Bacolod City is such a gastronomic haven! What better way to explore any place than through the food it serves to the guests, right? You will need this food crawl guide to truly delight the palate.
Best restaurants to eat at when in Bacolod City
Aboy’s Restaurant
A food trip in Bacolod City will never be complete without going to Aboy’s Restaurant. This is the place to be if you want delicious yet affordable seafood. People go here for their menu’s praiseworthy taste and generous servings. There is a selection of pre-cooked meals if you are in a hurry, but you have a choice of seafood to grill. The place has a homey, inviting, and brightly-lit vibe — definitely not your typical inside-the-mall dining place. Aboy’s Restaurant is ideal for casual dining with family and friends. The native resto is inside Liroville Subdivision.
Nena’s Beth Chicken Inasal
Chicken inasal hails from Bacolod City, so you must make sure you sample authentic grilled-to-perfection inasal here. Nena’s Beth Chicken Inasal, which opened in 1952, is among the many eateries offering this local delicacy. But theirs is one of the tastiest. The eatery is known for its array of grilled food items from isaw (intestine) to isol (chicken tail). Nena’s Beth Chicken Inasal is inside Manokan Country, the biggest inasal house in the complex.
Manokan Country
Manokan Country is an al fresco complex of local and international food stalls serving local delicacies. Of course, chicken inasal is the primary offering, but you must also try the oyster (talaba) dishes. The locals eat steamed oysters as an appetizer before digging into a chicken leg quarter. There is plenty of inasal and seafood to choose from.
Diotay’s Eatery
Diotay’s Eatery is a seafood restaurant serving the freshest and tastiest seafood at affordable rates. Why you might ask. It is because it is a paluto and paihaw dining area. It is a favorite among the Bacolodnons, and they would recommend going here without batting an eyelash. Inside the carinderia is a festive mood; the place is lively and bright.
Pala-Pala Seafood Market
An open-air seafood place, Pala Pala Seafood Market is peppered with various restaurants that cater to customers paluto-style. This is the concept of pala-pala, choosing from fresh seafood in front of you. Pala-pala actually refers to the open-air structure. There is an array of fresh seafood — you will get confused about which ones to try first. Good thing you may choose your ingredients and have them cook for you. The dining places cook the seafood in any way you want — grilled, fried, stewed, or boiled. Mixing seafood with veggies and soup is a common choice, too. Whichever you choose, sample Bacolod blue marlin. So yes, this is perfect whether you are on solo travel or with a big group of friends. Try their scallops!
IMAY’S Bar and Restaurant
IMAY’S, another restaurant along Lacson Street, is a Filipino restaurant serving Bacolodnon delicacies. It is known for its taste, serving, and affordability. However, the fourth element that makes this dining place genuinely stand out is the friendly staff. Moreover, you may tell them your order ahead of time yet still serve your food hot once you get there. Try their crispy tadiang, baked oyster, and porbidang kangkong (spicy water spinach in coconut milk). Inside the resto are food carts of dirty ice cream and cotton candy. IMAY’S is one of the best restaurants at Restaurant Row on Lacson Street.
Enting’s Special of Sagay
Enting’s restaurant on Lacson Street is where you want to try lechong baka (roasted beef) and kalderetang kambing (goat stew). Nonetheless, the site is also famous for its cansi (beef soup) and kinilaw (much like ceviche), perfect pairings for the lechon. Other than these, Enting’s features a seafood buffet, so you can sample other seafood such as shrimp, scallops, and squid.
Palawud Resto Grill
Palawud is a bar and grill, but its outdoor setting is truly family-friendly; it has a playground that can keep the kids occupied. It is quite the dining experience because the place is expansive, festive, and overlooks the sea. Palawud mainly serves grilled dishes and soups; one of their must-tries is the fish steak. Some people go there for the food and its ever-hypnotizing fire dance show at night. This is one of the few restaurants in Bacolod City that marries dining and entertainment. Palawud is near Banago’s port area. Palawud is a Hiligaynon term that means going toward the sea, which also explains why you need to walk through a long grassy patch to the resto.
In Bacolod, the food, mainly chicken inasal and seafood, are not the only ones to try. But also the dining experience unique to the city, such as pala-pala, paluto, and paihaw. There is also a street filled with dining places, although mostly casual, carinderia-type eateries. Then again, some restaurants are located near the shore, and this is where to taste the freshest seafood in the area.
