Where To Eat In El Nido: Our 10 Favorite Foodie Bets
As more and more travelers head to El Nido each year, its dining scene is also growing. Every year, the downtown landscape changes, with more and more establishments, well, establishing themselves in what has now become a tourist favorite. But with new restaurants popping up left and right, choosing where to eat in El Nido could take forever. Here are ten of our best bets to help you decide:
1Trattoria Altrove
No list of El Nido restaurants will be complete without this. If you’ve done even a cursory search of where to eat in El Nido, chances are Altrove topped the results. It’s arguably El Nido’s most well-known dining joint—and for good reason. Their thin-crust brick oven pizza is a crispy-chewy dream come true. Having it after a full day of seeing El Nido’s beautiful lagoons will make you feel like the luckiest person in the world.
Trattoria Altrove
Calle Hama, Buena Suerte, El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 12 a.m.
2Purno Bravo Pizza
For some reason, Italian food is really big (and really good in El Nido). If Altrove is full (which is almost always the case), head to this lesser-known restaurant. Their pizza and pasta dishes are great for satisfying your Italian food craving, but they also serve Pinoy favorites like sisig and adobo, if someone in your group is in the mood for something else.
Purno Bravo Pizza
Real st. Buena Suerte, El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
3El Nido Boutique & Artcafe
Another El Nido institution, Artcafe is known as much for its ambiance as its food. With a beachfront dining area and live music, it’s an especially romantic spot if you’re out on a dinner date. Their seafood dishes and paella are highly recommended. Just remember, if you intend on eating here for dinner, come early because it’s always full!
El Nido Boutique & Artcafe
Buena Suerte, El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
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4Odessa Mama Street Café
Ukranian food is probably the last thing you thought you’d find on a Philippine island, but El Nido is nothing if not full of surprises. This hole in the wall serves up a load of exotic sounding dishes: borscht (sour beetroot soup), varenyky (Ukrainian dumplings), and cheburek (minced meat turnover). Once you get over the unfamiliar sounding names, though, you’ll be pleased to find that their food is hearty and filling.
Odessa Mama Street Café
M. Quezon st., Buena Suerte, El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
5Midtown Bakery
Midtown’s simple storefront may look like any other bakeshop in any other Pinoy bayan. Their baked goods, however, are unlike any you’ve tried before. The pandesal, doughnuts, and banana bread are must-tries. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch them just as they’re being brought out of the oven. It’s a great place to stock up on snacks before heading out island hopping. The prices are super cheap, too!
Midtown Bakery
Rizal st., El Nido, Palawan
Opens at 5:30 a.m.
READ: Here’s An Easy Five-day Palawan Itinerary For First-timers
6Osaka Castle
El Nido could not be further from Japan when it comes to the vibe and landscape. This restaurant though brings those two wildly different places together one delicious dish at a time. Known for their authentic Japanese flavors, people head here to try the katsudon, tempura, and their legendary salmon sashimi.
Osaka Castle
Rizal st., El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
7Lolo Banana
The string lights and cute wicker chairs make this place an Instagram dream. Even more so when you realize that you’re right in the shadow of El Nido’s towering limestone ridges. If the cushy ambiance doesn’t make you want to stay, their cocktails, sandwiches, and juicy burgers will.
Lolo Banana
The Bazaar, Rizal st., El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
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8Eiland Café
If you want to know where to eat in El Nido for breakfast, head to this sunny spot. Coffee addicts will love their generous selection of brews from all over the Philippines, including the rare civet coffee from Palawan itself. Their french toast and tuna melt sandwiches have kick-started countless perfect days from the people who were lucky enough to eat them.
Eiland Café
Pops District, Brgy. Corong-Corong, El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
9Happiness Beach Bar
Something about Mediterranean food makes you crave it after you’ve spent a day out on the sea. If you find yourself in that situation, you can eat your fill at Happiness Beach Bar. Their falafel and hummus bowls are healthy and super satisfying—the perfect thing to fill you up at the end of an adventure-filled day.
Happiness Beach Bar
Serena st., El Nido, Palawan
Open daily from 8:00 a.m to 12:00 a.m.
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10Las Cabanas
When it comes to where to eat in El Nido, the generous portions and delectable dishes at Las Cabanas are pleasant enough. But the real draw is its location. When it comes to the best seats in the house for sunset, you just can’t beat Las Cabanas. Right on the corner of Maremegmeg Beach in Corong-Corong, it has an unbridled view of the sunset show and seats right on the shore for you to enjoy it.
Las Cabanas
Maremegmeg Beach, Brgy. Corong-Corong, El Nido, Palawan
With so many options, figuring out where to eat in El Nido can be almost as exciting as the island tours. Whatever you think of this island town’s exponential commercialization, at least you know there’s always a good meal to be had there. At any rate, a full belly means you have all the energy to try all the experiences the island has to offer. If you don’t know where to start, check out our five day Palawan itinerary!
