Bacolod
Health-conscious foodies from around the world will definitely fall in love with Bacolod, the capital city of Negros Occidental. Being a part of the island known as the “Organic Food Bowl of Asia”, Bacolod has some of the best organic farms sprawling across the city. Also widely known for the chicken inasal (Filipino-style roast chicken), Bacolod moreover boasts of their piaya, lumpiang ubod, and seafood. With the abundance of organic farms, local chefs prepare most of their delicacies through the farm-to-table practice.
Iloilo
Ilonggo cuisine takes the top spot. Iloilo’s culinary heritage is truly refined and special. In fact, many of its staple dishes, like the arroz caldo, batchoy, native lechon manok, and chicken binakol, are recognized around the country and even abroad.
You will also find a smorgasbord of fish and seafood delights, some of which are sourced from nearby provinces Capiz, Aklan, and Antique. The fish and seafood are so fresh all they do is grill or steam them and the flavor of the sea explodes in your mouth. And the best part is, many of the famous restaurants in Iloilo are located on the beach or along the river.
Palawan
Aside from its pristine beaches, Palawan also offers scrumptious meals. Most probably, previous visitors of the Crocodile Farm in Puerto Princesa already know how tasty their crocodile sisig is. But the island also offers delicious dishes within your comfort zone. Fresh fruit and fresh seafood are especially popular choices in Palawan. Some notable restaurants that allow guests to feast over food, culture, and picturesque sceneries are the KaLui Restaurant and Badjao Seafront Restaurant.
Vigan
While Vigan is best known for being a UNESCO Heritage colonial town, it is a foodie destination, as well. It is where the scrumptious empanada and longganisa comes from. And who would forget the crispy, succulent bagnet, and healthy but tasty pinakbet and dinakdakan.
Calle Crisologo has a handful of restaurants that highlight the region’s distinct cuisine. But if you are looking for the best empanada, head down to the town plaza. There is a lot of food stalls there that offer different versions of the delicacy.
Bicol
No region can spice up a dish quite as well as Bicol can. Most famous among their local cuisines are the Bicol Express and Laing, both traditionally prepared with gata (coconut milk) and chillies. Many notable Bicolano dishes also include the power duo; hence, several food staples are cooked with both gata and chilies for the signature Bicolano twist. Sweet tooths rave about the chilli-flavoured ice cream and chilli-flavoured cheesecake that both originated in the province.
Davao
Aside from being the homeland of durian, Davao has such a rich profusion of fruit that it has earned the title “Fruit Basket of the Philippines.” Lanzones, pomelos, mangosteen, rambutan, bananas, marang, name it, and Davao probably has it. If you are not a fan of fruits, which is highly doubtful if you should taste some of the exotic delicacies of the province, Davao also offers glorious options of fresh seafood.