In Iloilo, food is a story of heritage, progress, and pride. As the country’s only Creative City of Gastronomy, a title bestowed by UNESCO, Iloilo is transforming its culinary traditions into cultural landmarks. October marks one year since this recognition, and the city is celebrating with new events that put its rich gastronomy on the map, like the Heritage Food Crawl. This tour leads visitors through the historic lanes of Iloilo, showcasing how the city’s dishes are more than flavors—they’re a taste of Iloilo’s soul.
What makes Iloilo’s food scene distinctive is its relationship with endemic ingredients. Dishes here aren’t simply prepared, but are inspired by the landscape. Take, for instance, batuan, a souring fruit that provides a tangy twist in soups, standing in for the usual tamarind. Staples like kadios, baboy, langka (KBL) and kadios, manok, ubad (KMU) highlight local resources—kadios beans, native pork or chicken, and ubad (banana pith)—bringing a depth of flavor you won’t find elsewhere. Iloilo’s heritage cooking reflects the resourcefulness of its people, who crafted culinary traditions from what the land provided.
For decades, Iloilo’s food was primarily home-based, with many restaurants closing early. Now, the scene is shifting, as more restaurants and convenience stores stay open late, and even traditional street food has found its way into malls and more upscale eateries. Visitors have options, from heritage food tours to street food crawls and elevated culinary experiences. This growth speaks to Iloilo’s “Uswag” mindset—an Ilonggo term meaning “progress”—evident in its approach to making food a focal point of tourism.
The Heritage Food Crawl, organized by the Department of Trade and Industry in Iloilo, encapsulates the essence of Iloilo’s food culture through a thoughtfully curated lineup of iconic spots and dishes. We joined this tour on a recent trip to the City of Gastronomy and were delighted with what we saw—and tasted. Here’s a deeper look at the places we went to and food we enjoyed.
- Camiña Balay nga Bato
Our first stop, Camiña Balay nga Bato, is a living museum. The ancestral home of Ruth Avenceña offers an immersive experience, especially if you order in advance to taste dishes like the renowned pancit molo. For casual drop-ins, the rich Chocolate E and butter cookies offer a warm welcome. This place is all about history and flavor, capturing the heart of traditional Ilonggo cooking.
- Mama’s Kitchen
Next up was Mama’s Kitchen, where the nostalgic setting of an old building adds depth to the chewy mango treats. This spot has mastered the art of blending simple, locally sourced ingredients into a dessert that is loved by both locals and tourists. With its deep roots in Ilonggo history, Mama’s Kitchen felt like a delicious time capsule, preserving memories through food.
- Glory’s Cafe
At Glory’s Cafe, a homey cafe located in the Villa Arevalo, we discovered the old-world charm of traditional Ilonggo coffee-making through their sala-sala brewing method. If you’re in the mood for something traditional, the Set A kakanin, a selection of ibos, kutsinta, and puto paired with rich black coffee, is perfect.
- Breakthrough Restaurant
No Iloilo food crawl would be complete without Breakthrough, a beloved seaside restaurant owned by the Robles family. Here, we sampled their KBL alongside native chicken and lumpia. The KBL, an earthy stew of kadios beans, pork, and langka. It’s also here where we met 76-year-old Manong Rodolfo, a pulot vendor who shared stories as rich as his handmade molasses treats.
- Jo-ann’s Molo Fishball
For a taste of Iloilo’s version of street food, Jo-ann’s is a must-visit. Here, the karaho fish is grilled on skewers, packing flavor into every bite-sized piece. Priced at just P10 per stick, this no-frills delight captures Iloilo’s culinary spirit, where accessible, simple ingredients shine. As street food gets a “level-up” in the city, stalls like Jo-ann’s are bridging the gap between casual and cultural dining.
- Happy Endings
In its second year, Happy Endings is a refreshing addition to Iloilo’s food scene. The concept—a place where every treat is like a “fairytale ending”—brings whimsy to the local ice cream game. Of the 17 flavors, the batuan and baye-baye options stood out. Combining batuan’s unique sourness and the sweet, nutty flavor of baye-baye (a traditional Ilonggo rice snack) into one cold treat encapsulates Iloilo’s creativity in every scoop. Run by a half-Ilonggo, half-Taiwanese owner, the shop reflects the fusion of tradition and innovation. This one’s located in the Molo Mansion compound.
- Agatona Museum
Our last stop, Agatona Museum, was the perfect conclusion to the Heritage Food Crawl. This 1927 home-turned-museum, located across Jaro Church, offered us a unique vantage point of Iloilo’s past. Inside, we indulged in the Plato de Jaro especial con tsokolate, a delightful assortment of Jaro’s famed baked treats served alongside rich hot chocolate. The savory dinuguan and puto complemented the meal, and the pancit molo added a hearty finish. Stepping onto the veranda with a view of Jaro Plaza, we felt the blend of history, architecture, and flavor all around us.
Food as tourism
The Heritage Food Crawl was just one example of how Iloilo is building a culinary map that speaks to its identity. Beyond heritage tours, the city is developing Street Food Tours, Elevated Food Tours, Pasalubong Tours, and Sustainable Tours, each introducing guests to unique aspects of Ilonggo culture. For a city with a relatively small population of around 500,000 (around 700,000 during the day), these efforts make food a powerful driver of tourism.
With nine Esplanades weaving through the city, designed by the same architect behind Singapore’s Clark Quay, Iloilo is inviting visitors to walk, dine, and explore its scenic spots—all of which are intertwined with food stops. The combination of good food and picturesque views reflects Iloilo’s push to make every visitor experience memorable and to sustain its “Uswag” mantra of progress.
The city’s focus on food and tourism is about re-establishing food as a cultural linchpin, a gathering place, and a point of pride. As Iloilo marks its first year as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the food scene here is only getting started. With each tour and tasting event, the city isn’t merely serving food, but preserving a legacy and inspiring future culinary creativity.