Site icon Travel Up

Food Trip: Where to eat and drink in Sagada

Kara Santos

After a day of hiking, caving, biking, and other adventure activities, you’ll definitely work up an appetite while in Sagada. Even if you’re just on a chill staycation, you’ll probably get really hungry walking around town because of the cooler weather and steep roads.

While the small mountain town has fewer dining choices than Baguio City, it’s worth checking out all the unique homegrown restaurants that make use of local ingredients and highlight the rich mountain culture.

Sagada specialties include locally sourced coffee, homemade yogurt, oranges, Lemon Pie and Etag (smoked and salted ham), which are served in many restaurants. We usually gravitate towards old favorites but make it a point to check out a few new places to eat.

Here’s a roundup of the classic and best new restaurants to dine in while in Sagada, Mt. Province currently open to the public as of November 2024.

Misty Lodge and Cafe

Misty Lodge and Cafe is one of the best restos in town. This peaceful lodging house serves reasonably priced and quality pizzas, burgers, steaks, breakfast meals and yoghurt.

Pizza choices include Quattro Formaggi, All-Meatza, Bacon Hawaiian, Margherita, and Pepperoni.

They offer steaks like Porterhouse and Rib-Eye, burgers (classic, cheeseburger, etc.), homemade yoghurt, coffee, hot choco, tea, wine and beer.

Misty Lodge and Cafe is a pleasant one-km walk away from the church area in the main town proper, and is definitely worth hunting down. During all our visits to Sagada, we usually end up eating here several times because of the quality of food and friendly service.

As of 2024, Misty Lodge now has a new bar/pub and dart lounge in their basement for those who want a nightcap.

The Shire of Sagada

For fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit who have always dreamed of staying overnight in Hobbiton in New Zealand, The Shire of Sagada offers a somewhat similar experience in the Philippines.

The Shire is a relatively new lodging house (reopened in May 2022) that takes inspiration from the inland area inhabited by hobbits in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional middle-earth.

The rooms here with garden and mountain views all have iconic round doors and are named after book and movie characters like Gandalf, Legolas, Gollum, and more. Because of its hidden location and beautifully designed interiors, the lodge is popular with couples looking for a secluded stay.

The first time we visited (2022), we just had breakfast and coffee. At the time, they only served a few options like yogurt, fruit shakes, coffee/hot choco/tea, beer and wine here.

As of 2024, The Shire of Sagada now has a lovely cafe open to walk-in guests, with a wider menu of rice meals, pasta, pizza to go along with the coffee, handmade yoghurt and beer. It’s a great spot for dates or quality alone time up in the mountain town.

Log Cabin

Log Cabin is a classic Sagada Smokehouse and Restaurant that has been serving visitors since 1991. It’s still one of the best places to eat in town.

This long-running establishment is known for their smoked meats and breads.

They have buffet dining by reservation on special occasions and weekends. Their Mushroom Soup, which makes use of wild mushrooms, is amazing.

Their lighter meals and pasta also make use of smoked meats. They serve great coffee like Sagada Honey Latte Coffee and some craft beer.

Sagada Cellar Door/Cerveza Sagada

For craft beer lovers, Sagada Cellar Door should definitely be at the top of your must-visit list.

You can enjoy quality beer that makes use of local ingredients in this brewery hidden in the middle of the pine forest. Guests can walk-in from 5pm to 8pm (they close at 9pm) for beer and sausages, but dinner is strictly by reservation.

In case you want to stay longer, Sagada Cellar Door also has a 130-year old traditional Ifugao hut called The Hut by the Brewpub on the premises which you can book via Airbnb. This pet-friendly spot is ideal for couples who want to stay overnight with easy access to quality beer.

GAIA Cafe

GAIA Cafe is a zero-waste restaurant that serves dishes that aim to nourish the whole body, mind and spirit. The cafe was featured in the 2014 Filipino movie That Thing Called Tadhana, which popularized Sagada as a destination for the heartbroken.

Over the years, GAIA Cafe has evolved from a simple treehouse cafe into a library cafe where you could easily spend the whole morning or afternoon working with good coffee or hot chocolate and views of Ambasing Valley.

The cafe serves a few healthy dishes like Adobong Tofu (P220), GAIA Camote Fries (P150), Pesto Pasta (P220), GAIA Sandwich (P150), along with a few desserts like Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies (P150) and Chocolate Chip Cookies (P150) that you can pair with Sagada Coffee, Mountain Tea, fruit shakes, or beer. It’s a lovely quiet spot to hang out just to read or write, especially during the off-peak dining hours.

Rock Inn / Cafe Bodega

Cafe Bodega is the in-house restaurant of Rock Inn, a lodge and restaurant located in a rock farm with an orange orchard. There’s a large enclosed restaurant for larger groups and families and a small open air section that offers a view of the garden area and gazebo with a fire pit.

Rock Inn and Cafe serves all-day breakfast favorites, Traditional Pinoy Classics, Omelettes, Farm Specials and more, priced at P250 up. They also have a wide selection for their lunch and dinner menu with servings of fish, chicken, pork, beef and vegetables usually good for 2-3 people.

Like most restaurants in Sagada, if you’re in a large group or visiting during peak season like the holidays, it’s best to reserve your meals beforehand due to the local market’s limitations.

Rock Inn also offers orange picking as an activity during harvest season from October to December.

Salt and Pepper Diner

If you’re in the mood for comfort food and don’t want to walk too far from the main town proper, Salt and Pepper Diner is a great choice. This cozy, underrated restaurant serves local specialties like Chicken Inutom (Pan-Fried Chicken), Etag Sisig, and Dinakiw (grilled pork belly) rice meals for around P280 each.

They also serve some other snack dishes like ramen (P280-P300), quesadillas (P230-280), tortilla rolls (P100) and beer. Be sure to ask what the available desserts of the day are (ex. Strawberry Shortcake, Yogurt Parfait, etc).

The dishes here are only prepared once you order, so it’s best to time your visit for early or late lunch to avoid the peak dining crowd. Great service and the food is definitely worth the wait.

Toast Ave. & Co.

Toast Ave. & Co. was a surprising find in town. This new cafe (established in 2022) is an aesthetic cafe that has a Yogurt Bar (P90-P125 depending on toppings), all -day breakfast (P220), Egg Drop Sandwiches (P130-P145), Toast, and more.

The airy, well-designed space has swing seating in a small veranda and a second floor loft area with low tables where guests can play tabletop games like sungka or cards.

While it looks very modern and minimalist compared to the typical rustic cabin-like Sagada cafes, I appreciate the modern Cordilleran artwork in the main dining area. The tiny bathroom design here is ingenious. I loved their yogurt here! We’ll be sure to try the food next time.

Clay House Wine Bar/Piitik Wines

While biking around, we spotted this Honesty Store and refilling station along the main road where you pay P20-P40 to sample local bugnay wine and traditional rice wine.

While we’ve been to Sagada several times before, I never knew there was a Clay Haus Wine Bar right through a small alley on the main road where you can enjoy fruit wines from Piitik Wines (established in 2004) with a refreshing view.

We sampled the Blueberry Wine, Bugnay, Tapuey and more. Wine costs P60 per glass. You can also order bottles of wine for P150 each to drink at the bar or take home as souvenirs.

Loved the concept and vibe of this place. It would be great if they also served cold cuts, crackers/cheese or local veggie chips to pair with wines.

Rust ‘N Wood

If you’re in the mood for a filling meal and souvenir shopping a bit further from the main town proper, Rust ‘N Wood on the road going to Sumaguing Cave is a good option.

This Bohemian roadside eatery offers rice meals, ramen, pasta, sandwiches, fresh fruit shakes, crepes, homemade yogurt, and even a few vegan options like Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Japjae and Taco Salad (P250-P280).

Dishes here are not as pricey as the restos along the main road, and it’s nice and uncrowded, so you don’t have to wait long for your food. You can also buy Etag (salted and smoked pork), one of the specialties of Sagada that’s served in a lot of restos.

Masferre Country Inn

Masferre is another established restaurant conveniently located near the center of town. The large restaurant serves full service meals, snacks, pizzas and more.

They also serve specials like breakfast buffets and special dinner buffets for holidays.

Bana’s Coffee

Bana’s Coffee is a cafe that specializes in Arabica Coffee in the Mountain Province. If you need to get some work done, Bana’s Coffee is a pleasant place to pass the time in town. They have a bar area with outlets that provide a view of pine trees.

Aside from their specialty coffee, hot choco, and mountain tea, the cafe also serves meals, sandwiches, desserts, yoghurt, and a few pastries. You can also buy packaged ground coffee and coffee beans here.

Sunset View and Pizza Bar

If you want to chill out and watch the sunset, you can check out Sunset View and Pizza Bar located on the road going to Lake Danum. It was quite a workout going up here by bikes since it’s located in a steep uphill area (about 1.5 hours uphill walk from town).

We missed the actual sunset because it was foggy and a bit drizzly during our visit, but we tried out their pizza and mountain tea and enjoyed warming up by the bonfire.

Yoghurt House

One of the more popular restaurants in Sagada, Yoghurt House serves rice meals and other dishes as well as their signature yogurt. Be warned that this cafe can get quite packed with visitors, so waiting time can be a bit of a downer.

Other restaurants to try around town:

If you want a budget option, the public market caters mainly to locals, with several stalls that serve basic Filipino meals at about half the cost of those served in regular restaurants. What’s your favorite restaurant here?

Exit mobile version