to find both inexpensive and tasty food at a beachside restaurant, it seems that Breakthrough has hit both marks as it is ranked the best restaurant in Iloilo City. You can get fresh seafood picked out of the water earlier in the day as well as local delicacies such as lechon. Breakthrough is open seven days a week from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm, although in reality the tables are in use a few hours later than that. Expect dinner to cost you somewhere between PHP300 and PHP900, and keep in mind that it will likely be on the higher end if you are planning on ordering seafood. Unlike other beachside restaurants in the area, it accepts credit cards.

Another good option for local seafood and Filipino cuisine is Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafoods. Located on Villa Beach in the Santo Nino Sur neighbourhood of Iloilo City is a good spot if you are looking for barbecue chicken, lechon, or seafood such as shrimp, baked oysters, and the catch of the day. Similar to Breakthrough, it is also a highly rated restaurant, and there is even a swimming pool to enjoy (for an extra cost of PHP200 to PHP250). The restaurant is open every day of the week from 7.30 am to 9.30 pm. You should expect to pay between PHP200 to PHP500 for a meal, and credit cards are also happily accepted.

Western and International Food

Somewhat amusingly, there is a famous German restaurant in Iloilo City called Bavaria Restaurant, located at 113 Seminario Street in the Jaro neighbourhood of Iloilo City. It is open every day of the week from 7.30 am for breakfast to 12.30 am, although the kitchen closes a bit earlier. The restaurant has been around for 13 years and is very well known for its sausages and beers, many of which are imported from Germany. It’s definitely worth a visit. Expect to pay anything from PHP250 to PHP2000, depending on what you order (and how much beer you drink!)

And, because the Korean community is growing at a steady pace, there are many Korean restaurants in the city as well, if you have a hankering for some Korean food.