Must-see restaurants in Palawan

  • Kalui

    Puerto Princesa

    This shoes-off eatery is an institution in Puerto Princesa. It has a lovely Balinese ambience – colourful paintings, sculptures and masks adorn the walls …

  • Artisans

    Puerto Princesa

    The Scottish owner calls the style here 'obscurity'; it basically consists of anything he fancies. The menu is a best-of-the-world affair, where tikka…

  • Trattoria Altrove

    El Nido

    This upstairs Slovenian–owned place does the best pizza in El Nido, made with imported mozzarella in the street-level brick oven. There are a dozen types…

  • El Nido Boutique & Art Café

    El Nido

    Everyone ends up here at some point, and rightfully so. The large 2nd-storey dining room is a relaxed place to eat, drink and get your bearings…

  • La Terrasse

    Puerto Princesa

    This is a sophisticated open-air dining room with a small menu of pasta, seafood and grilled or stewed meats (including duck rendang). Attention is paid…

  • Get Real Cafe

    Coron Town

    This place works equally well for drinks or a meal. It's sort of a TexMex menu with more emphasis on the Tex (marbled Angus rib-eye steak) than the Mex …

  • Bella Vita

    El Nido

    Fantastic pizza with perfect thin crust in a beachfront setting? Sign us up. Fresh-baked bread and gnocchi are other specialities. Don't be afraid to show…

  • Taste

    El Nido

    They do wonderful things with all-vegan ingredients at this tiny but tasteful two-storey affair. Head to the counter and order the beautiful Mexican…

  • La Plage

    El Nido

    Besides having the best food in El Nido and sterling sunset views, this beachfront French restaurant is known for exciting specials and the heavenly fish…

  • Mezzanine El Nido

    El Nido

    Stylish and sophisticated, the loungey 2nd-floor restaurant has waterfront views, excellent pizza and homemade ice cream. It has an abbreviated lunch menu…

  • Bulalo Plaza

    El Nido

    In-the-know travellers flock to this nondescript open-air eatery on the road to Corong Corong for the best fresh-cooked Pinoy eats in town. It's all sarap…

  • Stellar Grounds Food & Art Park

    Puerto Princesa

    At this this beautifully designed oasis, seamlessly entwined with a grove of acacia trees smack dab in the middle of town, upscale street food mixes with…

  • Full Lotus

    Coron Town

    A cute travel-themed cafe with a balcony overlooking the busy street, Full Lotus mixes grainy power bowls with Mexican (vegan tostadas), Filipino (tofu…

  • Badjao Seafront Restaurant

    Puerto Princesa

    Perched over the water at the end of a raised boardwalk over mangroves, Badjao has nice views over Puerto Princesa Bay and the mountains beyond. A long…

  • Gypsy’s Lair

    Puerto Princesa

    This bohemian-style complex consists of a postage-stamp, air-conditioned cafe and an open-air restobar with nightly live acoustic music and palm readings…

  • Trattoria Altrove

    Coron Town

    The expanding Altrove empire rides a formula of delicious antipasti (try the carpaccio), pasta and pizzas to provincial success. It's in a lovely elevated…

  • Scribbles & Snacks

    Puerto Princesa

    This mural-splashed, open-air kubo (native-style shelter) hidden behind a Best Western hotel is a hang-out for the local 'Art on the Move' group…

  • Taverna Agape

    El Nido

    With a blue-and-white Mediterranean motif, this beachfront eatery scores points for authentic saganaki (fried cheese) with Halloumi cheese, moussaka, and…

  • Boodle Fight Restaurant

    El Nido

    What's a Boodle Fight, you ask? It's a Filipino feast served on a huge banana leaf and eaten communally by hand. A four-person feast here costs P650 (meat…

  • Big Bad Thai

    El Nido

    At this popular upstairs place on El Nido's main drag, dishes like pad krapow (stir-fried minced meat) and crab curry emerge from the kitchen on…

  • L'Jodec

    El Nido

    This is the place for authentic French galettes and tasty paninis (try the signature spicy beef version). Take them on your boat trip or dine in at the…

  • Om's

    Coron Town

    Headed by a Thai chef, the kitchen churns out authentic curries, papaya salad, larb (meat salad) and other specialties from the Land of Smiles. While the…

  • Cafe Itoy’s

    Puerto Princesa

    Long-running coffee joint on the main drag with functional wi-fi, an agreeable Spotify soundtrack and an extensive menu of sandwiches and Filipino faves…

  • Cafe Sabang

    Sabang

    A charming little beachfront eatery run by the same Filipino–French duo who own the guesthouse of the same name out on the road to Puerto. Pasta,…

  • Hermanos Tapas & Wine Bar

    Coron Town

    This classy spot is a sign of the times as Coron gradually goes upscale. The delicious Spanish tapas selection includes tiger prawns and chorizo, served…

  • Bruno’s Swiss Food

    Puerto Princesa

    For those craving Swiss, Polish and German sausage, deli sandwiches, imported steaks and European beers and wines. It has a small grocery on one side and…

  • Island Boy Grill

    Coron Town

    Most evenings BBQ smoke and live music waft out in harmony at this popular and prominent street-side barbecue. It specialises in grilled-meat skewers and…

  • Heavenly Desserts by Dorothy

    Puerto Princesa

    A cute spot with excellent cakes and cookies, plus an all-day breakfast menu (omelette P135) and burgers, pad thai and pizza. You can kick back with a…

  • Amphibi-ko

    Coron Town

    On the top floor of the hotel (rooms tend to be small and musty) of the same name, Amphibi-ko is the best (and only) Japanese restaurant in town. Also a…

  • Ima’s Vegetarian

    Puerto Princesa

    A decidedly healthy and delicious option run by Seventh-Day Adventists. Try the spicy bean burrito or vegan-cheese pizza for meryenda (a daytime snack).

  • Gusto Gelato

    El Nido

    Fabulous gelato stop offers a variety of flavours in the middle of busy Hama St.

  • Ugong Rock Seafood & Grill

    Puerto Princesa

    Choose your protein from the display trays (crabs, prawns, lobster, mussels, squid and several types of fish), the method of cooking, and a sauce, and a…

  • Lou Chaolong Hauz

    Puerto Princesa

    A lingering reminder of the Vietnamese community that once called Puerto home, this is the cleanest of a number of Rizal Ave chaolong restaurants – small,…

  • Odessa Mama

    El Nido

    This counter-top Ukrainian–food bar on El Nido's main drag is a surprise. Run by actual Odessans, it serves up authentic motherland faves like varenyky …

  • Ka Inatô

    Puerto Princesa

    Awash in shiny blonde wood and flamboyantly decorated with colourful paintings, Ka Inatô is a welcoming place with a comprehensive menu of Filipino…

  • IBR

    El Nido

    A Filipino greasy spoon where backpackers (often nursing a hangover) and locals chow down on soups and rice and meat dishes. Streetside fan seating and an…

  • Junction Street Market

    Puerto Princesa

    A buzzing food park just north of Puerto's central intersection with several bars and small eateries. Beer towers and live music give the whole place a…

  • V & V Bagel

    El Nido

    Certainly pricey, but New York City bagels by way of France are a nice change of pace. Other breakfast items plus burgers are on the menu and the…

  • Blue Moon Restobar

    Coron Town

    Offers up fresh Thai–style food, pizzas and Mexican faves, and will cook Indian food on request. Stay late and enjoy mean cocktails and buckets of San…

  • Dali Dali

    Coron Town

    Three tables and a counter, that's all there's room for at this authentic Korean spot. Ramen, bulgogi and tofu are on the menu.