If you are looking for some places where to eat in Dumaguete, then this blog about best restaurants in Dumaguete is for you! Click here if you want to get your discount booking activities in Dumaguete with Klook
Apart from Dumaguete food there are a lot of things to do in Dumaguete. Dumaguete is a city located in Negros Oriental province in the Visayas region of the Philippines.
Read here: How to Get to Dumaguete, 3-Day Dumaguete itinerary and Where to Stay in Dumaguete
SIM CARD AT MANILA AIRPORT
I wouldn’t recommend you to buy a sim card at Manila airport. If you wish comfort you can buy eSim online and if you aren’t in a hurry just go around phone shops in the city and compare prices to buy the cheapest sim card in Manila. Read here Philippines sim card for tourist and best Philippines eSim
You can find the cheapest Filipino eSim with Airalo Philippines eSim prepaid for $4 USD with 1 GB data valid for 7 days (USING DISCOUNT CODE GAMINTRAVELER 10%). For $9 USD with 3 GB data, for $13 USD with 5 GB data, for $21 USD with 10 GB data and for $32 USD with 20 GB data valid for 30 days.
Nomad eSim Philippines for $5 USD with 1 GB data valid for 7 days. For $10 USD with 2 GB data, For $13 USD with 3 GB data and for $15 USD with 5 GB data valid for 30 days. MTX Connect eSim Philippines for €24 with 4 GB data valid for 14 days. Holafly Philippines eSim for $44 USD if you use our code GAMINTRAVELER coming with 8 GB data valid for 30 days and you can activate with QR Code.
WHERE TO STAY IN THE PHILIPPINES
You can get accommodation starting from 800-1000 PHP (less than $20 USD) for a room in a guesthouse. Can you imagen if you are two of you traveling in the Philippines, it will be $10 USD each.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION WITH BOOKING AND AGODA!
BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
You can read Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full Heymondo Travel Insurance Review
You can get Safetywing Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads valid for 28 days Safetywing for $50 USD per month with kids until 10 years old included
BUYING THE BEST VPN AND FREE TRIALS
Sometimes is hard to connect your laptop to the VPN and you have to be patient. If you go for a week you will find VPN with free trials. We used Atlas VPN, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN. When connecting the VPN to your device will make it slower than usual.
Read here Atlas VPN vs Surfshark VPN, Atlas VPN full review, Atlas VPN vs Proton VPN, Nord VPN vs Surfshark VPN, PIA VPN vs Surfshark VPN, Proton VPN vs Surfshark VPN, ExpressVPN vs Surfshark VPN, IPVanish vs Surfshark VPN, Atlas VPN vs ExpressVPN and Atlas VPN vs Nord VPN
HOW TO GET TO DUMAGUETE
GETTING TO DUMAGUETE BY LAND FROM CEBU
If you’re getting to Dumaguete from Cebu. From Mactan International Airport you can get a taxi, Grab or take public transportation to South Bus Terminal.
You can take a direct bus from Cebu City South Bus Terminal in Cebu (located close to Elizabeth Mall) to Bato. Prices of the buses 270 PHP plus 70 PHP for the ferry to Tampi which is 40 Minutes by ferry.
One more hour by bus to Dumaguete City from Tampi port. The schedule of the buses going direct from Cebu to Bato port are from 5 am to 6 pm daily buses and the travel time is around 6 hours.
Read here full blog post on how to get from Cebu to Dumaguete!
And travel for several hours to Lilo-an. From Lilo-an, you can take a bus to Sibulan. This bus will ride on the RoRo (a vehicle vessel ship) to reach Negros Oriental. The ride on the ferry from Lilo-an to Sibulan lasted 20-40 minutes.
The bus ride costs around 230 PHP for a non-air conditioned bus. From Sibulan, you can then reach Dumaguete in around 20 minutes.
From Sibulan port to Dumaguete City there are multicabs around 15 PHP for 15 minutes ride. And there are also tricycles going to the city for around 100 PHP and you can join 3-4 people depending how much luggage you are bringing.
GETTING TO DUMAGUETE FROM CEBU BY BOAT
If you don’t want to ride the bus and you are getting to Dumaguete on a ferry from Cebu City that goes straight to Dumaguete, you can go on a fast ferry that is available daily in the city’s main port terminal.
A tourist class ferry ride costs 1,600 PHP while a business class ticket costs 1,910 PHP. Boats depart hourly from Cebu City around 9 AM. This ferry ride takes 4 hours and has a stopover at Tagbilaran City.
BEST TIME TO VISIT DUMAGUETE
If you’re looking for a party in Negros Oriental, the best time to visit Dumaguete is on the 3rd or 4th week of November. It is when the city celebrates their festival dedicated to Sta. Catalina de Alejandria, their patron saint
Weather-wise, the best time to visit Dumaguete is from February to March and from May to early June as this is the driest and coldest months of the year. Still, year-round temperatures really don’t vary much in Dumaguete. Rain does fall quite often during the wet season, though, especially around October, so you might want to consider visiting earlier in the year.
Click here to know more about the weather in Dumaguete!
TRANSPORTATION AROUND DUMAGUETE
There are a few ways to get around Dumaguete, with the tricycle being the cheapest option. These 3-wheeled vehicles can be hailed down on most roads at a flat rate of 20 PHP. If you’re traveling long distances on a tricycle, it’s best to negotiate a fee before riding. Tricycles from inside the airport may charge around 80-100 PHP to take you to your hotel.
Motorbikes can also be rented in Dumaguete. There are a few shops at Perdices Street that offer these services. You can also try renting motorcycles at Pinili corner Santa Rosa Street. Taxis are mostly found at the airport and hardly anywhere else.
ATMS AND CURRENCY IN DUMAGUETE
The country uses the Philippine Peso as its currency, where $1 USD = 53.55 PHP. As the capital city and main port of Negros Oriental, Dumaguete is a modern city with lots of establishments, universities and landmarks.
There are several local banks like Bank of the Philippine Islands and Banco de Oro with ATMs all over Dumaguete that come with a 250 PHP withdrawal fee and a limit of 10,000 PHP per transaction.
Click here to know the exact exchange rate!
DAILY FOOD BUDGET TRAVEL IN DUMAGUETE
You can get a decent and delicious meal from a local restaurant for as low as 100-200 PHP. If you want to go even lower, Perdice Street has carinderias (local canteens or eateries) that have 40 PHP home-cooked meals. Other eateries serve a wide variation of food from 30-100 PHP.
For something a bit fancy, a three-course meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant in Dumaguete can go for 450-700 PHP. That’s still only $9-14 USD for a dinner for two, though! Finally, beer can be bought for 50-70 PHP in Dumaguete. Keep reading below where to eat in Dumaguete.
Dorms, lodges, hostels and budget hotels in Dumaguete charge around 400-1000 PHP. On the other hand, mid-range hotels cost 1,200-2000 PHP and luxury rooms go for 2,200-5,000 PHP.
To get the most amazing room deals, you can book a place in Dumaguete before you travels with Booking and Agoda.
Click here if you want to get your discount booking activities in Dumaguete with Klook!
Having insurance while you are traveling outside your home country is very important. Make sure that you have one too, to keep you safe in your trips around the world.
WHERE TO EAT IN DUMAGUETE: RESTAURANTS IN DUMAGUETE
1. CASABLANCA RESTAURANT
Casablanca offers european, international, and vegetarian friendly. They offer a wide variety of food but they are most liked with their soups. The menu is pricey for Dumaguete but will still give great value.
Casablanca Restaurant is located at Rizal Avenue | Corner of Colon Extension, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental 6200, Philippines
2. GABBY’S BISTRO
Gabby’s Bistro offers great value for its price. It’s a restaurant with a creative atmosphere with a nice view. You’ll feel at home with its cozy interior. Guests love its chicken dishes and drinks.
Gabby Bistro is located at Rizal Boulevard | Paseo Perdices, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines
3. HAYAHAY TREEHOUSE BAR AND VIEWDECK RESTOBAR
The Hayahay Treehouse Bar offers good seafood. They have a “treehouse bar” that overlooks into the sea. The view is really great, but the price of the food is more expensive than other restaurants.
Hayahay Treehouse Bar and Viewdeck Restobar is located at
4. SANS RIVAL CAKES AND PASTRIES
Dumaguete is known to be “The City of Gentle People.” However, even sweeter than its residents are the two desserts that the city is known for. Silvanas are frozen cookies made from buttercream and cashew-meringue wafers that are covered with cookie crumbs.
The creaminess melts in your mouth whenever you take a bite of this heavenly snack. On the other hand, Sans Rival (literally “without rival”) is a cake made from the same ingredients and has also won the hearts and tummies of many.
These two are the perfect pasalubong (souvenir) from a trip to Dumaguete City. The best ones can be bought from a shop called Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries that are found in Dumaguete and all over Negros Oriental, and one of the restaurants in Dumaguete where you can find these two yummy sweets is in Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries.
Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries is located at San Jose St, Dumaguete.
5. STA. TERESA RESTO
Sta. Teresa Resto offers Filipino and Asian dishes at an affordable price. The interior of this place gives a relaxing venue to its customers. If you’re craving for the real Filipino type of dishes, then you’ll love it here.
Sta. Teresa Resto is located at 6200 San Juan Street, Dumaguete City.
6. 2 STORY KITCHEN
2 Story Kitchen offers “what you see is what you get” service. The food in the menu looks exactly the same as the food being served. Customers love the place’s consistency with their food, especially their korean dishes. Price is somewhere in the middle, not so cheap and not so expensive either.
2 Story Kitchen is located at Sta. Catalina Street, Dumaguete.
MORE RESTAURANTS IN DUMAGUETE AND WHERE TO EAT IN DUMAGUETE
7. PANDA ICE CREAM
Panda Ice Cream offers delicious desserts, one of which is their novelty Fried Ice Cream. They also have Halo-Halo mixed with soy milk, which customers love. Also, you might want to try their Sundae’s specialty. Their customers love the service and food so much so we think it’s one of the best restaurants in Dumaguete.
Panda Ice Cream is located at No. 3 Silliman Ave, Dumaguete.
8. JO’S CHICKEN INATO
If you’re craving for Inasal chicken barbecue, you might want to head out to Jo’s chicken Inato. They serve different Filipino dishes, ranging from seafood, pork, and grilled chicken.
Their best sellers still remain to be their Inato Leg Part and Inato Breast Part. The good point is they have affordable prices for their dishes so it’s good for big groups of people.
Jo’s Chicken Inato is located at Silliman Ave, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental.
9. KRI RESTAURANT
KRI Restaurant has some pretty impressive dishes ranging from Healthy, Asian and International. They also prepare their food aesthetically pleasing. Try their Chicken and Pasta dishes, but it’s better to trust your own tummy cravings!
Restaurant KRI is located at 53, Silliman Avenue, Dumaguete – Bacong Rd, Dumaguete.
10. SANS RIVAL BISTRO
Another one of the restaurants in Dumaguete is Sans Rival Bistro. One wouldn’t just leave Dumaguete without trying Sans Rival, and it just fortunately happens that Sans Rival Bistro arguably offers the best in town.
Customers most often queue up here to buy their famous Sans Rival, so if you have a chance, try queuing up as well.
Sans Rival Bistro is located at Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete City.
11. QYOSKO ESPRESSO BAR & CAFE
Despite its affordable prices, Qyosko Espresso Bar & Cafe will really satisfy your palates. They are doing their fundamentals right. The basics of are all covered out so even normal dishes taste more delicious than usual. If you love coffee and deserts, then you shouldn’t miss visiting this one of the best restaurants in Dumaguete.
Qyosko Espresso Bar & Cafe is located at Sta. Rosa Street, Dumaguete City.
12. LANTAW NATIVE RESTAURANT
Great Filipino ambiance, the music, interior and the staff are all one unique Filipino themed restaurant. The seafood is freshly served and the food is affordable. The restaurant can get crowded at times, since it is popular.
Lantaw is located at Ej Blanco Drive Corner Flores Avenue, Dumaguete City.
So, that wraps our 12 restaurants in Dumaguete! Which one do you like the best in the list where to eat in Dumaguete? Did we miss your favorite Dumaguete food? Let us know in the comments below!
On your next trip to Dumaguete, you might want to book your accommodation in Agoda or Booking.
If you are looking for activities to do in Dumaguete, you may book with Klook to get discounts too!
Happy travels and eating!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.