I’ve been writing about my food experiences whenever I travel out of town but I skipped sharing my experiences in my very own city. I’ve been asked several times about good food spots here in Cebu and I realized I haven’t really had the time to write and share my personal take on this. I also don’t want to repeat myself, so better yet have something in handy in case another friend asks for a list. Hah!
Quick disclaimer, I am not a professional food critic but I do consider myself a foodie (#fooDEE). Taste is subjective, so whatever I recommend or will not recommend is solely based on my preference. I also believe that no travel would be complete without exploring local food. So if you are visiting Cebu any time soon, then this blog entry could be helpful.
I decided to share my food exploration in categories. So for this entry, I’ll only be sharing food places that fall under the brunch category, since breakfast is too early lol. This list will be updated from time to time (wish me luck).
So, the big question always is — Where do we eat? Or in this case, wanna brunch? Where?
Cafe Sarree
A classy and dainty cafe in the metro, Cafe Sarree serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I know I said I’m going to write about brunch places but then this cafe can do either. Their food is good, pancakes are wayyyy better than other pancakes in other brunch places.
Must Try
If you’re going for a heavy meal, then try Cafe Sarree’s Humba Rice or Salpicao. If you want something light, then try their pancakes or Smoked Salmon Sandwich. They also serve breakfast meals and healthy bowls, so if you’re into these types of food, then Cafe Sarree is worth trying.
I personally love their Ube Pancake and Humba Rice but I’m not sure if they serve this in their Escario Branch. They used to have a branch in Ayala but then it closed due to the pandemic.
Price Range
₱150.00 – ₱450.00
Location
📍Escario Central Mall, N. Escario Street, Cebu City
Contact
☎️ +63 32 254 599
☎️ +63 32 231 0742
📧 cafesarree@gmail.com
Abaca baking company
Another brunch option would be ABC aka Abaca Baking Co. I find their brunch menu okay. It’s not mega-amazing, but their food’s decent and above-average. Their coffee used to be below my “standard” of good coffee but recently they started using Good Cup beans so I guess that changes things.
Must Try
I can’t really say I have a favorite dish on their menu, well except for their Lamingtons, it’s my favorite dessert from ABC. I do recommend trying their ABC Skillet or their Eggs Benedict. If you are a sucker for pancakes and waffles then theirs will not disappoint. They also have salads and sandwiches, and they’re big on pastries.
Price Range
₱150.00 – ₱550.00
Location
They now have several branches in the metro but the ones I can recommend if you want something central and accessible, are their branches in Crossroads and Robinsons Galleria. I’d say their Ayala branch is good too but then it gets crowded there and can be hard to find a table at times. They also opened a branch in Baseline which offers breakfast buffets.
You can find ABC in the following locations:
📍Crossroads Mall, Gov. M. Cuenco Ave, Cebu City
📍Robinsons Galleria, Gen. Maxilom Avenue Ext, Sergio Osmeña Jr Blvd, Cebu City
📍Robinsons Cybergate, 132 Don Mariano Cui St, Cebu City
📍Paseo Arcenas, Banawa, R. Arcenas St, Cebu City
📍Baseline, Juana Osmeña St, Cebu City
📍Ayala Terraces & Rustans, Ayala Center Cebu, CBP, Cebu City
📍TGU Tower, Cebu IT Park, Cebu City
📍Filinvest Cyberzone, W Geonzon St, Cebu IT Park, Cebu City,
📍SM City, Juan Luna Ave Ext, Cebu City
Tightrope
Save this for your must-visit coffee shops in Cebu too! Aside from good coffee, their food is real good. It’s reasonably priced since the servings are huge. They kind of give me a Wildflour-ish vibe but different in a good way.
Must Try
I personally love their Tapa and Chicken Torikatsu, but if you’re a sucker for all-day breakfast meals (and assuming you love pork & beans), then you’ll never go wrong with their big breakfast. If you’re into sandwiches, they serve mouthwatering grilled sandwiches. And if you like anything pasta, they also have that on their menu.
For coffee recommendations, if you’re into black coffee then explore their pour-over options. If you like coffee with milk, then try their Flat White, Spanish Coffee, or their newest addition to the menu — the Himalayan Coffee. If you like something fun, try their Espresso Fizz/Tonic.
And since we’re already here, I can’t help but tell you not to miss out on their Basque Burnt Cheesecake. You won’t regret getting it!
Price Range
₱200.00 – ₱400.00
Location
Their first branch in F. Cabahug is not huge compared to their new branch in Velez. So if you want something cozy and intimate, you can go to their first branch. Just a heads up though, they close at 6 PM. Their second branch in Velez, on the other hand, has more tables and chairs and closes at 8 PM.
📍 F. Cabahug, Cebu City
📍 Velez Medical Arts, Ranudo St., Cebu City
Cooee
Ah! This I miss! The last time I visited this place was before the start of the pandemic. Its name used to be Le Gab but it was changed to COOEE (I don’t know the reason behind the name change). They also now have a branch farther from the city.
COEE is the perfect place for those who love all-day breakfast meals. They serve well-curated and delicious silog meals and healthy poke, smoothie, and yogurt bowls. All-day breakfast for brunch? Why not, right?
Must Try
You can never go wrong with silog meals. Their big breakfast is the easiest pick! But if you’re into all things healthy, then you might want to try COOEE’s smoothie and yogurt bowls. I personally like the Acai Berry and Tropikale for their smoothie bowls, Greek and Strawberry for their yogurt bowls. If you’re not a fan of smoothies and yogurts, they have poke bowls, salads, and sandwiches too.
Price Range
₱100.00 – ₱300.00
Location
📍 COOEE Raintree Mall, General Maxilom Ave, Cebu City
📍 COEE Tribe, Lawaan, Talisay, Cebu
Contact
☎️ +6332 253 3793
LAKEVIEW LE JARDIN
This may not be the usual brunch place that will come to mind. Lakeview Le Jardin is quite far from the city proper as it is situated up the mountains of Cebu City, but I tell you the journey will be worth it. Aside from the magnificent views and the chance to commune with nature, you get to enjoy good food, and did I mention pets are welcome? Yup, plus points for me!
Must Try
Either you’re very hungry or you just want something to munch, Lakeview Le Jardin has something for you. I have yet to try the rest of their menu but their breakfast meals are good, and their coffee too! Try ordering their French Toast, it’s something.
Price Range
₱200.00 – ₱500.00
Location
📍 30KM, Trancentral Highway, Sitio Inaad, Brgy. Tabunan, Cebu City
Contact
☎️ +63917 770 8094
TAMP CAFE
Tamp Cafe used to be Tazza Cafe and Patisserie. They used to focus on cakes and pastries then but they rebranded and offered more dishes. I was able to visit Tazza before in Tsai Hotel and in Banilad Town Centre. So when they opened Tamp Cafe in Kasambagan, I was curious to know what they can offer.
Honestly speaking, I got confused with their menu. There are just too many options and I can’t pinpoint which one’s their best seller. BUT my entire dining experience was pleasant, so I’ll give them that. I feel like it’s a good place to have brunch.
Must Try
If you want something easy and satisfying, you can try their Salmon Donburi or any of their rice bowls. They also have sandwiches and plenty of pasta options. Most of their dishes are good for sharing. I ended up taking my food home because of overordering.
I enjoyed their Vietnamese Egg Coffee and Tuna Sandwich. I tried their slow-cooked pot roast beef but IMHO it still needs to be more tender. The taste was okay though. They also have this permanent promo wherein when you get a meal and a drink, you get to choose a dessert and pay only 1 peso or half its price. So that’s also something!
Price Range
₱250.00 – ₱400.00
Location
📍 12 Pres. Aguinaldo St. Kasambagan, Cebu City
📍 Ground Floor Tsai Hotel and Residences Lahug, Cebu City
📍 Unit 105 Banilad Town Centre, Banilad, Cebu City
Contact
☎️ +6332 422 7985
KRAVE CAFE
It’s a tiny cafe right in the heart of Cebu City. They serve all-day breakfast meals and desserts. The only downside for me is their parking, as it is limited. The cafe is right beside the highway which means roadside parking is not allowed.
Must Try
Since I’m a sucker for all things cacao, my personal favorite is their champorado. They simply got it right! They also have the classic Puto-Mangga-Sikwate which is my type of comfort food. Their breakfast boxes are also okay. Like I said, you’ll never go wrong with silog meals (unless…it’s undercooked or overcooked 🤪).
Price Range
₱100.00 – ₱300.00
Location
📍 40 Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City
Contact
☎️ +6332 402 4946
Sip Cafe
This cafe is one of the new ones in town and I would say I wasn’t disappointed with their food. The ambiance helped as the place looks really modern and nordic-y (not sure if it’s Korean-inspired). Additional points for being pet-friendly.
Must Try
My default order most times would be anything with Tapa. So if you’re like me, then you can try their Housemade Beef Tapa. If you want something hearty, you can try their Classic Garlic Bangus or their Housemade Smoked Bacon Steak. But if you want something light, you can try their toast and salad options. I wasn’t impressed with their pasta, not sure if it was just me.
Price Range
₱200.00 – ₱500.00
Location
I honestly didn’t know they have another branch. I was only able to visit their branch in Streetscape. They recently opened a branch in Dipolog too, so if you’re from that part of the Philippines, you might want to visit and try.
📍Streetscape Mall, Banilad, Cebu City
📍Camia Building, Capitol Site, Cebu City
ANTHONY’S PASTRY CAFE
Also one of the new cafes in town, Anthony’s Pastry Cafe is quite hidden (or literally hidden) from the main street. I visited with my friends and we were able to try their meals and desserts. I’ve come to know that the owner of this cafe is one of the sons of Raquel Choa, the Chocolate Queen of Cebu, so it wasn’t hard to decide which desserts to try. I knew they had quality ingredients, especially their cacao. As for their meals, they offered the staple cafe dishes.
Must Try
Their all-day breakfast meals were okay and above-average. If you’re no Tapa fan like me, then you can try their Paksiw na Belly or their Spicy Chorizo. They also have omelets, pancakes, loaves, and sandwiches. Their pasta wasn’t that impressive, so I wouldn’t suggest getting that.
Don’t miss trying their dessert options Ask for their best seller if it’s available!
Price Range
₱60.00 – ₱250.00
Location
📍BKY building, 165 Pres. Quezon st., Mabolo, Cebu City
I have yet to try other (brunch) restaurants on my list before I can recommend them. I’ve tried several new potential brunch places but so far, I wasn’t really impressed. For now, I’ll leave you with these options. I’ll try to update this post as time goes by.
If you have any questions or clarifications, feel free to reach out to me and I’d be happy to answer. Also, do note that the rates and other information indicated in this post may change without any notice. Don’t hesitate to let me know about any updated information.
I hope this can help you plan your next brunch meet-up with your friends. Please don’t forget to “still” observe proper health protocols, don’t forget to practice social distancing, and explore responsibly.
Quick Links:
Best Burgers in Cebu, Philippines
Best Desserts in Cebu (That I Miss the Most)
Tamp Cafe & Co, the New Cafe in Town
xo,
DEE Explores 
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