#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/batchoy-1-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/tatoys-spread-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/forum-spread-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item4 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/breakthrow-spread-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item5 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/agatona-1927-museum-cafe-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item6 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/kap-ising-serving-pancit-molo-dinuguan-and-empanada-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item7 { background:url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/madge-cafe-atria-branch-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item8 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/happy-endings-in-front-of-molo-mansion-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; }
By Bronte H. Lakshmana, reporter
While Ilonggos are not the loudest cheerleaders when it comes to their food (unlike, say, people from Pampanga), once you convince them of what to eat or where to go, you immediately realize that there is endless love and plentiful recommendations to cross off your checklist. It is a culinary gem in the Western Visayas region that most Filipinos don't know was actually a rich source of food in our history.
Because it continues to preserve and support its culinary heritage composed of indigenous dishes and various native ingredients, Iloilo City was the first in the Philippines to be recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as a Creative City of Gastronomy.
In January, a press tour around Iloilo was organized by its MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) center, coinciding with the Dinagyang Festival.
“Iloilo is where the past meets the present. That's what the UNESCO designation celebrates. It celebrates our culinary traditions, our heritage. It's part of our history,” said Lenny Ledesma, Iloilo City executive assistant for special projects, during a media tour.
Unlike the Michelin star, which celebrates a particular chef or kitchen, the Creative City of Gastronomy title celebrates culinary heritage.
seafood, chicken, Pancit Molo
First stop was Tatoy's Manokan and Seafood, which is known for Insal Dishes ranging from chicken and seafood Nothing! (mackerel fish soup) to grilled squid to baked oysters.
For Manilanos, the wall (Angel Clams) will be a novelty, with their elongated shape reminiscent of angel wings. Tatoy's Paella Valenciana is also delicious, while their kilawin Provides a refreshing punch to the spread – all a testament to how Iloilo does justice to its abundance of seafood.
Cap Ising's Pancit Molo is the next must-try for Ilonggos returning home and visitors to the region.
Eliezer Villanueva, better known as Kap Ising, served us himself. Originally located in the Molo district, the branch we visited was in Ayala Malls Atria, which is now one of eight branches, although all offer the same menu. We were given their mouth-watering bowls Pancit Molo (wonton soup), dinuguan in puto (pork blood stew and rice cakes), and Empanadas (Stuffed pastry).
Mr. Villanueva's restaurant reinvention began in 2006, when he took over from his mother's restaurant, Nida's Original Pancit Molo, which dates back to the 1980s. This dish comes from the Chinese community in Iloilo, primarily located in the Molo district, which was incorporated into Ilonggo cuisine.
His mother cooked while he sold dishes at city hall and banks.
“I have been a barangay Captain for 30 years, kaya tawag sakin Cup Icing (that's why they call me Cup Icing),'' he said.
When asked about the integrity of recipes over time, he cited the use of ingredients as a major factor. in dumplings Pancit Molo are filled with ground pork, shrimp and chicken — none of which is frozen, he specified, because the flavor would be different — while Empanadas Use potatoes and ground tenderloin.
“hindi ako bumibili ng Imported. Kailangan Bagong Katay (I don't buy imported goods [ingredients]. It has to be freshly butchered).”
Although our group easily finished our bowls, the cup icing encouraged refilling, which we noticed was common for diners at other tables as well. The homey feeling continued throughout the meal.
Coffee and Ice Cream
Next stop was Madge Café – again, a branch in Atria – which somehow manages to capture the charm of the original location. First established as a stall in the La Paz Market in 1940, its coffee is still prepared the old-fashioned way, manually filtered using a kettle and colorador (cloth socks) as a filter. The walls are adorned with mugs engraved with the names of regular customers, symbolizing how the original market stall was supported by local people.
It was founded by Vicente de la Cruz, who named the café after his wife Magdalena. Now, various second and third generation family members operate different branches. After a few days of drinking a warm and cozy cup at the Atria branch, we visited the original La Paz Public Market outlet for more, run by grandson Peter “Nonoy” de la Cruz.
“Madge is an inherited legacy in our family,” he said. Businessworld. “The coffee actually comes from Iloilo. It's homegrown. We roast it without adding any preservatives. A lot of people don't know this, but we're actually growers of coffee.”
Another showcase of Iloilo's homegrown ingredients is Happy Endings Creamery and Food Lab, known for its iconic location in front of the Molo Mansion. There, we fell in love with its local flavors – Batwan (Green Citrus Fruit) Cheesecake and bye-bye (Roasted sticky rice and coconut).
Served with common ice cream flavors like chocolate, salted caramel, and pistachio, the Iloilo ingredients give a sweet, unique spin on flavors found in the region.
From Plaza to Seaside
A memorable stop was the Agatona 1927 Museum cafeWhich is located in the Jalandoni-Montinola ancestral home overlooking Jaro Plaza. Its heritage dishes are superb, reminiscent of the original and yet more refined: pinitaw na manok (Cock Adobo flakes), their eclipse Dinuguan, and even biscocho (toasted bread) for breakfast.
their tsokolat-eh (hot chocolate), served with ibos (Ilonggo version) flower or rice cakes), is also a favorite, and the sights of central Jaro, from the plaza to the cathedral, are best enjoyed out of the window.
Ms. Ledesma, representing the MICE Center of Iloilo, said businessworld The proposal he submitted to UNESCO for the City of Gastronomy designation to be awarded in 2023 was “based on abundance”.
“We are surrounded by rivers, seas, fields and mountains in the provinces, so there is enough food,” she explained. “It's historical. Miguel López de Legazpi, when he was in Cebu, he needed to feed his crew. He explored and landed on this island in Panay. When he landed, the first thing he said was, 'pan ai!,' in Spanish, 'ai pan!' Which literally means 'There's bread!' There is food there. He got rice and vegetables.”
The exact location where he landed was Oton, 11 kilometers west of Iloilo City. Next to it is Arevalo, the westernmost district of the city, which is home to several seaside restaurants where Ilonggos frequent with families for fresh seafood.
We visited one such restaurant, Breakthrough, which overlooks a quiet beach and the sea reaching Guimaras (which is famous for its mangoes). It's no surprise that the ripe mangoes and green mango shakes here were divine.
However, food should not be forgotten, ranging from local Lechon Manok Shellfish such as crayfish and scallops are also coveted. the wall. Grilled fish items on the menu are best paired with vegetable dishes such as Chop Suey.
“The abundance was evident during the pandemic. We were not scared because we had backyard farms. Out of 180 barangays [in Iloilo City]Ms. Ledesma said, 80 barangays had farms to feed their constituents, thereby claiming the lowest or even zero malnutrition among children. “Our story is not just about establishments. It starts with the produce, with the farmers and the markets.”
The UNESCO designation also helped foster pride among the Ilonggos, encouraging them to share their heritage recipes with more people. “Unless you know specific families and eat in their homes, you won't be able to get a taste of all these foods. Now, people are sharing and spreading it. If we lose these traditional recipes, we lose our cultural identity,” he said.
Siopao, batchoymerger
And in between watching the Dinagyang festival, Roberto's Queen Siopao kept us full and energized. It is a favorite of Ilonggos Siopao made of Chinese sausage, Adobo Flakes, and pieces of boiled eggs.
Our last stop was Netong in La Paz, where we tried their batchoy (a noodle soup with pork offal, pork cracklings and various other parts of pork). It is far superior to the instant noodle counterpart, which was the basis of comparison for most of the tour group's media. The delicious goodness of broth, possible only by the mixing of ingredients batchoy And to eat it immediately, while still hot, is to die.
An unexpected discovery we found on our last night in the city was the Forum Rooftop Dining & Lounge, located in The Grid building in the Mandurriao district. Recently opened, it serves innovative fusion cuisine including salads, pastas and brilliantly prepared comfort food lechon, pork knuckles, and pulled duck. It also has cocktails perfect for a classy night out while observing the Iloilo skyline.
Amidst the sleek yet cozy interiors of dark stone walls, marble-topped tables and custom-made porcelain pots by Lanelle Abueva, businessworld Forum spoke to chef Minor del Mundo.
“I have been in Iloilo for 20 years. I fell in love with this place and it has become my second home,” he said. Hailing from Silang, Cavite, his history as a chef includes working for world-class hotels abroad as well. Ms. Ledesma playfully calls him “elongated.”
When asked to describe what made Iloilo his second home, he joked, “Wala Kasi traffic dito (There is no traffic here),” then added, “The restaurants here used to serve soft drinks in bottles with colorful straws. There were only two Italian restaurants at that time. The food scene has improved since then, but I was challenged.”
In addition to the Forum, Mr. del Mundo also runs popular restaurants in the city such as Azul and Amarillo. In short, he described Iloilo as “very pure, with a lot of raw materials and ingredients.”
Over the course of a few days, whether Dinagyang is in season or not, any visitor will find this to be true – UNESCO designation or not.