Top 6 Restaurants in Cebu

It takes awhile to get settled into any new place and Cebu is no different. Finding the right restaurants in Cebu took me quite awhile but eventually I was able to locate some good ones.

Restaurants in Cebu

Originally I was eating almost all of my meals at Ayala Center Cebu, but now I am down to only eating half my meals from there :).  Still just knowing that there are good restaurants at Ayala is not enough, you need to know the right ones to choose from.

Restaurants at Ayala

#6 Casa Verde

One of the most popular restaurants at Ayala Center Cebu so you will probably have to wait to get a table.  My favorite dish here is the seafood carbonara which is very good, but there are others to choose from as well.  Their ribs (called Bryan’s Ribs) give you a huge portion of good meat with a tasty barbecue sauce and some corn and carrots plus rice on the side.  I also like the Southwest Pasta as well.

#5 Banana Leaf

Located on the ground floor of Ayala terraces this Asian restaurant has a huge menu with many different types of Asian food to offer.  My absolute favorite meal from any Cebu City restaurant has to be the Malayan chicken curry from Banana Leaf.  It is the best chicken curry I have ever had and I get it more than any other food in Cebu City.

#4 Bigby’s

This is one of the more expensive restaurants at Ayala and most of the things on the menu are over my $5ish a meal budget.  However their grilled chicken carbonara is 200 pesos and if everything else on the menu is as good as it then I understand why it is so much more expensive than the rest.

There are other good restaurants at Ayala but those are the best that I have tried.  I always go to Dessert Factory to get cookies and cakes, however I was not impressed with the 1 meal I got from there.

ILuvCebu also has a good Cebu restaurants directory.

Tex Rex Cebu

Tex Rex, one of the best restaurants in Cebu for western food

Other Restaurants in Cebu

#3 Da Vinci’s Pizza

There are multiple locations for Da Vinci’s but the one I have been to most is in IT Park.  You can get a personal size pizza for under $3 that is great value and as good as any pizza as I have had in Asia.  I see people getting the spaghetti and chicken from their often but I have not tried them.

#2 Our Place

Located downtown just off Colon is a bar called Our Place that has one of the best value breakfasts you will ever find.  For under $5 you get Eggs, bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, toast with jam, AND a pork chop.  It is almost like you get a free pork chop with your breakfast.

#1 Tex Rex BBQ

Located in Mandaue Tex Rex BBQ offers great barbecue at a very good price.  For under $5 I usually get a pulled pork sandwich, great fries, coleslaw, and a drink.  This is one of my favorite restaurants in Cebu for that meal alone.  I tried the Mexican once and was not impressed, but all of the BBQ options I got were very good.

22 Responses

  1. jspill says:

    banana leaf the one where they give you unlimited rice for 70 pesos? think i ate there

  2. kick2dante says:

    lol life fish buying rice from a restaurant bwahahaha

    how was your starbucks earlier that day?

  3. qattack says:

    Did you try the Mongolian grill on the third (top) floor of the recent outdoor addition? That was by far my favorite place to eat with regularity and the price was decent.

  4. kick2dante says:

    not yet but ill look next time im in cebu, know the name?

  5. qattack says:

    I think it must be “KUBLAI KHAN.”

    I had to look it up, but it’s on the 3rd floor terrace and it has a fitting name. If that’s not it, then it’s probably not there anymore.

    • kick2dante says:

      man i walked past that place 100 times and always said i would there and never did, i even went in one time and was all uhhh what do i do and turned around…… :p

      • Mikey Johnson says:

        I’ve eaten at Kublai Khan. It’s so-so….It’s an nice low-key oriental themed restaurant that cooks buffet styled meals in woks. You can choose whatever meat, fish, veggies, and sauces and put them in a bowl and they make it for you.

        You can get the all you can eat price but after like 3 bowls, it’s starts getting old. Very nice staff actually. They wanted to know how I knew the place.

        The unlimited lemonade they serve you with the buffet option sucks. Think I ended up spending $12 total for me and my Cebuana princesss lmao

  6. Chop says:

    For the curry, i assume it is a coconut curry and not an Indian one?

  7. Mikey Johnson says:

    I like Yolk on Tres Borces St in Mabolo. Fantastic Artisan breakfast for cheap. Just need to mind when you go bc a lot of shitty locals/backpackers. Also a lot of beggars in that area so watch out.

    I also like Shomai sa Tisa. Pretty good local style Chinese dumplings. Probably best if your gf goes and picks it up.

    Phat Pho is fantastic. Very high quality Viet food. More expensive than Vietnam though. I’m talking about the one in IT Park. In the evenings it’s empty and makes a great cozy date night.

    Alburs on Gen Lim St. Exceptional burgers, shakes, and more. Good atmosphere. Almost feels like you are on a rocky beach. Better to eat during the day as it gets crowded at night.

    For drinks, I like to go to Castle Peak Hotel Rooftop Bar. I think I went there with Jspill. Usually not crowded.

    Kinda miss Cebu… 🙁

    • Anonymous says:

      You aren’t missing out on anything lol. Things have only gone downhill since you left and apparently they were always bad here for you.

      Anyone reading this contemplating visiting Cebu…..don’t. Skip it and visit Manila instead, or Bangkok if you know whats good for you.

      Angeles is supposedly the place to go for hookers….but avoid Cebu. Chodes have ruined this city. I see so many average looking white guys taking FAT girls (ugly 3s and 4s) out to eat at the “Pyramid” a fairly expensive (for Cebu) restaurant in IT park it’s pathetic.

      • Mikey Johnson says:

        I agree. Cebu isn’t really that great for girls and on top of that Cebuanos/aa have mental problems.

        But it grew on me a lot. Id go back but I’m in Manila now and it’s 1000x better for pussy so no point.

        • capt6729 says:

          I politely disagree. I am in Cebu right now and enjoying it. The truth it, yes, it is probably bad for pure notches but I manage to pull a few girls off online dating and they are very nice, sweet and shy. Probably because I cap age at 25 and under (I am 41 by the way).

          • Mikey Johnson says:

            You disagree with what exactly? You can obviously get good quality girls in Cebu but the timeline is months vs days/weeks in Manila for the same type of girls. Also Cebu is hicktown. Too provincial, but I guess as long as you don’t leave IT Park/Ayala, you good.

          • NormalNomad says:

            If you’re old, from the west and have low standards you’ll probably enjoy Cebu, but for anyone under 30 there are FAR better places to visit or even live.

  8. Anonymous says:

    where is house of lechon ? you cant come to cebu and not eat there.

  9. stef says:

    hey man these are great restaurants but where can we buy beef, health foods, etc. in cebu? I am thinking of going Jakarta or here.

  10. J says:

    What about park mall?

    • jspill says:

      Haven’t been there

      To add the restaurants I like to this article, for me it’s:

      Persian Palate, Lebanese food, at Ayala mall
      Maya, Mexican food, at Crossroads mall
      Fifties Cafe, Western food, roof deck floor at Crown Regency hotel
      Dolce, coffee & sweets, Panorama heights, nice view overlooking the city

    • Mikey Johnson says:

      Jovens at Park Mall is good. There are some good eats in Cebu.

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