BEST RESTAURANTS IN CAMIGUIN 2022 AND LOCAL FOOD DELICACIES YOU SHOULD TRY

Camiguin is a fast-rising tourist destination in the region of Northern Mindanao. Given that it’s the second smallest island province next to Batanes, you can tour Camiguin in 1 whole day and explore its culinary tourism the following day. Not only that it is home to the sweetest lanzones but it is also home to one of the top 10 best pizza in the world as rated by an international travel blogger. Below are the list of the best restaurants in Camiguin.

Whilst you are looking for an itinerary for your upcoming Camiguin trip, here are a list of the best restaurants in Camiguin as rated by legit locals and/or Camiguingnons. Camiguin boasts off a variety of Asian and European cuisines. Mind you, these restaurants are actually the best in town!

Table of Contents

Camiguin’s Top 5 Best Restaturants

1. J & A Fishpen Restaurant – Filipino Cuisine

Are you up for the best seafood cuisine in town? J&A Restaurant brings to you a sumptuous Filipino meal that will surely brighten up the first day of your stay in Camiguin. The location is perfect for tourists coming to Camiguin via ferry ride from Balingoan port to Benoni port since J&A Restaurant is just close to Benoni port.

The restaurant is right next to a fish pond and it has its own fishpen where their seafood comes from. It is basically pond to plate restaurant where guests have a choice to catch the fish they are going to eat from the pond and chefs will grill it for them. As for us, our team didn’t have the time to do that and just ordered a variety of delicious-looking seafoods.

Since J & A Restaurant is just beside a fish pond, you can expect the atmosphere to be cool and fresh from the breeze of wind that comes from a pond. It was really refreshing actually, like a typical province vibe. We dined at the tables near the relaxing view of the fresh water.

Address: Mahinog, Camiguin
Budget per person:
Facebook Page: J & A Fishpen Restaurant

2. La Dolce Restaurant – Italian Cuisine

I mentioned above that culinary tourism is slowly becoming famous. And as a proof to that, Ms. Ezra and Sir Carl from the Department of Tourism who happens to be locals of Camiguin, told us that an international Blogger came in Camiguin and ranked the pizza of La Dolce as one of his top 10 best pizzas in the world. Amazing isn’t it?!

Well I am not surprised since the owner of La Dolce is an Italian who married a local Filipina from Camiguin. Get ready to satisfy your cravings, this Italian restaurant will surely give you the best of anything pasta and pizza! The menu in the restaurant are all his own recipe and we were lucky enough to try what he boast to be his best recipe that he created.

La Dolce’s location is accessible for tourists arriving in the airport as it is located just in front of the airport. For my honest review, La Dolce is my number one for the best restaurants in Camiguin.

Address: Mambajao, Camiguin
Budget per person: PHP 500-800.00
Facebook Page: La Dolce Vita Camiguin

3. La Isla Cocina – Spanish Cuisine

Not over with Italian cuisine yet? Next on the list for our best restaurant in Camiguin is La Isla Cocina – an authentic Spanish cuisine. The Spanish cuisine is highly influenced by Italian cuisine. Hence, the similarities in their food menu.

Address: Agoho, Mambajao
Budget per person: PHP 300-500.00

4. Guerrera Rice Paddy Villas and Restaurant – Mix of Asian Cuisines

Guerrera Restaurant is a perfect example of farm to plate restaurant. This is where they serve what they plant and grow in their own farm backyard. Their menu is a mix of Asian cuisines where our team was able to name a few cuisines like Thai food, Indonesia salad and other more.

The view outside the restaurant is a province-like vibe wherein you’ll see the typical picture of a province. It’s like a huge farm where the restaurant is in the middle. Outside the restaurant you’ll see Hibok-hibok for a view. For my honest review, Guerrera is my second next best for my personal list of best restaurants in Camiguin.

Address: Pearl Street, Rocky Village Yumbing, Mambajao (Landmark: Paras Rsesort, White Island)
Budget per person: PHP 400-700.00
Facebook page: Guerrera Restaurant

5. Northern Lights Restaurant – Filipino Cuisine

The last on the list for best restaurants in Camiguin is the Northern Lights Restaurant. Northern Lights in Mambajao is another restaurant you can try for your Camiguin trip. They offer famous Filipino delicacies like bulalo and kare-kare. I recommend that you try their bulalo here! Also, this restaurant is perfect for groups and families.

For their updated menu, you can check their Facebook page below.

Address: Mambajao, Camiguin
Budget per person: PHP 200.00-400.00
Facebook page: Northern Lights Restaurant

Suggested Restaurant for Budget Travelers

Checkpoint Food Park

Like any other destination, each one has its food park where different food stalls can be found. For budget travelers or backpackers, this is a highly recommended place to eat. From iham-ihaw food to silog and Filipino dishes, this is a perfect place for you. Also, it’s proximity adds up to the reason why I recommend this. Checkpoint Food Park is just along the main road in Mambajao and just a walking distance from Paras Resort and White Island.

CheckPoint food park is not exactly one of the best restaurants in Camiguin, but for typical travelers I still highly recommend this food park.

Address: Mambajao, Camiguin
Budget per person: PHP 100.00-200.00
Facebook Page: CheckPoint Camiguin

Medano Resort and Restaurant

Medano is a restaurant inside Medano Resort but you can dine here even though you’re not a guest from the restaurant. The bali-inspired restaurant with a front beach view is open for all guests and non-guests of the resort. This is a very chill place and I highly recommend dinner here. It’s best at night with the music and bean bags everywhere while enjoying a relaxing atmosphere from the beach.

Address: Mambajao, Camiguin
Budget per person: PHP200.00-300.00

Camiguin Local Food and Delicacies

Although Camiguin is known for its sweet lanzones, there are still more local food and delicacies you need to try here. Below are the list of unique food you can expect when in Camiguin.

Pastel Bread

Pastel is a bread with “yema” or custard for its filling. Locals in Camiguin claim that their pastel bread is different form the pastel breads in CDO. They say that Camiguin’s pastel is sweeter because the water used to bake this is from the soda water pool or the water that comes directly from the volcano Hibok-hibok. This is the reason why it’s sweeter and more delicious than any other pastel breads.

The best bakeshop is located in Mambajao. Just look for Pastel: by Vjandep bakeshop.

Surol Food

I remembered when I asked Sir Carl if he can suggest any unique food in Camiguin and he said “surol“. Surol is a local viand that is made out of chicken, “gata” or coconut sap, herbs and spices. You might want to ask for this if you find yourself in some karenderyas in Camiguin.

Kiping

I was able to try kiping outside Tusasan falls near the parking lot where souvenir vendors are located. Kiping is like a fried lumpia wrapper because it is round and crispy. It is made out of banana and vendors pour a chocolate liquid on top of it. It’s very cheap and only cost PHP10.00 each. As usual since it was my first time seeing it, I grabbed the chance to taste it out of curiosity and it was actually really good.

Lanzones Products

Since Camiguin is home to the sweetest lanzones, it is expected to create products made out of lanzones. Some of it are lanzones candy, lanzones jam, lanzones vinegar, lanzones ice cream and lanzones wine.

During the Lanzones Festival, I was able to try the lanzones wine and ice cream. The wine taste like a brandy and I think it’s perfect for cocktail mixtures for casual parties. Also, since the lanzones is already naturally sweet, I expected the ice cream made out of lanzones to be just perfect.

Sea-urchins in Camiguin’s White Island!

That creepy black sea creature with spikes around it that you are so afraid of? Yes. That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Apparently, it can be eaten and most people love the taste of it.

Sea urchin is obviously not a Camiguin delicacy or a local food. Actually, sea urchins are being sold mostly in beaches where there are tourists. It wasn’t my first time seeing sea urchins sold in a beach BUT it was hella my first time to taste one! And I’m glad that it was in Camiguin.

In White Island, you’ll see vendors selling these to tourists. The price per sea urchin coct about PHP25.00 each. Although someone told me that in other places it is sold for just PHP10.00 each. Nevertheless, I still tried eating it here and holy freakin’ cow it really tasted like balut!