Filipinos love their fish, chicken, and pork. Yes, Filipino cuisine is not very vegetarian-friendly, and abstaining from meat while traveling the Philippines is quite a challenge.
Additionally, the island of Siargao was affected by typhoon Odette in December 2021 and the islanders are still recovering from it. Lots of places have closed and new restaurants are opening. Due to the lack of reviews and information, it's even harder to decide, where to eat in Siargao (also for meat-eaters).
No worries, I got you 🙌🏽 I've created a list of my top 10 favorite restaurants and cafes in Siargao - all vegetarian-friendly.
Table of Contents:
The Best Breakfast Places in Siargao
Looking for nourishing and healthy places for breakfast/brunch? Siargao has many of them (and had much more before Odette). Influencer Lost LeBlanc even compared Siargao to Bali, before it got hyped.
I have to admit, it gives a similar vibe, but I wouldn't compare it to Bali, especially not food-wise (🤫 read this Canggu food guide, and you know why)
The Perfect Smoothie Bowl at Shaka Cafe
Let's start with my personal favorite first, because I almost visited it daily. The food quality was amazing and it's located next to Cloud 9. Shaka Cafe is a vegan "restaurant" that is known for its Smoothie Bowls (and other healthy food).
A big plus for those who are traveling in the Philippines: Shaka Cafe has even more destinations in the Philippines!
The Bom Dia Smoothie Bowl was my personal favorite and the perfect start for the day. A good amount of base, granola at the top and the bottom, and on top fresh and well-presented mangos as decoration.
The bowl and coffee combo costs 380 PHP (6.70$), which is a bit pricey in comparison with other breakfast spots, but if you're into smoothie bowls in the morning, like I am, it's worth it.
They also have a small variation of salty dishes: a Falafel Wrap, a Veggie Sandwich, a Quinoa Salad, and even more sweet dishes, like Chia Pudding, Muesli, and so on.
Additionally, if you're looking for decent wifi, Shaka Cafe offers you a good internet connection as well.
Digital Nomads Hotspot: Spotted Pig
If you're heading from General Luna to Cloud 9 you can't miss this place. Located next to the main road there's another great cafe called Spotted Pig. It has a variety of vegetarian and vegan breakfast dishes and is a popular place for digital nomads. Just be aware that the cafe is quite small and the spots are limited.
The Corner Cafe - a Spot in General Luna
Looking for hearty waffles? The Corner Cafe might be your spot to enjoy its famous Waffles with a variety of salty and sweet options. While you're eating your waffle you can enjoy the view of the main road of General Luna or even work on your computer (internet quality was okay).
Get Energized after Surfing at Munchies
If you want to surf at Jacking Horse, there's a good place for recharging your battery afterward. Cafe Kokomo has tasty Smoothie Bowls, Sandwiches, good Coffee, and Matcha Lattes. It's also a good place for watching other surfers, relaxing at the beach, or practicing your balance at one of the slack lines.
Vegetarian-Friendly Lunch Places in Siargao
Hungry during lunchtime? Here are my top three lunch places with vegetarian options!
Eat Like A Filipino at Kurvada
It's the hotspot for lunch and early dinner. Looking for affordable, vegetarian-friendly, and nourishing food? Kurvada is your place.
Kurvada is a Carinderia (Filipino-style eatery) that offers lunch starting at 11 am until they run out of food. An affordable spot where you pay around 80 - 200 PHP per plate, depending on how many dishes you take. The vibe at Kurvada is unique. It seems like everyone knows each other and it's one big community.
Filipino Food but Made Vegan at Cosmic
It's a fact, Filipinos love meat and fish. Hence, you may have probably a hard time finding anything vegetarian, especially if you'd like to try Filipino food.
Luckily, there's a restaurant that saw that flaw as an opportunity. Cosmic offers you tasty and traditional Filipino dishes but vegan! My personal favorite was the "Beef" Caldereta which reminded me of my mother's version. Soy chunks in a well-seasoned tomato sauce with vegetables, best accompanied by rice 😋 They also had a tasty Ramen Soup with lechon-like chunks.
It was hard to believe that it was vegan! Unfortunately, this place is only open from lunchtime until 4 pm.
More Vegetarian Filipino Food at Vedya
Another great spot, especially for vegetarians and vegans is Vedya. It's a hidden gem, located at the backroad. Like Cosmic, they offer vegetarian and vegan versions of Filipino dishes and great vegan pancakes as well.
The only thing that bothered me during my visit to the restaurant was the staff. They were not hospitable, didn't give us a menu nor welcomed us. It definitely would be a lovely place, if they improve their hospitality.
Veggie-Friendly Dinner Places in Siargao
My favorite time to eat in a restaurant is for dinner. I differentiate between lunch and dinner places, not because of opening times - I also have some requirements.
Dinner places are either nobler or serve more hearty dishes (such as burgers, pizzas, and plates of pasta). In this section, you find my (x) dinner restaurants.
A Vegetarian Big Mac at Big Belly
A question I'd like to ask McDonalds:
"Dear McDonald, why is a restaurant at the very end of the world able to create a vegetarian version of the BigMac and you're not?"
Before I was a vegetarian the Big Mac was my favorite burger at McDonald's. I know that in some countries (such as Switzerland) McDonald's has re-created the McChicken, or have other vegetarian burgers on their menu. However, it's by far not the same as Big Mac.
Time goes by and I'm still waiting for the vegetarian version of the Big Mac. Funny that I had to travel to Siargao to find it. No, not at McDonald's, but at Big Belly!
The sauce, the soy patty, the lettuce... it reminded me very much of the Big Mac. In Siargao, I was finally able to enjoy my favorite burger from McDonald's again.
💡 They do have also other options (with meat or without), and I bet they're as good as the vegetarian Big Mac.
Second Round at Kurvada
I've already mentioned this place above, but around 6 pm Kurvada re-opens for dinner again.
The same concept as lunchtime. Food is served at 6 pm and is open until they run out of food. You need to be there early since the food is gone quickly (most of the time they didn't have food until around 7 pm).
A Pizza at Primo's Pizzeria
It was a challenging journey until we found a decent pizza and I have to admit, that it doesn't look like it. Primo's Pizzeria was (December 2022) the best pizza I had in Siargao. The dough and the tomato sauce were both very delicious.
They also offer pasta which was cooked 'al dente' and the portion size was good as well.
👉🏽 I know there's another Italian place in Siargao serving good pizzas. Due to lack of service, I can't recommend it.
Thailand's Most-Popular Food at Thai Foon
Located in the city center, you'll find a small restaurant called Thai Foon. It doesn't have the best vibe for dining and was quite empty when we were there. Nevertheless, if you're craving Thai food this might be the best chance to get it.
I tried the Pad Thai, a Red Curry, and the Papaya Salad. It was nothing outstanding, but it was affordable and prepared quickly.
Create Your Noodles at Noods
The concept of Noods is simple.
Choose your type of noodle, add your preferred sauce, and choose your ingredients. There you go, your stir-fried noodles in a bowl. Once you place your order your noodles are prepared.
The menu was very limited, ingredients were often missing, and it took very long until we got our food. Nevertheless, it was very tasty!
The most Authentic Carinderia - Karen
Next to Noods, there's a typical Carinderia called Karen. The perfect place if you're looking for cheap and quick food. You can create your plate, by choosing whatever you want and pay for every dish you take.
I went there for their Tortang Talong, an eggplant omelet and Vegetarian curry, and paid less than $4.
Sibol - Live Music and Delicious Food
Another popular spot for dining is Sibol. Every evening they have a live band and therefore, it's packed with people who are having drinks or enjoying their food. Just make sure, you're not sitting next to the jukebox, because the music can get loud.
We had food once at this place and we were impressed by the Vegetarian Poke Bowl. Great sauce, a good amount of vegetables accompanied with well-seasoned tofu. Also, you must try their smoothies with additional superfood, one of the best smoothies you can find on the island, with no added sugar or milk.
Vegetarian Sushi at The Drunken Sushi
It's the only Sushi place we'd found on that island and luckily, it offers Vegetarian Sushi Rolls as well, so big thumbs up for that. The Drunken Sushi has a limited card and only offers four different sushi rolls and three of the rolls can be made vegan. We tried all three vegan options and every roll had its charm. Our personal favorite was the Spicy Tuna Maki. Additionally, we had the Roasted Sesame Salad, which was great too. In comparison to other places, it's overpriced. A Sushi Roll costs over 320 PHP (6$).
Best Restaurant in Siargao - La Mesa
Last but not least, our favorite place to dine in. La Mesa is one of the only "normal" restaurants you can find in Siargao. What do I mean by normal? Well, a restaurant with great on-table service and where you won't leave the place as soon as you've eaten. It invites you to stay seated and maybe drink a cocktail afterward. It's perfectly located and a great start for your night. We repeatedly had the Vegetarian Basil Stir-Fry and a Papaya Salad as an appetizer, but we kept coming back for it over and over again.
all food is look delicious 😋❤️