Bacolod restaurants serving the best native Pinoy foods

These Bacolod restaurants serve some of the most delicious native Pinoy foods. Do you agree with me? Or you have tried something really good elsewhere? Do let me know in the comments below.

Bacolod City is the capital of Negros Occidental, Philippines.

• Bacolod City Guide
• List of Bacolod Restaurants

Food Tourism

If I am to be honest with you, there’s really not much to see and visit in Bacolod City. Bacolod is the capital city of the province of Negros Occidental, in southern Philippines. That is, if we are talking about theme parks or beaches.

But what we lack in grand tourist destinations, we more than compensate in our Bacolod restaurants. For in our food, we have many choices and taste. That is why a Bacolod food trip is always in order for visitors to our city. Here, we give you an online Bacolod food tour that you will most certainly enjoy. And at prices that are easy on the budget, too.

• Sigrid Says Promotes Food Tourism

Where to Eat in Bacolod?

You may sometimes ask, where do I bring my guests if they are craving for a particular dish? It can be a daunting task if you have many visitors coming here often. And it’s especially more difficult if they have different tastes.

Here, I compiled some of the Pinoy native foods here in our city. And of course, which Bacolod restaurants are serving the best of them. All are husband-approved! Some of you may not agree with my suggestions, but for us, these are the best. When my husband and I eat, there are really those foods that leave an imprint in us. It could be on our palates, noses, memories, and | or our hearts. Here are some of them.

Cansi

One of the favorite soups of Bacolodnons is the Cansi or Kansi. It is made of beef shoulders boiled for hours and flavored with our local souring fruit called batwan. There’s chili, too, for aroma and flavor. Then the soup is colored with achuete, which turns it yellow-orange.

A steaming hot bowl, with the flavors of the beef and the bone marrow mixed in, is truly heavenly. The most famous kansihan in Bacolod is Sharyn’s Cansi House. They even made it to the top 50 list of the world’s “street food masters.”

Sharyn’s Cansi House is located at Narra Avenue, Capitol Shopping Center, Bacolod City. They also have Sharyn’s Cansi House Silay.

Aside from Sharyn’s, there are many other cansi houses in Bacolod City. These Bacolod restaurants serve mostly cansi, as well as other Pinoy native foods. These are Eron’s Cansi House, Rodrigo’s Cansi House, and many more.

I now prefer Rodrigo’s because it has a milder taste. And they take pride in their broth that has NO VETSIN. I can savor the soup better because it doesn’t bite the tongue. And it doesn’t make me thirsty afterwards, too.

Bacolod Chicken Inasal

Baoclod chicken Inasal is something like the “pambansang food” of Bacolod. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like chicken inasal. And this is the reason why we have an inasalan in every corner.

But the hub of chicken inasal is Manokan Country. It is located at the Reclamation Area, across SM City Bacolod north wing. The food stalls there are many. Local people frequent the booth that they like the most. All of them are pretty much the same in size and it can get crowded during peak hours (lunch and dinner). So you if you haven’t reserved a spot, you might have to choose another stall other than your favorite. Unless, of course, you are willing to wait.

In our family’s case, we frequent the Lion’s Park Grill Haus. It’s the first stall on the right when you enter the Manokan Country from the Bacolod Public Plaza. It is by far the biggest of all the chicken inasal restaurants in the area. Aside from chicken inasal, they serve turo-turo dishes and paluto. It’s fresh seafood that you pick and then order to cook according to what you like. Then you get charged with cooking fee.

And they have talaba (oysters), too. We have dined here so many times for lunch or dinner. So far, the oysters here are really good. All these dishes add variation to your meal–if you want to have more than inasal. And oh, don’t miss the isaw (skewered chicken intestines). hehe

• Read: Know Your Bacolod Chicken Inasal

Talaba (Oysters)

The oysters here in Bacolod are not really from here. They are from Roxas City in Capiz, Hinigaran, or Ilog, Negros Occidental. Different sellers have different suppliers.

So far, the joints we go to are Kau-Kau Grill along Burgos Street, Gerry’s Talabahan, and Lion’s Park Grill Haus. These are just blanched oysters, shelled, and soaked in a dipping sauce of soy sauce, chili vinegar (sinamak), and crushed chili. Then we eat them with rice using our hands.

We have nice baked versions, too. I am talking about the baked oysters of Italia Restaurant. That’s not a Pinoy dish but I just have to mention it. Italia Restaurant is located at the Paseo Verde Bldg., Lacson St., Mandalagan, Bacolod City.

Sizzling Squid

Being near the sea, we have an abundance of Bacolod restaurants serving seafood. They are all competing in flavor and price. So, of course, many of them serve squid dishes.

But there’s one of the homegrown Bacolod restaurants whose Sizzling Squid stood out for us. That is Tita Beth’s Pancit Malabon House. The large squid is grilled to perfection and served on a sizzling plate. It comes with a special sauce and some aromatic vegetables. It’s unique and so good! Affordable, too. 😀

Buttered Shrimps, Buttered Blue Marlin and Saucy Alimango

Again, there are many Bacolod restaurants that serve buttered shrimps, buttered blue marlin, and alimango. We like most of them but one restaurant stood out for us. We keep remembering these dishes.

And that is, Hyksos Pala-pala. It is a native seafood restaurant located at the Burgos Extension, Reclamation Area, just across SM City Bacolod. Their shrimps are so fresh and flavorful.

Ugh! My mouth is watering! The blue marlin is also very ma-nanam and not malansa. Gosh, I don’t know how to translate them.  And the alimango…hayy… Hyksos, I wanna go there right now.

Charcoal Grilled Pork Chops

There are so many grilled pork chops out there. As in. But one that really stood out for me was the simple flavor of the grilled pork chops of Aboy’s Restaurant. It is located at Goldenfields Commercial Complex, Bacolod City. The slices are thick so inside the meat is juicy and the fat is so flavorful.

It reminds me of the sinugba nga baboy that we have at home. It is simply salted and grilled over charcoal. It gives me memories of grilling at the beach. And while you’re there, order the pangat as well. Aboy’s has a lot of items on their menu, but these ones are love.

Pork Barbecue

The Galo Street side of La Consolacion College Bacolod is known for the string of pork barbecue stands that Bacolodnons frequent. They are collectively known as “pork barbecue sa may LCC (LCC pork barbecue)”, as if the college owns it.

Anyway, there are many of them there and each one has his own suki. But our family is suki (frequent customers) of Bacolod Bakerite. It’s the biggest eatery there. We buy our take out and we also dine in there. Aside from pork barbecue, they also have other home-cooked dishes served turo-turo (fast food).

Kinilaw

If you want kinilaw (fresh seafood steeped in vinegar), you go to the house that kinilaw built– Enting’s Special of Sagay. It’s one the successful Bacolod restaurants built on seafood. They are now located at the Villa Angela Marketplace, Circumferential Road (near the Government Center), Bacolod City.

They have different kinds of kinilaw and Enting’s has different treatments for each kind. Try their tangigue kinilaw, shrimp kinilaw, and seaweed salad. Each vinegar solution is perfect for a particular seafood.

Porbidang Kangkong

Imay’s Restaurant is another of many Bacolod restaurants serving Pinoy favorites. But one really memorable dish for us here is the Porbidang Kangkong. It’s a spicy vegetable dish (made entirely of kangkong). It’s milky sauce is made with coconut milk and is a great appetizer.

I am sure many would agree with me on this. Imay’s is located at 6th-Lacson Streets, Bacolod City.

Sizzling Duck

I am not aware if there are other Bacolod restaurants serving this, but I only know of Juliana’s Cafe. They are located at 7th-Lacson Streets. They serve one half of a duck on a sizzling plate–a big order that’s good for sharing.

Not a lot of people like duck, but if you do, try this. Its cooked home-style, with pineapples and some vegetables. Juliana’s aircon works quite well, so consume this dish while it’s still hot.

Sizzling Kansi Steak

Mushu is a fusion restaurant located at the Azotea Bldg., Mandalagan. When my husband and I go out, we plan ahead and search for Bacolod restaurants.

So when we had a date at Mushu, what stood out was the sizzling kansi steak. And also the prichon and sizzling pork sisig. We didnt make a mistake over the sizzling kansi steak!

Jumbo Squid Barbecue

I believe Ribshack is the only one serving skewered slices of jumbo squid like this. We have scoured Bacolod restaurants and never encountered this.

The giant squid is sliced into squares, skewered, and grilled. It tastes so good and is very tender. Hubby and I love squid and this is one of the most memorable and affordable dishes we’ve tried.

Ribshack branches: SM City Bacolod south wing | The District North Point (Ayala Mall Talisay) | Food Court of 888 Chinatown Square Premiere Mall | Iloilo City

Baby Back Ribs

The most loved baby back ribs in Bacolod is none other than Lord Byron’s Backribs. They’re the original. For a Bacolodnon, there’s no explaining why we love Lord Byron’s.

A really big slab of tender and juicy ribs smothered in their special barbecue sauce. Love. Many have followed them but they’re the original. They have branches at Magsaysay Street (behind Luxur Place) and at San Agustin Drive (across the side of Riverside Hospital).

Another noteworthy baby back ribs for us is Rodrigo’s Cansi House. Different taste, different texture, but still flavorful. Hubby likes it that their ribs has a crunchy surface but tender and juicy inside. Eat immediately so the crunch does not become soggy in the sauce.

Palabok

I have been eating palabok by Roli’s for more than 20 years already and it still tastes the same. Roli’s Cafe Bacolod is an iconic Bacolod restaurant that’s been around for almost a century.

My husband has fond memories of Roli’s since his childhood. They are customers here for more than 40 years. While you are there, you may also want to have their chicken sandwich, chicken mami, and their meals.

Visit them at The Hostelry and Residences, La Salle Avenue, Bacolod City.

Batchoy

Needless to say, we love batchoy — that bowl of noodle soup with pork broth and lots of innards and chicharon. Two Bacolod restaurants we love are Super Batchoy House and 21 Restaurant along 21st-Lacson Street. Meanwhile, Super Batchoy House is located at San Sebastian Street, Villa Angela East Block, and their original place at Central Market.

Bangus Sisig

While pork sisig is common, bangus sisig is not. But there are already several restaurants serving this. Among all of them, a stand out for us is  Big Joe Eatery, Pta. Tay Tay Viewing Deck 8. My husband and I cannot forget it, and the taste even lingers in my memory.

They have many affordable dishes there, too. It’s a rustic eatery by the sea without modern comforts. So if you are squeamish about sanitation and such, this place may not be for you. But if you are adventurous with your food like us, then go explore.

You can order a lot because they are easy on the pocket. Enjoy the sea breeze blowing while dining.

Fisherman’s Delight

At 18th Street Pala Pala, they have a seafood stew called Fisherman’s Delight. It’s a dish made up of the bounty of the sea cooked in butter and milk. It is like the French bouillabaisse but with Filipino vegetables. So flavorful!

An order is a bit pricey, not because 18th Street Pala Pala is expensive. It’s just because this dish has crabs, shrimps, fish, and squid. Plus vegetables. I don’t think this dish is served anywhere else among Bacolod restaurants. 18th Street Pala Pala also serves other Pinoy native foods, turo-turo style.

Dinuguan and Puto

These are pang-snacks, but I think it’s worthy to note that Quan Delicacies serves really good dinuguan (blood stew). It is usually partnered with puto (rice cake cooked in banana leaf cups).

My husband really likes the dinuguan of Quan. When he eats dinuguan made by others, he would say, “Namit gyapon ang Quan (Quan’s is better). So ok, here it is. 😀

By the way, Quan has many branches around Bacolod City. Most notable of them are MC Metroplex along B.S. Aquino Drive, La Salle Avenue, Veranda at Circumferential Road, and San Juan. They serve so many kinds of Pinoy native foods. They also have so many kinds of ready-to-go Quan sud-an (viands) available.

How about you? What are the most memorable native Pinoy foods for you? Where do you dine?

Comment below.