9 Must-Try Restaurants in Vigan City, According to True-Blue Ilocanos

Ilocanos have a passionate relationship with food; the restaurants in Vigan City will easily introduce you to this side of the region. Much like its effervescent people, the local cuisine rejects blandness, having recipes usually peppered with an interesting mix of spices and seasonings, mostly pairing beautifully with some sort of sawsawan. And because robust flavours mark Ilocano fare, you’ll find edgy and distinct dishes everywhere, whether you dine in a native food stall or a fancy fusion restaurant in Vigan City.

Must-try restaurants in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

1. First Sinanglaoan

Image credit: First Sinanglaoan Official Facebook Page

“Tara, mag-sinanglaw tayo” is the Ilocano family’s version of “I love you.” A sour variety of pinapaitan, sinanglaw is a local staple, made of beef innards and flavoured with kamias and bile.

Locals enjoy having breakfast or lunch at First Sinanglaoan, so expect long queues even early in the morning. If you’re a big eater, you can indulge in three cups of rice with just one order of sinanglaw — sabaw pa lang, ulam na. And here’s an insider tip: Flavour your sinanglaw with sukang Iloko, pespes, and sliced onions. Bottles and plates of each are available on every table.

2. Hidden Garden

Image credit: Hidden Garden Vigan- Lilong and Lilang Restaurant Official Facebook Page

Lilong and Lilang, aka the Hidden Garden, is one of the best-kept secret restaurants in Vigan City. Tucked behind bamboo walls, the destination welcomes tourists through floral archways, leading them into a vast dining area surrounded by a makeshift tropical forest.

Despite its impressive ambience, Hidden Garden offers delicious food for reasonable prices; its best-sellers include bagnet lomo-lomo, longganisa poqui-poqui, sinanglao dinengdeng, and chicken inasal.

Address: Bulala Vigan City, Katipunan St, Vigan City

3. Cafe Leona

Image credit: Cafe Leona Official Facebook Page

If you want a quirky food experience, head to Cafe Leona, a restaurant in Calle Crisologo that fuses Ilocano flavours with Italian and Japanese recipes. Their unique menu items reel in a number of travellers daily, including Japanese and Western tourists. If you’re an adventurous foodie, try out their pinakbet pizza and bagnet-bacon maki — you won’t be sorry!

Address: #1 Calle Crisologo, Vigan City

4. Coffee Break

Image credit: Coffee Break Vigan Official Facebook Page

Offering the award-winning Sigay Robusta coffee, Coffee Break boasts several must-try beverages (caffeinated and not) for remarkably affordable prices. Most of their expresso-based drinks are available for under ₱100! In addition to their drinks, Coffee Break also sells budget-friendly rice meals, snacks, and pasta.

Address: 3 Casa Feril, Salcedo St. corner Crisologo St. 2700 City of Vigan, Philippines

Also read: 10 Must-Visit Places in the Philippines for Specialty Coffee

5. 1995 Studio Cafe

Image credit: 1995 Studio Cafe Official Facebook Page

If you’re strolling along Calle Crisologo with a travel buddy who isn’t as eager to grab another bite of bagnet, stop over at 1995 Studio Cafe first. This coffee shop is quite popular among local students for its chicken wings and filling rice meals.

Of course, you can still get your fill of Ilocano goodness here: You can’t go wrong with their Ilocano platter! So if you’re craving both local cuisine and a glass of milk tea (no judgment!), this restaurant in Vigan offers the best compromise.

Address: Ground Floor GSP Building, Leona Florentino corner Plaridel St. Vigan, Ilocos Sur 2700 City of Vigan, Philippines

6. Toning’s Store and Special Empanada

Image credit: Mark Anthony A Atabelo

Arguably the least prominent of all the food spots on this list, Toning’s Store and Special Empanada is but a humble stall in Tamag. It serves Batac empanada and Abra miki — perfect if you’re searching for a wider variety of Ilocano food. Students adore this empanada hub so much that they’ve found comfort in this particular brand of crispy pastry. If you’re heading to Baluarte, Toning’s is the perfect place to grab a quick and easy snack.

Address: Quirino Boulevard, Tamag, Vigan City

7. Cafe Bigaa

Image credit: Vigan Plaza Hotel

While Cafe Bigaa has brought its lustre to this day, it has expanded since 1870. From a mere gastropub, it’s now a full-blown fine dining restaurant in Vigan Plaza Hotel. It serves everything you can ever wish for from a Vigan restaurant: from the basic Ilocano dishes to the fanciest platters. The health-conscious can enjoy a Vigan salad, and the young can indulge in a serving of bagnet con bagoong. There’s also the poqui-poqui pizza, the longganisa pasta, and the paella Ilocandia. Can’t decide on what to order? Get their Vigan Sampler, which has it all: bagnet, pinakbet, longganisa, pork dinaldalem, and sinanglaw.

Address: Plaza Burgos, Vigan Plaza, Crisologo, Vigan City

8. Cafe Uno

Image credit: Cafe Uno Official Facebook Page

Looking for a hearty breakfast meal? Cafe Uno is a popular restaurant in Vigan that serves all kinds of silogs, from tapa Ilocano to danggit, for cheap prices. It’s a pretty straightforward cafe — perfect for slow and sleepy mornings as much as for intimate late-night conversations. If you’re up for an adventure, you can also go ahead and order the exotic adobo nga abuos (mountain ant eggs) or tokak (deep-fried frogs).

Address: Grandpa’s Inn, 1 Bonifacio, Vigan City

9. Diner

Image credit: . Diner Official Facebook Page

. Diner, previously SmokEatz Grill and Chill, is more of a local hangout spot than it is a tourist go-to. Nevertheless, this restaurant in Vigan serves delectable grilled meals for cheap. After their exams, students head to . Diner to order some beer with a very native pulutan — tokwa’t bagnet. After you’ve exhausted all the touristy spots in Vigan, you can finally find some time to relax with your travel buds here.

Address: Quirino Boulevard, Vigan City

There’s no doubt about it — this city is a blossoming food district. So the next time you happen to travel to the North, make sure to try out these impeccable restaurants in Vigan City