Melo Villareal
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” – Alfred Wainwright
I completely agree with that quote. On our recent Baguio trip, I learned that packing the right clothes is crucial, but you should also ask yourself, ‘Will this be enough?’ Here’s the story of three extremely excited travelers who suddenly went on an impromptu highland adventure.
Pizza and Beer at Zola Cafe
We arrived in Baguio City just past 11pm, exhausted from our journey. Without having booked a hotel in advance, we found ourselves wandering the bustling streets, hesitant to settle for any place until we found suitable accommodations. Desperately seeking a roof over our heads, we approached several random taxi drivers, politely asking for their hotel recommendations. After a few minutes of wandering and consultations, we finally arrived at the old Hotel Supreme located on Magsaysay Avenue. The hotel’s vintage exterior and welcoming lobby hinted at its long-standing presence in the city, offering us a semblance of comfort after a long day of travel.
Pizza and Beer Anyone?
After settling into our respective rooms and placing our belongings down, we made our way to Zola Cafe, renowned as one of the most welcoming 24-hour bars and restaurants in Baguio City. The lively ambiance and warm lights greeted us as we arrived. Since we had already enjoyed a simple, early dinner during our stopover in Sison, Pangasinan, our order consisted of a generous serving of Hawaiian pizza with its crispy crust and savory toppings, accompanied by chilled bottles of beer that added to the cozy, laid-back atmosphere.
Suman sa Lihiya
I like how Zola Cafe melted the Mozzarella cheese and the generous Ham and Pineapple toppings on their Hawaiian Pizza, but their dough isn’t crispy; it’s chewy, like freshly kneaded dough. I guess there’s no bad pizza if you pair it with a cold bottle of beer in extremely cold temperatures!
Baguio Cathedral
While everyone is preparing for an early Sunday Mass, we were just about to leave Zola Cafe in Session Road. As much as we want to stay, we realized that we had to take a nap to prepare for our Sunday Food Trip:)
Hotel Breakfast
After having almost 3 hours of rest, we took advantage of the complimentary breakfast at the hotel. It’s an à la carte breakfast offering a choice between tapa, bangus, and longganisa, which is paired with Sunny Side up eggs, fried rice, a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice. A nice and perfect “not-so-light” meal to start our day.
Choco-late de Batirol
Gay suggested we visit Choco-late de Batirol, so instead of my favorite Starbucks in Camp John Hay, we headed to this famous garden restaurant near Gate 2. Their Hot Chocolate is still prepared traditionally in a chocolatera (metal pot) and mixed with a batirol (wooden stirrer). Unlike instant chocolate drinks, their Choco-late is thick, bittersweet, and nutty. It’s early morning when we visited the place, so instead of trying out their famous Pancit Palabok, we ordered Suman sa Lihiya – a glutinous rice delicacy wrapped and cooked in banana leaves then topped with shredded coconut and muscovado sugar… You can never go wrong with the Suman and Tsokolate tandem! I swear I will come back for more soon:)
Laperal White House in Baguio
As we approached downtown for our next food stop, we noticed that the Laperal White House was already open to the public. We decided to have a short stop at the famous ancestral house out of curiosity. Laperal Ancestral House was built in the 1920s and is known to many as one of the haunted places in Baguio City. The White House is now owned by Lucio Tan and is open to the public for viewing. Since last year, the old house has hosted the Philippine Bamboo Art Exhibit, showcasing bamboo carvings by various local woodcarvers.
Pasta Pesto
Our resident lawyer, affectionately nicknamed Lakwatserong Tsinelas, suggested that we take some time to visit the historic Baguio Cathedral before returning to our hotel to pack our belongings and complete the check-out process. After a quick yet thorough check-out, we entrusted our luggage to the attentive hotel concierge, who kindly stored it securely. With our bags taken care of, we then made our way to the charming Tamawan Village, where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch amidst the lush surroundings and artistic ambiance.
Tamawan Green Salad
Tamawan Village stands out as one of my most cherished hideouts in Baguio, offering a rich tapestry of local culture and artistry. The village is adorned with a diverse collection of artworks by talented local artists, showcasing the region’s vibrant and intricate craftsmanship. Visitors can explore a charming souvenir shop featuring a wide variety of handcrafted items and Cordillera-region-specific souvenirs, perfect for remembering the visit.
Often referred to as Baguio’s Hanging Garden, Tamawan Village captivates with its lush greenery and open-air art installations scattered throughout. The village boasts numerous art pieces and replicas of traditional Igorot houses, crafted to reflect authentic indigenous architecture. These elements together create a captivating environment that immerses visitors in the beauty, history, and artistic spirit of the Cordillera, making it a truly enriching experience.
Strawberry Taho
To experience some of the finest local recipes, visit Tamawan Cafe. My top pick is their Tamawan Green Salad—an iconic mix of fresh vegetables on a bed of greens, drizzled with honey-mustard and herb dressing. If you prefer less vegetables, try the Pasta Peso, which features al dente pasta tossed with a traditional blend of basil, garlic, olive oil, and nuts.
Fresh Strawberries in La Trinidad
Our Tamawan visit was followed by a short stop at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet. We do not have plans of buying strawberries, fresh vegetables, or even souvenirs. The only reason we visited the place was to have Strawberry Taho. When strawberries are in season, many strawberry products are available for sale at the farm, including strawberry preserves, strawberry candy, fresh strawberries, strawberry ice cream, and Strawberry Taho.
Puto Bumbong
From Strawberry Fields, we proceeded to Solibao Restaurant in Burnham Park. Solibao is one of my favorite restaurants in Baguio. They mostly serve Filipino food, including delicacies like Puto Bumbong, which is available year-round. Aside from Puto Bumbong, we also ordered their famous Pancit Bihon – stir-fry mixture of rice and flat noodles with lots of vegetables and pork toppings.
Pancit Bihon
We left Burnham Park with full tummies, so instead of getting a cab to reach the Baguio Public Market, we headed to the public market on foot, hoping to burn some calories we gained from the whole day of feasting. While Gay was busy buying wooden plates for her new house in Tarlac, I tried to locate my favorite coffee bean shop, but had no luck. I’ll probably come back and spend more time in the Public Market.
It’s already freezing when we left the public market, and we thought it would be perfect to have some tea, so we walked uphill and braved 5 floor stairs to reach our favorite Oh My Gulay Restaurant. I really wanted a green salad, but I’m still full, so I just had Banaba Tea while enjoying the sunset on the restaurant’s veranda.
Mountain Tea – Tamawan Village
It was already dark when we left Oh My Gulay, we wanted to stay longer but we realized we still have to get our bags from the hotel. From the hotel, we proceeded to the Victory Liner Bus terminal to get our tickets, but to our surprise, the next available bus would leave at around 3:00am. Left with no choice, we bought our bus tickets and then left for Zola Cafe to kill time:)
Travel Bloggers with Mr. Ed Manda
We spent 3 hours on the veranda of Zola Cafe, eating and drinking while enjoying the view of the busy street and braving the freezing 8.1-degree temperature. It was already 1am when we decided to head back to the bus terminal. In this trip, I learned two things.
First, never underestimate the cold weather in Baguio; bring at least two jackets, a bonnet, and a fleece jacket. Second, secure your bus tickets in advance if your planned departure falls on Sunday to avoid a late departure due to the large number of students and weekend vacationers heading back to Manila.
It was a 24-hour food trip and unforgiving temperature, but I had no regrets… In fact, I want to come back for more:)
How about you? What’s your favorite place to eat and hang out in Baguio City? Could you share?
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