Davao’s flavors are unforgettable—from exotic fruits to street eats and local specialties, every bite tells a story. Curious what made my taste buds dance? Read my blog!

Disclaimer: All views expressed on this blog are my own based on my own experiences and do not represent of any entity with which I have been, are now or will be affiliated

November 11, 2022
Pasay, Philippines

Date of Travel – October 21-31

Davao’s local cuisine is delicious and distinctive, and there are many more options as well. I enjoy trying new, exotic dishes. My favorite part of visiting Davao was eating at its eateries. I love sampling various foods and cooking styles.

Here are the highlight of my foodie experience, everything is from Davao City. My budget is about Php8,000 for food.

Durian
Can be found Across Davao

In Davao, you may find an abundance of durian, the “King of Fruits.” Because of the fertile volcanic soil, durians grown in Davao are known to be the freshest and best tasting in all of the Philippines. Its prices are also significantly lower than those in other parts of the country. Davao is home to an abundance of durian goods, including ice cream that was so smooth it could cut butter, candy, shakes, and even cakes!

Roxas Night Market

If you’re a fan of street cuisine, especially grilled tuna belly and tuna jaw, you won’t want to miss this night market. Grilling is known as “sugba” in the native language. You can choose your own fresh fish from the stations offering grilled seafood, then wait at your table while it is prepared and cooked in front of you. There are additional options besides tuna, such as chicken, chicken intestine, and gizzards. The night market’s shopping district is your best bet for finding a wide variety of goods at bargain prices.

Bulcachong
Price: Php120-200
Open 24 hours

Carabao meat, also known as Carabeef, is a component of a number of Davaoneo dishes. Bulca Chong consists of water buffalo (carabo) flesh. Bulca is short for Bulalo, a popular bone-in cattle or carabo shank soup, and Chong is the name (or surname) of the restaurant’s proprietor and executive chef. Bulcachong is prepared by simmering carabeef that has been seasoned with ginger, green onions, and lemongrass. Its vibrant orange hue is derived from atsuete or anatto grains. I never expected to enjoy carabao flesh. I’ve never had anything other than chicken, beef, or chicken. However, I was astonished by how tender the meat was; however, it is bland to my taste, which is why they provide soy sauce and calamansi so that you can season it to your liking. The broth has a robust ginger flavor and is viscous. I am not an a fan of ginger, but I am becoming accustomed to it as a result of traveling to Mindanao and the Visayas region. I will recommend this dish to all of my bold culinary pals.

Grillaz Ihaw-Ihaw or Ihaw Ihaw sa Torres
Php200-500

What I like about this restaurant is that they provide a broad variety of seafood dishes where you may pick fresh seafoods and tell the waiters how you want them prepared. It’s both a market and a restaurant in one. Bagaybay was an interesting meal that I tried here. Tuna sperm sac is known as bagaybay. It’s dubbed the “foie gras of the sea” because it’s so rich and tasty. I didn’t expect to like this; I expected it to be nasty. It had a chicken flavor to it and was soft and squishy

Bankerohan Market
Puto Maya and Chocolate drink
Php50-150

Bankerohan Market offers a wide range of tropical fruits and culinary stalls. I went to one of the market’s nameless stalls and tried their puto maya and chocolate.

Puto maya is a coconut milk and ginger-flavored steamed rice cake. The well-known kakanin is the ideal partner for Filipino hot chocolate since their flavors complement each other. Mangoes on the side for puto maya were actually my preference; it reminded me of mango sticky rice in Thailand. I just didn’t like the hint of ginger; as previously stated, I’m not a big fan of ginger; it’s too strong for my taste. The chocolate was creamy, and they provided sugar to mix with the chocolate or puto maya to increase the sweetness.

Sana’s Carinderia and Original Kabawan (Carabao Eatery)
Kalabaw Hinalang and Carabao Flakes
Php150-Php300

Sana’s Carinderia, located in the humble section of downtown Davao, has been serving locals for nearly three decades.A carinderia is a neighborhood eatery that sells and serves inexpensive meals. It is the go-to spot for filling home-cooked meals at a reasonable price. I had their Shredded Tapa, which is cured Carabaco beef, and Hinalang, which is a spicy carabeef meat soup with beef strips.

Sana’s Shredded Tapa are thin slices of tender carabeef marinated in vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. It is then deep-fried into crisp, delicious, golden flakes. It was crunchy and tasty. It has a tangy, garlicky flavor. This dish was delicious! Highly recommended; if I ever return to Davao, I’ll definitely try this again.

Hinalang is also a favorite soup dish among the locals. Sana’s rendition of Hinalang is not overly spicy and you can taste the warmth of the soup, and the broth is to die for. The little chunks of carabao beef in the soup were tender!

Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps
Php2000-5,000

This is probably the most expensive in all the food spots I have tried. However, the crabs and shrimp were at it’s freshest. There was a crab roe which was very chunky with buttery richness. Crab meat is extremely tender and juicy in texture. The shrimp was crunch and flavorful as well.

Purge Coffee Roaster
Php200-600

Following my Buda tour, I tried the coffee and spaghetti at Purge Coffee Roaster, which Jes suggested. Purge Coffee is a micro-roastery that specializes in bespoke blending and single origin options for both imported and local Davao beans. Although the aglio aglio pasta is not my fave, the coffee is great. We attempted it again with Jes and the rest of my Apo team. We sipped our coffee while savoring the aroma of Davao beans permeating the cafe.

Apo ni Lola Delicacies
Php100-500

This is where you can buy souvenirs or snacks to take home to your family or relatives. My tour guide recommended this souvenir shop for durian treats. They also provide complimentary samples of durian yema or candies that taste fantastic. It’s not overly sweet, and the durian flavor is still present. I purchased a few items for my brother.

Bondi and Bourke
Php1500-Php3000

This stylish haven is hidden behind a lovely pre-war stone edifice of classic Philippine style. I enjoy how visually appealing the location is, plus it’s close to my accommodation. The staff was extremely accommodating and kind. I really enjoyed my truffle carbonara pasta, which was creamy, earthy, light, and tasty. There is also a wide range of meals to choose from. I really wanted to have steak, but it was too much for me because I was dining alone.

Glasshouse Coffee
Php150-300

This is within a 10-minute walk from my hostel. The cafe was pleasant and calm, with lots of plants. It reminds me of brunch spots in Singapore. It is a specialty coffee shop and roastery. I ordered a chocolate biscuit and a latte. The cookie was gooey, and the iced latte was properly blended and roasted. I hope I could try their pour over next time. We were unable to sample their pour over because there was only one barista available to serve us.

Luz Kinilaw
Hours: 6:00am-4:00PM
Php300-600
Kinilaw and Bihud

After work, I wanted to check out Luz Kinilaw, but the owner informed me that they no longer accept customers after 4:00 p.m., explaining that it had been very difficult to keep up with costs until midnight or later during the pandemic.

Luz’s Place became a Davao landmark for its kinilaw, a plate of raw fish cured in lime and topped with onions similarly bathed in the citrus juices. It’s topped with onions, ginger, chili peppers, and garlic. This kinilaw tasted like a high-end sashimi and ceviche rolled into one, and I adored it!

Next, I tried bihud (female fish eggs). The completely developed egg masses from the ovaries of fish and other marine animals, also known as roe, are used to make Philippine caviar bihud. These roasted female eggs were delicious. It had a hard texture but softened quickly when chewed, resulting in an explosion of exquisite sensations in your mouth. Bihud is a good place to get a taste of caviar at a cheap price. I couldn’t eat it since it was so large, but I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to try something new and be more adventurous with food.

Wood and Coffee
Php200-500
Upper Dampa Magtuod
right after Manila Memorial Park


The Café is housed in a container trailer. This is a coffee shop with an art gallery that is open to the public. Customers can develop their creativity and imagination while drinking coffee and viewing the exhibit at this cafe. An observation deck is located just behind the art gallery. This is the finest place to relax and have coffee in the afternoon while admiring the beauty of the forested area..

I ordered croffles, a cross between a waffle and a croissant. It was fresh, sweet, and tasty. And for my coffee, I got the concrete latte, which is a premium French vanilla latte. a robust coffee with a somewhat sweeter taste.

The disadvantage of this coffeehouse was that the commute was quite tough at night. I strongly advise doing it in the morning when commuting and transit are more convenient.

I was hoping to have a crocodile sisig (sizzling plate), but the crocodile zoo was closed after 6 o’clock. I thought Davao was very safe, so when I decided to visit Jack’s Ridge after visiting the sights, I hailed a motorcycle without realizing the potential danger. To sum up, I was riding a motorcycle and, as is customary, I held onto the handlebars with my hips to prevent me from falling; however, the driver grabbed my hand and told me to hold more closely because I might fall, which was very awkward; at first I thought he was trying to protect me, but when he did it again, I pulled his hand and told him to turn around; it was a crazy situation that could have turned bad at any moment, but thankfully I made it back downtown. I have been asked a few times who I was with, and I have always said I was with somebody, because it is quite dangerous for a woman to go alone. If I were going on a solo trip, I’d want to undertake all of my activities first thing in the morning. Nighttime travel alone is dangerous for people of both sexes. I’ve learned my lesson..

Tola
Php300-500
Balbacua

Despite the scary experience, I was able to eat dinner in a restaurant haha! Tola is a traditional home-style restaurant that serves Davao-style cuisine. This restaurant’s atmosphere is beautiful, and it’s right next to Glasshouse Coffee. They provide Balbacua, a traditional Davao cuisine. Balbacua is a beef stew made using oxtail. Because the skin and tails are tough, it takes a long cooking process to tenderize and soften them enough to consume. Because the skin is stewed for hours until tender, the collagen in the skin, as well as the oxtail if using this cut, dissolves into the boiling broth. The food was flavorful, soft, and melts in your mouth.

In spite of my misfortune, my trip to Davao and my exploration of the city’s restaurants have been fantastic. I’ll never forget it, and the out-of-the-ordinary cuisine is unbelievably delicious. I plan to try some crocodile sisig and sizzling balut when I get back.

Love,
Maria, sometimes Niskie