6. Ayo Cafe
I like the cozy and homy vibe of this cafe. They are famous for their Spanish-style bangus and orange ribs. One of the interesting displays inside the restaurant is Anjanette Cabansag’s (the owner) collection of Coke stuff.
Ayo Cafe Menu
Entree, Salad, Omelets, Pasta, Main Meals, and Hot Coffee and Tea
Waffles, Desserts, Shakes and Smoothies, Fruit Juices, Lemon Lime, Nature Chillers, Coke and Pepsi, Beer
Spanish Style Bangus (P130). Brings back memories of the spanish style sardines I used to love when I was a child.
Assorted Cheese Wraps (P60). Simple with a nice presentation.
Anjanette Cabansag’s Coca Cola Collection. I wonder if this is also part of Coke’s campaign to paint the town red like in most sari-sari-store in the city.
Ayo Cafe
#5 JCO Arcade Apitong Road, Tacloban City
(+63 53) 325-4461
7. Guiseppe’s Italian Restaurant
For 16 years, Guiseppe is the best italian restaurant in Tacloban. Joseph (Guiseppe in italian) Bonavitacola married a filipina and decided to establish a family in Tacloban. Taclobanons would go to Guiseppe for special occasions and celebrations. They are famous for their steaks and pizzas. For Manila tourists, people would come here if they don’t know where else to eat in Tacloban. Guiseppe is to Tacloban as Sutokil is to Cebu. The food is really good but why would you want to eat in a Manila-style restaurant when you are in the province.
Antipasta, Pasta, and Beef | Pizza, Desserts, Shakes and Beverages | Seafood, Pork, Chicken, Vegetable and Filipino Specialty
Pizza All Toppings (P185) served on thin crunchy crust.
Steak with garlic and herbs
Joseph Bonavitacola’s Guiseppe’s Restaurant
173 Avenida Veteranos
Tacloban City, Leyte
Telephone: +63 53- 321-4910 or 327-0832
Mobile: +63 917 3060122
Email: jbona123@yahoo.com
www.giuseppesresto.com
8. Jose Karlos Cafe
Jose Karlos is the best and original Filipino designed cafe in the Philippines. This is better than any of the Filipino cafes I have seen (like Kape Isla, Bo’s Coffee, etc.) in Metro Manila. Starbucks would look like an ordinary chain of coffee stores compared to Jose Karlos. I would like to commend the owner for a job well done with this cafe.
Jose Karlos Coffee Menu: Expresso, Brewed Coffee, Iced Expresso Beverage, Froccino, Chocolato, Tea, Fruit Chills, Pancakes and Waffle Special, Sandwiches.
It is nice to hang out here instead of Gloria Jeans or Bo’s Coffee. In fact, the only edge of those other coffee shops is the free WIFI they offer. For Jose Karlos, I don’t understand why they prefer to have an internet cafe and decided not to offer Free Wifi. Most local tourist these days are looking for FREE Wifi spot and I do hope they can offer this service.
The ambiance feels like you are just hanging out with your college friends at home.
Jose Karlos Cafe
in Front of Santo Nino Church
9. Calle Zaragosa Cafe
Calle Z is one of the best local hangout place in Tacloban. The restaurant is known for their bulalo. Gerry Ruiz, the owner, is a respected photographer and Tacloban Blogger (blogging at gerryruiz.wordpress.com).
Calle Z’s d Chief Cook Menu
From the Grill, Chicken, Beef, Rice, Noodles, Seafood, Pork and Snacks
Pulutan! From the grill, seafoods, beef/pork, atbp, drinks.
I prefer to dine out al fresco and here you can see the slice of the Tacloban gimmick life.
Calle Zaragoza Cafe
Telephone: +63 53 325-8582 or 321-3197
Email: frontdesk@callezaragosa.com
Website: www.callezaragosa.com
10. Local Favorites
Timo Romano’s Lechon. Don’t miss to eat the Tacloban version of Lechon. It is similar to Cebu’s CNT lechon where you don’t need sauce anymore to enjoy it.
In Tacloban, the lechon is usually eaten with gaway (gabi).
Tacloban’s lechon is served best with vinegar and lots of garlic.
Nestor Lechon Manok (+63 53 325 7957) is Tacloban’s version of Andok’s.
If you are looking for a local fast food, you should try Tops of the World. They are famous for their pinangat.
If you are craving for Kare-Kare, try out Ritz tower’s Tacloban version.
Tacloban Royal Seafood is famous for their chami pansit.
Fresh Seafood in Yolanda’s Seafood. Yolanda’s is near the airport so most tourist would stop by to eat seafood in an authentic provincial hut ambiance before boarding their flight.
Bibingka in T. Claudio. I missed this during my trip. The Bibingka in T.Claudio is still cooked pugon-style and they only open at 1pm in the afternoon.
Did I miss anything in Tacloban?
hey Anton, was Ptr. Jerry Yaokasin your tourguide here? he’s in some of the photos (Sunzibar and JK). Glad, you loved Tacloban and the food! Warays love to eat!! 🙂
Yes, Sambo toured me around Tacloban. I’m working with him to promote Tacloban. Not a lot of people know that Warays are foodies. I was really surprised about the diversity of food in Leyte.
….yes….missing are ‘tourists’ flocking by millions in this almost sleepy but kinda romantic beautiful out of town escapes away from big cities thriving fast pace ultra modern lives….more than 10,000,000 tourists yearly are ‘possible’ in the philippines but ‘must’ complete philippines lady president’s ‘nationwide’ projects as she mentioned years ago ‘building’ more ‘quality’ top on top of the line modern ‘highways’ plus the widening of all small road ‘arteries’ concrete them continuing ‘funds’ to accomplished these nationwide projects is by putting pay toll booths equipped with microscopic cameras something like if i am not wrong no more than ten pesos per engine vehicles temporarily then will be lowered to under five pesos{after financed-debts are paid off}in all city-town borders to pay to get rid of all ‘violent’ social-economic threatening criminals’ moving around the country and of course for easy access for all citizens tourists & trades goods moving smoothly and many companies designing a ‘transparent’ front motorcycle helmets-head covers materials for nationwide ‘mandatory’ future legal use of all motorcycle users-riders while the helmets back side has owners huge plate numbers ‘printed’ i believe to stop all those killings that ‘scared’ away most of your tourists with ‘losses’ in billions of pesos filipino incomes in the ‘past’ coz of your fast pace moving criminals….philippines crimes are causing havocs causing tensions lost of opportunities lost in billions of pesos incomes from millions of tourist HESITANTS-SCARED of becoming travelling VICTIMS….just wondering with all these nationwide projects is WHY filipinos HAS NO 100% FILIPINO OWNED ‘STEEL’ COMPANIES? doesnt make sense at all….foodie secrets will NOT be a secret soon when all nationwide ultra modern widening projects are done we are all excited to drive in philippines see you TACLOBAN later lol! i do not have a FERRARI but we used to have DE TOMASO PANTERA when i was living in europe as our fun car coz some mercedes benz we have in the past i really do not like the colors some shapes sometimes….maybe i can still make him send-shipped one classic de tomaso pantera{only}in the philippines lol….s?
to attract millions of tourist
is simple just show the world
your architectural structures
are better unique diverse best
old or modern designs sculptured
built to exceed ‘most’ expectations
in buildings roads bridges & homes
CLEANLINESS in your country philippines enviroments like streets wooded areas property lawns backyards gardens public parks public markets under your bridges businesses areas..of course all your rivers swamps sea-oceansides etc nationwide..is what i forgot to mentioned in particular lol
namiss mo ung pamamatron sa mga bahay-bahay… dapat nakipatron ka dahil dun mo malalaman gaano ka foodies ang mga waray…sayang….baka kasi walang nagyaya sayo…hehehe
biggest ‘problems’ in the past
in majorities filipinos are
the’lack’of enthusiams
inspirational but artistic
WILLINGNESS in their
abilities to compete with
world’s best when it comes
to’architectural’UNIQUENESS
in designs that will STAND OUT
from the rest of the world
to come see-visit the
uniqueness creations designs
visions instead most
constractors ripped cheated
their own talents & designs by ‘stealing’decieving
cheating by taking advantage
of his own personnal
creativities & talents
GREED creates builds only
INFERIOR QUALITIES in CHEATING
builds designs only GARBAGE
THRASHY NON VALUABLE
ARCHITECTURES INFRAS
STRUCTURALS..not only
demeaning lowering himself
as an architect but also as
an artistic designer in
general both ownwers-architect
looses when one of them
cheated the real thing called
ART in homes public buildings
to worship deliver ‘inferior’
ptoducts or designs suggests
AS you ‘deserving’ to be IGNORED
in tourism industies by the world
of the first world meaning
WHO’S FAULT IS IT TO BE TAKEN
LIGHTLY BY OTHERS IN WORLD
TOURISMS WHEN INFERIOR
PRODUCTS BUILDINGS-ROADS-HOME
DESIGNS YOU’RE PRODUCING? ALL
THE WORLD’S PROBLEM SOLUTIONS
ARE WITH THE FILIPINOS ALL
YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO PRODUCE &
DELIVER THE BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE
THAT ANSWER .. IS SIMPLE
yeah, Tacloban is still kind of underrated kasi (as a tourist destination). When I was in Manila, what I miss most about my town was the food! I come home for the lechon, street bbq, pastillas, qeuzong puti, food in some of the restos you featured and a lot more other good eats. My friends (from mla) would have a blast food-trippin here! I guess us Warays should start a food blogging community na!! hehe 🙂
a beautiful lively active
wonderful philippines with
a country sides townfolks
seen everywhere using mostly
those healthy ‘smokeless’
bicycles{foot pedals}with pulled
child safety backcars or sidecars
as family townfolks personnal
private but also public use
daily family transportations
nationwide we can ordinarily
buy in SM or robinsons malls
at anytime that would MAKE entire
philippines like tacloban very
ATTACTIVE-SAFER to tourists & WOW!
One of the best lechons ever. Kahit saan sa tacloban masarap lechon. Served with Kinilaw, this is to die for. My hubby is a full blooded waray waray, when we go and visit his his relatives in tacloban we never miss out eating lechon and dining in Calle Z. i love their bulalo ang crispy tenga.
….philippines must show as an EXAMPLE to the world how new ‘entrepreneurships’ are flourishing in this country by simply OPENING your fronts sides or back grounds-roof tops floors OPEN FOR BUSINESS like this foodie secrets in tacloban….make your community safer alive happy & festive by making your family homes in neighborhoods street group available in self service or buffett restaurants businesses etc. that way you do not have to force yourselves in unwanted socializing but still creating incomes while busy away from idle minds
with too much free time just to absorbs unnecessary social conflicts or exploitations of one’s invalid needs sounds like me lol….
oh you missed the bibingka but I am glad that its still standing though. I didnt realized how much of foodie we are until your posts. I know though that we love food but not this much LOL I miss the lechon. Its still best eaten with garlic and vinegar. Yolanda’s still looks the same. We enjoy going there especially for breakfast and you can see the fresh catch coming to you.
Thanks Anton for revealing our foodie secrets. I guess its not anymore a secret now.
Sherry – lets go! Lets start a food blogging community.
Thanks again and come to Tacloban again. There are still so many to explore..binagol, moron, sagmani, pastillas LOL
oh you missed the bibingka but I am glad that its still standing though. I didnt realized how much of foodie we are until your posts. I know though that we love food but not this much LOL I miss the lechon. Its still best eaten with garlic and vinegar. Yolanda’s still looks the same. We enjoy going there especially for breakfast and you can see the fresh catch coming to you.
Thanks Anton for revealing our foodie secrets. I guess its not anymore a secret now.
Sherry – lets go! Lets start a food blogging community.
Thanks again and come to Tacloban again. There are still so many to explore..binagol, moron, sagmani, pastillas LOL
parang gusto ko tuloy pumunda ng tacloban just to sample the food. good job!
it is in the best interest of entire philippines to love their foods and towns but also must have a medical food histories & places of consumptions recorded interest..why? i learned that 1 in 3 filipinos are getting fatter and diabetes is now a problem..also to make sure no sociopaths like what we have here in america in some national-local american news where some sociopaths psychopaths illegally drug some of their public offered products-produces to the public that can make you sick..bad very bad but these kind of people are sick themselves aiming on ‘innocent’ people they have never met so next time make sure cases like this ‘diabetes’ are not done the american way by some foreigners that is angry about maybe like ‘bad services’ that offended him them somewhere in the past so check all food consumptions history to save billions of pesos in
neglects JUST IN CASE even restaurants-street food vendors will appreciate that HEALTH action you’ll not loose anything in being detailed in medical consumption records than not seeing through the problems ‘IF’ that is the case may it be in manila or any provinces americans or european restaurants since foodies like this one in tacloban are hard to resists and i won’t personally resist instead will enjoy them lol
natikman mo ba ang moron, sagmani at binagol? me tindahan ng ganun sa me rose pharmacy na malapit sa chowking. ung street na yun. hehe
first im jose karlo L. Asturias my parents own the coffe shop and this:
SNEAK PEEK!!!
first WIFI will be avaible in a few weeks or months after the next part of the coffe shop will be finished…
oh and i will tell the compliment to my mother now…
now i hope this helps…
….philippines is this century world ‘model’ country without a doubt….where can you find in entire world a country everytime it gets hit by typhoons hurricanes storms floods with looses worth in millions of dollars if not billions yet in just a matter of few days of filipinos ‘hand’ labors manpowers can wipe out all the damages….AS IF NATURAL DISASTERS WAS NOT THERE YESTERDAY wow lol….one of the millions reason why GOD created philippines….why philippines was made of more than 7,000,00 islands coz one of the millions reason is for the islands to see what other islands can do….and both local foreign tourists could say hey i thought you had devastating hurricanes-typhoon just the other day but how come i can still see restaurants markets businessess operational i saw people still smiling while clearing side streets though no electricities and can walk in your streets with no single garbage in the streets….so other islands do the same coz no filipinos would want to be ‘consider’ inferior imcompetent in their own territories when natural disasters strikes my father was like that….in the philippines life do not stop business must go on with or without floods unlike here in united states when snow piled up all schools are closed most businesses too coz everyone do only their property snow problems and everyobody waits for the government to clear their streets & areas outside them lol….so philippines is an extra ordinary country with so many extra ordinary people one of the many reason why it is WORLD’S MODEL COUNTRY as most strong filipino individualists they take control of their lives and make their problems no matter how big they’ll challege to make their lives even livelier better more productive while confronting anything seniors in particular…. so many foreigners travelling now married to filipinos saw new opportunities are investing in small ‘entrepreneurships’ are now the new future millionnaires of asia so good luck philippines lol….
good ideas
good ideas
good ideas!
hmm lol
spamming!!!
lol….
anyone go to angelicum here?
tacloban is just beautiful what a peaceful looking town with homey looking restaurants & stops to drop by but strange coz decade ago i heard tourist shunned this area i wonder why?
my sister used to co-own a restaurant in Tacloban but they had to close it down since my sister and her business partner had to go to the US for a vacation. Too bad you didnt get to try Al Fresco Cottage. It was on the top floor of the building right across Guiseppe’s.
….tacloban is not a bad city to developed into a new MANILA BAYWALK CITY like but in a huge CIRCLE made of stone natural color but made of bricks inside is an eco tourism parks aradise complete with children playgrounds bird’s in all kinds of ‘species’ sanctuaries and a tall daisy like water falls or fountains that will definitely attract visitors and ‘really’ will be good for tacloban{city incomes to reach a billion pesos annually} as an upgraded city to NOT TO MISS to visit lol….see you tacloban but with more than just one circle manila bay walk like pathways eco parks at least 5 of them just to be sure lol!….
why not make some of the water fountains-waterfalls in layers of daisy bouquet flowers in different species & colors with five tieres extra tall white covered lamps and white metallic benches for the public guests to sit while bird or children watching and in the main center is a small shopping center of all home made hand works handrafts art pieces and small carinderias or mini restaurant with international flair that will sealed your billion pesos city annual incomes if these stone bricks circle bay walk like areas located one in the center of city the rest in south north west east sides of the city and designs must be totally different than one another every philippines provinces cities filipino towns should differently designs their own one like these but made of bricks or small “non slippery” lol types of tiles A FRIENDLY CARING asia continent can make a big difference in their economics and that “will make sure” that there will be no asian financial crisis ever again so good luck asia good luck smiling talented loving creative happy{too much unnecessary american like violent crimes-criminal activities not good for the images of region}but not enough happiness YET for philippines but by making these eco parks circles asap it will bring so plenty of ‘sunshines’ in many ways without a doubt lol….
Very tasty pics. 🙂
just a correction, gabi is “gaway” not “tacway”. glad to see Tacloban from a visitor’s point of view.
well if gmmahoney is right that means philippines will definitely change it’s course from low life{mula mumurahin manloloko magnanakaw na majorities to a NEWLY EDUCATED[awareness programs law abiding citizens-school diplomas}FIRST WORLD country status which can be viewed-seen as almost ‘impossible’ but with philippines lady president’s hard core firm ‘stance’on her years long new national programs I DO NOT SEE ANY REASON WHY IT COULDNT BE FEASIBLE yes! i believe gmmahoney knows very well that philippines is capable of ‘winning’ the war from poverties hunger illegal traffickings drug uses grafts corruptions prostitutions under educated & over populations violences all other crimes all other socialproblems WOW! that’s billions trillions of pesos annual-yearly government savings that can be best use in more productive social programs designs for those UNFORTUNATES thank you beautiful smiling happy very smart filipinos lol
a total general EXTRA nationwide cleaning of all philippines coastals{waterways lakes rivers brooks streams canals} streets neighborhoods wet-dry markets clearing of all sidewalks like what gmmahoney foresee philippines as paris france like hongkong like united states of america no doubt include all those huge billions & trillions of pesos wasted by some from those low lives filipinos wasteful passive lazy neglectful attitudes into savings then you can expect philippines rise from mismanagements to one of the wealthiest country passing most countries in terms of humans as natural resources- wealth so good luck philippines
just like what gmmahoney said in the past no matter what NOT so nice about every country{philippines & all others}every person have to look at the ‘positive’ the good sides the new changes instead of those old past habits{culture}like philippines relatives or not if they borrow money they seldom pay back and more likely YOu WILL BE the bad guy if you want your money back lol! that’s true eating ‘pakwan'{or five six} now & pay later should be a ‘fun’ filled experience culturewise must not turned into a semi criminal activities for not paying in return & dont blame the store-creditors owners coz capital-interests must rotate back NOW looking at this philippines lady president new attitude paying national debts more than any politician is one very good example of a ‘reliable’ debtor or borrower if majority filipinos will also do the same then their international reputations will EXTRA & much more positive sort of new filipino culture kind of BRANDING.. so good job coz of this huge changes lol
tacloban city all other philippines provinces cities every barangays should make an effort to apply these ideas from kindergarten department spelling police gmmahoney coz it is beneficial for philippines asia europe americas etc.to adopt new healthy wiser happier enviromentally friendly system people from tacloban are entreprenurial in nature no doubt best caring in elders strangers philippines is the best place for WORLD SENIOR CITIZENS the best place for ‘can’ afford retirees coz filipinos are already proven world ‘renouned’ best describe as friendliest loving happy smiling caring thoughtful sincere people when it comes to caring for families parents loved ones elderly so medical ‘tourism’ & retirees fits you meaning you need to DOUBLE ALL YOUR DOCTORS & NURSES SALARIES MONTHLY INCOME so they stay & do better jobs by doing that you zeal-seal your doctors staying for future foreign & local retirees hopefully sooner than later also hopefully filipinos learn make a habit of ‘completing’ quality town projects coz anything beyond quality are garbage wasted projects good luck to new ‘quality’ philippines for asia for the world lol
tacloban city has the same complains.. i learned many expresses disagreements with philippine governments nationwide regarding sidewalk vendors being jailed penalized goods thrash out while making a living[self sufficient}i agree that government should not jailed self sufficient public sellers just finedtickets if illegality is concerned the government must find ‘designate’a place every kilometer or more sort of open flea market for street vendors to do legal businesses with permits with picture i.d.’s{necklaces}coz sidewalks middle of streets or jumping inside buses jeepneys to sell goods is very dangerous health hazards{hepatitis etc.} social liabilities involved when accidents happened to helpless street sellers plus store owners malls who pays rents-taxes-miscellaneous are filling complains coz of disadvantages in social responsibilities called rents insurances capitals driven away by non paying rents-taxes but self reliant street vendors so goverment should fined ticketed illegal street vendors if they are not in a SPECIFIED selling areas NEED like an open flea markets ‘designated’ for legal street vending selling say every saturdays & sundays where malls-stores are & fridays to sundays for ‘no’ malls areas lol!..also there should be a non fees{college courses} and TESDA vocational courses entrepreneurships for all unfortunate criminal risks takers & LOW income earners{under 20,000,00 pesos/mos}& non earnings ‘retired’ philippines government military police & all other law enforcement departments to prevent them from forming ‘organized’ crime syndicates like illegal recruitments to save them from illegal activities & violences due to economic dependance from past associations or past criminal money making activities to save their childrens FATHER MOTHER any of their loved ones who ‘failed’ in life coz of lack of ‘skills’ lack of abilities lack of experience as proof before they get accepted to job ‘requirements’ for a better-peaceful philippines thank you lol.. fair enough?
i hope the philippine athlete who have seen littering’ live on international t.v. in beijing olympic opening night parade was not from TACLOBAN CITY lol! i caught the olympic parade ‘litttering’ from watchimg america’s canadian channel so thanks to the canadian channel lol i am surprised how little athletic representatives from the philippines they should have trained earlier even without extra funds coz gmmarroyo has the answers solutions on how to trained filipinos athletes for a sure gold medal wins maybe she didnt have the solutions oh well too late now but as long as asia made the most win then efforts are not wasted so good luck since there are no olympic topics here in anton diaz blog corner called our awesome planet maybe tacloban city foodie can help feed those athletes next time for good luck lol
hi anton,
looking at the pictures alone makes me want to go to tacloban! i think that the food there are really delicious! so much more to try!
where did you stay when you went there? what hotels are nice? how many days did you spend in tacloban? aside from the food, what other activities can you do or try there?
thanks!
Tacloban City is really a place where can stay peacefully.:) I am inviting you guys to stay and bear a family here because people here are very accomodating,respectful, intelligent, nice to be with and have sense of humor..you’ll never be bored here…i assure you that..so,,,come and visit us now….
i like your website, especially your photos. i also love the way you write–you do not come off as an attention-hogger unlike many travel blogs, whose authors deviate the attention away from the place and towards themselves. instead, your posts are very informative and useful. good luck on your future travels and keep on posting!
Yes i do go to Angelicum. 🙂
actually its not mam jang’s collection, its her husband’s collection, sir jerome, which was started by sir jerome’s mother…
I hope they could also double Midwives pay not just the doctors and nurses