Last year, I wrote an article called Bob’s Top Ten Restaurants in Davao here on this site. Well, a year is a relatively long time, and tastes can change in that time. Restaurants that were great can lose their luster, and restaurants that didn’t even exist can be the newest hot thing in a City over that course of time. So, today, I decided it’s time to update my favorite Restaurants in Davao City. If you are traveling in Davao, I highly recommend giving these places a try.
From last year’s top ten list, only four places remain in my updated top ten restaurant list! It’s not that the other 6 are bad now, but rather new places have opened which are very good.
OK, let’s have a look at my new top ten. These are in the order that I like them, so #1 is the best in my opinion, and so on…
10. Pepper & Peppers. This place is located along Jacinto Extension about halfway between the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and F. Torres Street. To be honest, I have never sat down to eat in Pepper & Peppers, but I have had some of their dishes here at home. Their Iberian Chicken is to die for! Very good. If you want to eat the Iberian Chicken, though, you must let them know about 2 hours in advance so that they can cook it for you. I highly recommend the Iberian Chicken, it is about the best chicken you can find.
9. Lotus Court. Lotus Court is the Chinese Restaurant at Marco Polo Hotel, it is located on the 3rd Floor of Marco Polo. The food here is excellent, but a bit pricey. Being in Marco Polo, that is to be expected. Service here is also excellent. If you like Chinese Food, Lotus has the best in town, in my opinion.
8. Roadhouse Cafe. Roadhouse is one of the 4 restaurants to repeat for a second year on my top 10 list. Roadhouse is a “cowboy” type place, with East meets West food. My favorites at Roadhouse include their Asian Chicken Salad, and their Cheeseburger is also excellent. Roadhouse is located in SM City Davao. They also have locations in Valencia, Bukidnon (the original location) and SM City Cagayan de Oro.
7. Swiss Deli. Swiss Deli was also on my list last year as well. It is not outstanding, but a consistently good place. I don’t recall ever getting bad food there, and I do like to keep going back. Swiss Deli features mostly European foods. They also have a full Deli where you can buy lunch meats, cheese and such. Swiss Deli is located in the Damosa area, in the northern part of the City.
6. Hola Espana. Hola Espana is again here for the second year in a row. Hola is much like Swiss Deli, and is located very close too, in Damosa Gateway. Hola Espana has, in it’s short life, become a favorite for expats and Filipinos alike. Mostly Spanish food, with some Italian thrown in too.
5. La Toscana. La Toscana is new this year on the list, although it has been in Davao for years. Although I knew of the place, I didn’t go there regularly until mid-2008 and beyond. Of course, it is Italian food, and excellent Italian food at that. Excellent food, and also quite inexpensive, in my opinion. Feyma and I can eat there, actually over-eat there, for P800 or less. La Toscana is located on MacArthur Highway, downtown, just across from Davao Doctor’s Hospital.
4. Spirale Ristorante. Another Italian place! Italian food seems to be really popular in Davao these days for some reason, and we are blessed with a number of Italian restaurants. Spirale is a new player in this niche, but an excellent one. They have some excellent dishes of all kinds there. I really like their Pizzata, and their Pasta is good too. Spirale is located in Damosa as well, behind McDonald’s in the Market Basket complex.
3. De Bonte Ko. This is a Dutch Restaurant, and again a repeat from last year. Last year I rated De Bonte Ko #1 on my list and they have slipped to #3 now, but it is still excellent. De Bonte Ko is located in the La Habana Compound on Rizal Street. The owner is Henny, a very nice guy, whom I consider a good friend. The thing that sets De Bonte Ko apart is that the service is, in my opinion, world class – certainly the best in the City. My recommendation at De Bonte Ko is the Bleu Cheese Steak. If you stop in, tell Henny that I said hi!
2. Mamu’s Resto Bar. Mamu’s is a very new place, and it is excellent. Primarily Filipino food, but some other stuff mixed in too. I really like their smoked sashimi and the clam chowder is excellent. Mamu’s is located on Bacaca Road, very near to Rolling Hills Subdivision and El Rio Subdivision. Remember when ordering – food is served Family Style, so each dish is good for 3 or 4 people.
1. Bryan’s Grill. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I think that Bryan’s has the best food in Davao. Bryan could do much better with the ambiance and service, but the food is head and shoulders above anywhere else, so I can’t help but put it in the number 1 spot. Bryan’s is hard to find, it is located in Palm Village Subdivision, not far from Victoria Plaza. Bryan also has a Bed & Breakfast Inn on site and a swimming pool. Prices are very inexpensive, and the food is most certainly gourmet. I recommend them highly.
Bob & Feyma It is nice to see some new selections to your list. I tired De Bonte Ko once and I think I’d rather eat a bicycle tire than their steaks. It was a while ago but perhaps they have improved as you say.
Other ones that I tried and like when in Davao are:
1. Picobello;
2. A turkish restaurant next to Roadhouse in SM Mall;
3. Bixby’s isn’t so that bad either.
All these restaurant you have mentioned wouldn’t make a “D” back in the states or an “F” list in Europe but if you have to eat.
For those of you that live in Davao or LOVE FOOD as much as I do, It is actually worth a trip to Manila or even better thailand or HK just to eat.
No Claude's???? I have always thought Claude's was the best restaurant in Davao. I do not have your experience but its good to know that there are so many choices. Ron
Hi Bob – no Mexican restaurants? That may be my single hardest adjustment with moving there. Nice selection of Italian though!
Bob & Feyma,
Oh thanks for this list of restaurants. This is helping me prepare a list-of-places-to-eat when I arrive in Davao around April 14. Don't forget, I owe you a drink.
Cheers!
most people just want to go to Jollybee's hee hee ..nice to know there are some good places to eat in Davao …Thanks for the info Bob …. Phil n Jess
Bob: Many years ago, in a past life, I worked as a chef in Chicago at a number of fine dining restaurants, and I would agree with you that Steven's comment is perhaps a bit unfair (His opinion, of course). Restaurants must serve local tastes in order to stay in business. "Fine Dining" is a relatively new concept and there are many young Filipino chefs who are up and coming. Keeping in mind that it really is only in the last few years that ingredient availability has increased and that Filipinos have been exposed to new cuisines. When you are talking about steaks, well-done is the norm here, and any restaurant can get a bad piece of beef every now and then. Becky and I will watch the Asian Food Channel on cable… There are several shows on there which highlight new and creative restaurants in the Philippines. I would agree with his statement about the best restaurants being in the States or Europe, but only in regards to Western food, as you would expect (Think Le Gavroche in London or even the Morton's chain). That situation is changing, though, as more Filipinos are exposed to new food trends and standards of service.
Hi JohnM – One thing you mentioned really gets me…. about well-done being the norm. That is so true – and I hate it! I just can't eat a steak that is cooked well done. It is like a bicycle tire, as Steven said. The problem that comes about is that the cooks here are used to cooking well-done, and if you order rare or medium-rare, they can have trouble cooking it that way, because they are not used to it. That is one thing I love about De Bonte Ko – they know how to properly cook a steak, regardless of how you order it.
Bob: There was a simple "doneness test" trick I learned in cooking school regarding steaks (or any grilled meat, for that matter). Make an "OK" symbol with your hand. Touch the fleshy part of your hand below your thumb. The resistance you feel is the same as if you touch a rare steak. Touch your thumb with your middle finger. The resistance you feel equals medium rare. Next finger, medium. Finally well-done. Simple trick, but works every time.
Hi JohnM – Interesting. I had seen where people could touch the steak and know the done-ness, but I never realized about the way the test worked. Thanks for filling me in.
Bob: Also, well done is a local taste that I always found strange. Filipinos have no compulsion about stir-frying animal blood, eating marrow, or a multitude of other tastes, but a little pink on a steak???? Taste is an interesting concept. I remember a study done many years ago about researchers that went to New Guinea to a tribe of cannibals. They gave the people plates of spaghetti and meatballs, and the tribespeople almost universally found the spaghetti repulsive. However, they still consumed human flesh. Personally, the entire concept of why people develop tastes is fascinating to me.
I really need to try some of these places when I visit in April, On my last trip I went to Paradise Island beach resort and had a very good tenderloin (medium rare) and an excellent grouper. Both were pricey, and the service slow, but the food was excellent and the ambiance great eating on the beach, drinking San Miguel Light with my fiancée and listening to the musicians serenade us. I didn't have a meal there for under 1000p so I can see were that would not be a favorite place to eat, but hey it's a resort, that's to be expected. We did over order on a few occasions. The portions were very big. The food was comparable to western restaurants. The price was high for the Pinas but still relatively low compared to western restaurants. IMHO
Hi JohnM – Was it sweet Filipino spaghetti that they served to the cannibals? If so, I'd agree with them! 😆
Hi Richard D – Wow, I am surprised by the fact that it cost you P1k to eat at Paradise! Feyma and I can easily eat there for under P500. Neither of us drink beer though… maybe that added to your total?
I love the Lapu Lapu (grouper) at Paradise.
We over-ordered, did I mention that. Yeah the lapu lapu was excellent and it easily could have fed two. The price for that was about 385p but the waiter did repeatedly warn me since it is sold by the kilo. Then Angelita ordered a Filipino dish also and expected me to eat my fish and part of her food. I couldn't do it. I ate the fish and left the pork stew stuff she ordered. I wasn't expecting the fish to be that big, and it came with great side dishes so I was happy. I tried to get Angelita to take the left overs back to the room and she refused. I guess that is a cultural thing. we had 3 great meals there and I was not disappointed. I am planning on checking out Bryan's Grill/bed and breakfast on my next trip. We can meet, my treat this time. I will have some time to kill waiting on my marriage license.
Kamusta ka Bob,
I am with you on this one Bob, I don't enjoy "overcooked" steak, and always order or make mine medium rare. Is just the way I like it. I guess the Filipino people are like my Puerto Rican friends here, now Nereida and her mother are awesome cooks..and almost everyday…we have a traditional Puerto Rican style foods….but when it comes to cooking the meats, like steak, pork chops, and even chicken..they like to over cook it. I tell them that cow, pig or chicken is already dead…so please….I want to be able to tasted it the way it is suppose too…lol. I love the taste of a good steak also, and putting A1 sauce is a big no no to me!! Ok, thats my two cents.
Maayong buntag,
Danny
i agree with you bob on the chinese restaurant at the marco polo was very good but yea a lil pricey where i really enjoyed was the restaurant at the montebello in cebu tho wow fantastic food there, ya think lawreys steak house will be coming to Davao in the future ? 🙂 can you buy tortillas there Bob ? cause really the best meal i have had there in the phils was rite at home with the family 😉
Hi Richard D – Ah…. so you overordered! Bad Boy! Funny thing is that Feyma and I are constantly over ordering ourselves!
I'll look forward to seeing you next time you are in town!
Hi Danny – I also like Medium Rare. I'd rather it be rare than going to medium too. I agree… a good steak doesn't need any kind of sauce! 😀
Hi Tommy – Yes, Lotus Court is very good! I have stayed at Montebello too, on our honeymoon. That was almost 19 years ago, and the food was good then too.
Lawrey's? Don't expect it!
You cannot buy tortillas here. Feyma makes them homemade, though.
Hi Bob, Just read your comments about Claude's. I only ate there twice and that was almost two years ago. I am disappointed to hear it has fallen off. Everything changes. I would imagine the prices are still higher than average. Too bad. Ron
What I find interesting is the lack of a very good seafood restaurant in Davao and no mention in your list. One would think Davao would be well known for fresh seafood. However, most restaurants serve farm raised fish, which is substantially inferior to ocean catch. Where does all the fresh caught fish end up? Exported? Another thought with reference to the lack of Mexican food in Davao. There is no Mexican restaurant of any quality in all of Asia. Mexican I am referring to, not Tex-Mex.
PS: There is no Filipino restaurant anywhere in Mexico either.
Hello Bob, have you tried in "Taj Minar " Indian restaurant in Damosa? They have a very good tasty food, but a little bit spicy.We went once for lunch last year and probably back next time.
Bob,
I enjoyed your list and as always how the topic changes. I laugh at the well done steaks. I was told that pink meat means bacteria, but then filipinos leave food on the table or overnight in the rice cooker.
I joke about Pinoy Fear Factor. I was wondering what they can serve a Filipino that they would not eat. I figured it out, a rare steak, or anything without soy sauce.
Yes, there are many restaurants that have a sea food dish on the menu. My point is with Davao being an waterfront city, there is not a single restaurant that specializes in fresh seafood that would make it to your top ten list. Apparently the local restaurant relies on farm raised or frozen fish and not fresh ocean caught, which is unfortunate.
Yes, there are a very substantial number of Filipinos in many locals worldwide. However, Mexico City is not one of those places, and subsequently there is not one Filipino restaurant in the largest city in the world, Mexico City with population of 25 Million. This is especially interesting in view of the historical Mexico – Philippines Galleon trade between the two countries between the 15th to early 18th centuries.
Not that I have found. I have often asked the source of the fish, especially those restaurants that feature fish tanks. Ask, and you will be told the source is a fish farm. With the exception of Tuna, of course.
this is GREAT!!! i am from Midsayap but i studied in Ateneo and lived in Davao for like 5 years until i graduated. i am now in the US working as an auditor for a non profit organization. i have been living here since 2004 but im coming home to visit this April. sure enough, i will be gallivanting in Davao and hitting up all of my favorite restaurants that i missed!!!
wow, i have never heard of these joints before…im excited that this is a very updated website and just looking forward to the food. i miss the food!!
thanks for posting Bob!!
Hi Nonna – Thanks! I am happy that you can enjoy a whole list of restaurants when you are next in Davao! Enjoy!
Hi Bob, great list of Restaurants. Is there a vegan or locto-ovo vegetarian around in Davao?
I have a question which is out of restaurant topic. This is in referrence to the weather…Would appreciate if you could provide some feedback on the weather for the month of June or August. Would that be a rainy season? How about in Manila, is it Typhoon season? Plan to be in Manila and Davao between June or August….Would love to see and watch the "Kadayawan" parade…I have never seen it before, it would be nice to have some pictures to bring back home in the USA….Thanks
Hi megre3 – I am not too informed on the Vegan issue (honestly, I never heard of "locto-ovo" until now, I have no idea what that is) since I am not vegan or vegetarian. As far as I know, there are no such restaurants in Davao.
Davao, being in the far south really doesn't have a rainy season, megre3. Here, the weather is fairly consistent throughout the year. I can't speak for Manila, as I have spent only minimal time there, and don't follow closely what their seasons are like. Davao's weather is good throughout the year, except on rare days.
Bob . .. here is a link to a few vegetarian restuarants in davao. I'm sure there are
more.
http://www.happycow.net/asia/philippines/davao_ci…
hi bob,
have you tried eating at bigby's?
Bob,
I will have to agree with your no. 1 choice. Bryan's Grill is the BEST Ever in Davao City. It is hard to find but it is worth the effort.
Hi Ivan – Food does not get much better than what you can get at Bryan's! Bryan should give taxi drivers a free meal so that they will know where the place is! 😆