Cebu Food Trip: The International Flavors of Cebu City
I’m doing a month-long series on my Cebu Food Trip last year. This article is about the international cuisines I tried in Cebu City.
As a bustling metropolis and tourism destination, Cebu City is home not only to food spots serving local dishes but also to restaurants offering international cuisine. With the help of SunStar Best of Cebu, the city’s Michelin Guide, and the food app Zomato, I searched for these restaurants and visited 3 (all rated above 4 out of 5 in Zomato):
Casa Verde (American)
Casa Verde is a family-owned casual restaurant serving American food. Literally “green house”, its original branch in Ramos is located inside a house that’s colored green, which is one of the family’s ancestral homes.
Casa Verde Ramos Branch
Inside Casa Verde Ramos
The restaurant is known for their XL-sized items such as The Mighty Ton, a 12-inch burger with a kilo of beef patty that can easily feed a group, and Milky Way, the “biggest milkshake in town.” My stomach wasn’t ready for this alone so I just went for their bestseller, Brian’s Ribs, which is baked pork ribs smothered with a sweet and tangy piquet sauce. It’s juicy, tender, and nicely sweet.
Brian’s Ribs (P250)
No food trip to Cebu would be complete without a stop at Casa Verde. So make sure you include it in your itinerary to try their ribs, which is recognized as the “Best Ribs” by Best of Cebu in 2015 and 2016.
Casa Verde has several branches in Cebu (and a couple in Manila). Check them out here.
La Vie Parisienne (French)
Literally “the Parisian life,” La Vie Parisienne makes you feel you’re in the City of Lights while in the Queen City of the South. It’s a French bakery, deli, and wine cellar combined.
The Pastries of La Vie Parisienne
The Wine Cellar at La Vie Parisienne
People come here mostly for its classy, cosy, and Instagrammable interiors. It’s also a nice hangout spot, especially at night.
This is perfect for your Instagram fix!
This is lit at night!
But I went there mainly for its pastries (I love bread!). The classic Croissant is amazing! It’s crispy and flaky outside, pillowy soft inside, and slightly sweet and buttery. I also got the Pan Au Chocolat, which is like the croissant only with chocolate filling.
My plate of bread
Maya (SO-CAL STYLE Mexican)
Ever since I’ve eaten at Lo de Alberto, the Mexican food spot that boasts itself as the only authentic taqueria in the Philippines, I have grown an interest for Mexican cuisine. Now, I can’t wait to have a food trip to Mexico!
So when I found out about Maya, which is rated with a whopping 4.7, I knew I had to visit this place. In fact, this was my last stop before heading to the airport.
At Maya
While they have street tacos and ceviches, I opted for the Asada Fajitas. It has strips of Angus beef and served with frijoles (refried beans), Mexican rice, onions, pepper, and warm flour tortillas, all placed on a sizzling plancha.
Asada Fajitas (P695)
The beef is tender and juicy. The rice is fluffy, with a crunch from onions and freshness from the cilantro. The refried beans is creamy and earthy. The white onions below the beef is nicely caramelized and still retained a crunch. What more should I say? This dish is a world of flavors and textures! What a way to end my Cebu food trip!
Address: The Crossroads, Gov. M. Cuenco Ave., Kasambagan, Cebu City | Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, 5PM-11PM; Friday & Saturday, 5PM-11PM & 12AM-2AM; Sunday, 5PM-12AM | Facebook | Website
Which of the restaurants above have you tried or would like to try? Are there any outstanding restaurants in Cebu offering international cuisines? Comment them below!
Other entries in the Cebu Food Trip series: Trying the Local Dishes of the Queen City of the South | The Search for the Best Cebu Lechon | The Ultimate Seafood Experience Part 1 (SuTuKil and Paluto All-You-Can) | The Ultimate Seafood Experience Part 2 (Linarang and Bakasi) | Sharing in the Cebuanos’ Love for Barbecue | The Night (Market) Crawler Goes to Sugbo Mercado