5 “Roadtrip-Worthy” Restaurants You Need to Check Out ASAP

They say food allows you to travel without ever having to leave your seat, and although the pandemic has restricted us to travel as far as we’d like, it gave us the opportunity to discover different types of cuisines offered here in the cultural melting pot of a city that is Baguio as well as the beautiful neighboring Benguet municipalities we always love to visit when we are given the chance.

While the convenience of dining in restaurants that are proximate to the Central Business District is understandable, once in a while it’s great to veer away from the hustle and bustle of the city and find gems that offer spectacular views and unique food you won’t find in the city center. Without further ado, here are five restaurants worth scheduling a road trip to.

Ozark Diner + BnB

About fifteen minutes from the Central Business District is a diner offering American Southern cuisine. If your favorite meal of the day is breakfast, then Ozark Diner‘s Build-a-Breakfast is perfect for you. You can mix and match breakfast choices to your heart’s content. They also have a rustic al fresco roof deck and outdoor fireplace surrounded by pine trees, overlooking SLU Mary Heights Campus’ track and field.

• Address: 2 Bear’s Trail corner, Bareng Drive

• For reservations, contact: 09082180690
• Operating Hours: 
  • Fridays – 9:30am to 8:30pm
  • Saturdays – 8:00am to 8:30pm
  • Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays- 8:00am to 6:30pm
  • Wednesdays, Thursdays: 9:30am to 6:30pm

Ranee House of Curry x Felipe 25

What’s more romantic than a homey al fresco dining with fairy lights to add colors to the night? If the Baguio night weather is too cold to handle, you can always ask to be seated inside their main dining area with wooden interiors and warm lighting to set the mood. Ranee House of Curry offers Indian-Asian fusion cuisine while its sister restaurant Felipe 25, serves International cuisine. You get the best of both worlds in one location.

• Address: 25 J. Felipe St., Baguio City
  
• Operating Hours: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily
• For reservations, contact: 09298909700

If you’re up for a slightly longer drive away from the city, here are three more restaurants located just outside of Baguio City.

Big Belly Restaurant

Big Belly Restaurant is located just outside of Baguio City, literally on the border of Baguio City and Itogon, Benguet. We loved our first time visit for one of the creamiest and cheesiest aloha pizzas we have ever tasted.

• Address: 1 Baguio-Bua-Itogon Rd, 2604 Tuding
• Operating Hours:
  • Mondays-Thursdays: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
  • Fridays-Sundays: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
• For reservations, contact: 0999 572 2952 or Big Belly Restaurant Facebook Page

Our Northern Coffee House

If a roadtrip to the mountains of Benguet counts as a date for you, then the slightly longer drive going outside of Baguio would be something you might enjoy. Cruising to the scenic Halsema Highway, you can visit Our Northern Coffee House, which is located just at the foot of Atok, Benguet. It is a widely popular stop for those who are coming to and from the higher part of Benguet. Their servings are big and of course, don’t miss out on tasting the Atok arabica coffee sourced locally from coffee farmers in Caliking, Atok.

• Address: Km. 25, Caliking Baguio-Bontoc Rd 2605 Atok, Benguet
• Operating Hours: 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily (closed on Sundays)
• For reservations, contact: 0928 355 6749 or Our Northern Coffee House FB page

Via Von Joy Restaurant & Cafe

If roadtrips and sunsets are your jam (like us!), then this is the restaurant you call. Via Von Joy’s main offering, like any good real estate is location, location, location. Situated along the road lined with verdant trees going to Ambuklao, Via Von Joy’s second floor is adorned with huge almost-floor-to-ceiling glass windows that allow natural sunlight inside the industrial interiors of the cafe.

But the huge windows aren’t only there to allow for natural sunlight. When the day ends and the sun is about to set, it becomes a 180-degree picture frame displaying whatever masterpiece the sun and the sky will perform for that day. Since the restaurant is facing west, it is the perfect spot to dine and watch the sun rise as it goes down. When you’re coming from Baguio, it is best to leave at around 3:45 to 4:00 PM so that you will have time to enjoy the beautiful Baguio-Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road, order, eat, and catch the sunset around 5:00-6:00 PM.

Tip: Make sure to check the daily weather forecast for the time of sunset. You can also send a message to Via Von Joy’s page to reserve for a good spot and ask for the current weather condition there so you’ll know whether it’s a great time to chase the sunset.

@baguiocityguide some of the most beautiful things in life are for free #sunset #benguet ♬ Break From Toronto – charlotte🧿

• Address: Ambuklao Road, Sabkil, Loacan, Itogon, Benguet
  

  @baguiocityguide kain sabay makiuso na din #wesanderson #wesandersontrend ♬ original sound – Baguio City Guide

• Operating Hours: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM daily (except for Mondays: opening is at 8:30 AM)
• For reservations, contact: 0939 506 4214 or Via Von Joy Restaurant and Cafe FB Page