Cebu City

LIST: Classic Cebu City restaurants to try in 2022

John Sitchon

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LIST: Classic Cebu City restaurants to try in 2022

Orange Brutus' Facebook page

Here are Cebu's OG must-try restaurants that have won the hearts of homegrown Sugboanons!

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The best part about walking the streets of Cebu City is that there’s always a corner full of culinary surprises and memorable gourmet experiences.

While there are always new and captivating Cebuano dishes that attract more tourists every year, it’s always “the OGs” that win the hearts of homegrown Sugboanons.

Here are seven classic restaurants that you should try when you’re in the Queen City

Orange Brutus

What started out as a venture to be Cebu’s first hamburger chain in the 1980s became the home of Cebu’s most adored Sizzling Burger Steaks and Fresh Fruit Shakes. 

“The first store was opened in Colon, Cebu City and was situated in the newest department store then, Fairmart. It was a simple, bright, attractive, and clean store, vending reasonably priced and good food to its customers,” read their Facebook page.

Over the years, Orange Brutus grew to over 19 outlets in Cebu.

According to the owners, the burgers are charbroiled to ensure low cholesterol and only the freshest fruits go into the blender for their delicious fruit shakes. “Moreover, only corn oil, which is one of the healthier oils, is used for all the fried items,” they added.

Their Sizzling Burger Steak, which starts at P155, is available in both original and spicy flavors and is always topped with the Orange Brutus signature gravy. You can also get the Fresh Fruit Shakes in Ube, Chocolate, and Mango Flavors starting at P45.

They can be found in Ayala Center Cebu, IT Park, and SM City Cebu, among other locations.

Snowsheen Restaurant

Snowsheen Restaurant is “where people of good taste meet.” As their slogan suggests, residents who have lived in the heart of downtown Cebu since the 1960s know that it’s the place to be if you’re hungry for Chinese-Filipino dishes. 

Their best-sellers? Tasty Asado that’s topped with a generous amount of papaya relish at P110 and their original Pancit Canton which starts at P125. These are best paired with their Shanghai Fried Rice which costs around P130. 

You can find the restaurant along Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City, near ML Suites, or make orders online by sending them a message on their Facebook page.

Kap Litang’s Barbecue and Lechon Manok

If barbecue is more your thing, Kap Litang’s Barbecue and Lechon Manok is definitely the place you’re looking for.

Founded on June 11, 1978, in Barangay Pardo by the late Barangay Captain Manolita “Litang” Abarquez and her partner Laurencia Pauya, the iconic restaurant is known for its beloved BBQ recipes and special “dicer.”

Dicer is a red sauce that you can pour over your rice or puso (hanging rice) that makes your meal ten times better. Think of it as Litang’s version of Mang Inasal’s beloved chicken oil.

The restaurant has a wide variety of dishes that include Lechon Belly, Chicken Inasal, Isaw (chicken gizzard), and even Chorizo. The price for BBQ ranges from P15 to P80 per piece, while the Lechon Belly starts at P1,800.

If you want to order for a party, Litang’s has a Bilao package for only P999 that’s good for 8-12 persons and consists of one Lechon Manok, 30 pieces of BBQ, and 5 pieces of Chorizo. 

Cebu Lumpia House

Cebu Lumpia House is a restaurant that almost every Filipino-Chinese Cebuano family knows about. If you know what “Ho Chia” means, then you know all there is to know about Cebu Lumpia House. 

Ho Chia is a Hokkien phrase used to say “good to eat,” which is exactly why “where Ho Chia makes sense” is Cebu Lumpia House’s main slogan.

Founded in 1956, the restaurant started out as a small store that sold authentic Chinese rice porridge or “congee” on Plaridel Street, along Osmeña Boulevard. In the 1970s, the store had to reopen on Manalili Street after an accident burned the place down.

While the restaurant no longer sells congee, it has expanded its menu so much so that Filipino-Chinese Cebuanos have made it their go-to place for family favorites like Fresh Chinese Lumpia, Ngohiong, and Ba Chang (sticky rice dumplings), among others.

Their best seller, Fresh Chinese Lumpia, is authentic and considered a must-try delicacy for visiting tourists. It’s worth P40 and is usually ordered in bulk.

Their Ba Chang is sold for P95, which is considered an affordable price. The Ngohiong is sold at P13 per piece.

“Currently, the original main branch at Manalili Street operates a cafeteria-type establishment and serves as the commissary for its catering service and its branches,” read their Facebook page.

Cebu Lumpia House also has a famous store in Gaisano Country Mall in Barangay Banilad which has become a staple of celebrities and politicians.

Melton’s Halo-Halo

When in Cebu, one should never miss the opportunity to grab a delicately crafted yet utterly delectable halo-halo from Melton’s Halo-Halo.

While it only recently started serving other meals besides halo-halo, it’s still considered one of the city’s original go-to spots for food trips by locals. 

According to the Maraton family, who run the business, Melton’s Halo-Halo was established in 1984 with the family’s head matriarch initially selling halo-halo for only P35. The name “Melton’s” actually came from Melly and Tony Maraton, the founders of the business.

Their signature Halo-Halo is made with four main fruit ingredients which are red bananas, coconut meat, jackfruit, and pineapple. These fruits are then mixed with peanuts, leche flan, and ice cream. among others.

You can choose between the Special Halo-Halo which has no ice cream and is priced at only P50 or the Super Special Halo-Halo which has two scoops of either mango or chocolate ice cream for an additional P10. 

Melton’s also sells slices of the iconic Mom’s Pizza, Squid Roll, Tempura, Batchoy, and many more. The original store can be found along Gabuya Street in Barangay Pardo.

The Manila Foodshoppe

Considered the home of Cebu’s original Maki, The Manila Foodshoppe has been a part of Cebu’s culinary history for over 50 years. 

The oldest branch in Manalili Street is considered the most memorable one according to residents, as it first served the hot and savory Chinese Maki and Makimi.

Makimi is pork slices cooked in a thick brown soup with eggs, while Maki is Makimi with noodles. The Manila Foodshoppe’s version of Maki takes it a step further with an even thicker brown soup and pork slices that melt in your mouth.

The famous soup can be served indoors or ordered for delivery and starts at P110 only.

The business has four main branches which include the original Manila Restaurant in Manalili, the Escario branch in Capitol Square, the Parkmall branch in Mandaue City, and the South Town Centre branch in Talisay City.

Sunburst Fried Chicken

The name Sunburst brings so much nostalgia to many old Cebuanos.

While its origins didn’t necessarily begin in Cebu City (it actually started in Iligan City as A&C Chicken and Pizza House in 1971), the restaurant was a major hit in Cebu around the 1980s. 

According to residents, the branch founded near the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu held the most historical significance as it was where Cebuanos grew to love their huge chicken servings, big potato wedges, and an abundant side of coleslaw.

This was the combo meal that helped the late Fernando Congmon and his wife Victoria grow the business into a franchise, now located almost all over Visayas and Mindanao.

Today, fans of the popular combo meal can order it depending on the chicken part they want. 

There’s a Sunny Solo Thigh at P158 and a Sunny Solo Keel at P168. You can also get both parts with the Sunduo meal for only P228.

As of this writing, the branch near the basilica has closed due to the pandemic but their branches in One Mango Avenue and SM City Cebu are always open for both dine-in and delivery. – Rappler.com

Enjoy classic Filipino dishes using this GrabFood promo code.

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