ZAMBALES | Food Trip ~ Where To Eat In Zambales 2026
Sunday, June 14, 2026
My Zambaleño food experience was always about mangoes, freshly caught tunas, and delectable kakanin rice cakes. But the past Dinamulag Festival weekend and recent family visits introduced me to more than the usual table fares in the province, discovering the more metropolitan side of eating places in Zambales. From local dishes and Filipino comfort food, to street food and posh café offerings, I was pleasantly surprised at the variety culinary places in Zambales worthy of a side trip from its beaches and mountains.
| WHERE TO EAT IN ZAMBALES TABLE OF CONTENTS ~ WHAT’S INSIDE?
ALREADY CLOSED: ► WHERE TO EAT IN CABANGAN |
SONSING RESTAURANT & LOUNGE / SONSING RESTO LOUNGE (IBA)
ADDRESS: GOVIC HI-WAY, BANGANTALINGA, IBA | CONTACT: +63 (945) 885-5553 | OPENING HOURS: 10AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.341436, 119.970656 | FACEBOOK | MENU
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| SONSING RESTAURANT & LOUNGE IN IBA, ZAMBALES |
One of the go-to restaurants in Iba, Zambales when it comes to Filipino food is Sonsing. The restaurant is named after the owner’s father whose love of cooking was passed down to his son. They actually serve more than the usual Filipino favorites—their menu packed with everything from burgers, steaks, Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes. During our visit, filled to brimming as our table was, it didn’t even reach a fourth of their offerings.
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| INSARABASAB ~ PHP 280.00 |
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| LARGE TINAPA FRIED RICE ~ PHP 230.00 |
We were able to sample their Pinangat na Labong sa Gata, Salmon Sashimi, California Maki, Black Fungus Soup, Crispy Pata Kare-Kare, Zambalyete, Insarabasab (Ilocano roasted pork), Kalderetang Kambing, Binagoongang Lechon Kawali, and one of their special rice to pair it with, Tinapa Fried Rice.
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| PINANGAT NA LABONG ~ PHP 250.00 |
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| CRISPY PATA KARE-KARE |
Their Pinangat na Labong sa Gata (₱250.00), a house specialty with origins from the Bicol Region, stood out among the rest, along with their Crispy Pata Kare-Kare—which was really peanuty and has a very crispy pork—served with delicious bagoong. I was also intrigued by their Zambalyete (₱290.00) which seemed to be sautéed cubed tuna with a helping of bagoong, topped with tartar sauce, and thin strips of mango—it was definitely very Zambales. And let’s not forget the Tinapa Fried Rice (Large, ₱230.00) and Black Fungus Soup (₱195.00), which actually brought everything together really well.
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| NACHOS WITH MANGO DIP | ZAMBALYETE ~ PHP 290.00 |
For desserts, two boxfuls of special cassava cake—regular and ube—sealed the final sweet notes. Delicious.
➤ BOOK MT. PINATUBO TOUR HERE!
BONITA’S KITCHEN ~ FORMERLY LC’S STOP & CHOW (CABANGAN)
ADDRESS: NATL. HI-WAY, LONGOS, CABANGAN | CONTACT: +63 (920) 405-7000 | OPENING HOURS: 7AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.144496, 120.052117 | FACEBOOK | MENU
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| THE NEW LC’S STOP & CHOW AT CABANGAN, ZAMBALES |
I’ve always passed by LC’s Stop & Chow in Cabangan—the old restaurant was just a hop away from my uncle’s house—but for some reason, I’ve always failed to visit. It took a festival and a change of location for LC’s before I finally got to have a taste of their food.
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| PINAKBET & KALDERETA |
Still located in Cabangan, on a more spacious parcel of land and with a lot more stylish restaurant—which reminds me of food places in Tagaytay, by the way—LC’s Stop & Chow is a legend in Zambales. The owners originally hail from Batangas before transferring to Subic, then Cabangan, where they finally put up a restaurant. Their menu consists of Filipino fares with a dash of Batangeño flair. Guest their specialty? Bulalo, of course.
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| BULALO ~ ₱455.00 MEDIUM, ₱570.00 LARGE |
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| CRISPY PATA ~ ₱625.00 |
And along with the two bowls of bulalo that came sliding down our table, we were served with pans of pizza, plates of pinakbet, kalderetang kambing, and the most beautifully fried crispy pata I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Their bulalo (Medium, ₱445.00)is reminiscent of the Mahogany Market bulaluhan in Tagaytay—which they aptly claim on their menu—and their pizza options, especially the Overload (₱415.00) was indeed fully loaded. It was honestly one of the best pizzas I’ve ever tried. LC’s crispy pata (₱625.00),on the other hand, is one of the best, if not the best crispy pata I’ve had. The way they cut and fried it was simply genius, making everything crispy and lessening the hassle of knifing the pork into bite-sized pieces.
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| PIZZA OVERLOAD (₱415.00) & HALO-HALO (₱85.00) |
It really made me wonder why it took this long before I finally ate at LC’s Cabangan.
2026 UPDATE: LC’s Stop & Chow has already closed, but for fans of the OG Cabangan Restaurant, fret not, a new owner has stepped in and hired the previous staff to continue LC’s legacy dishes. I haven’t personally tried this restaurant’s incarnation yet, but locals attest that it does hold up to LC’s former glory.
➤ NEAR HERE: MAGALAWA ISLAND
THE BAKERY BY S.E. (IBA)
ADDRESS: J.GONZALES ST. COR. MAGSAYSAY AVE., IBA | CONTACT: +63 (47) 307-2514 / +63 (915) 043-8144 | OPENING HOURS: 12NN-10PM | GPS MAP: 15.326600, 119.978515 | FACEBOOK | MENU
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| THE BAKERY BY S.E. AT IBA, ZAMBALES |
À la midnight snack, we went to the Bakery by S.E. in Iba before retiring for the night. The burgers are to die for, M—one of the organizers—kept on repeating. Alright, so burger it is! Plus, errr, a few helpings of cookies, cheesecake, pastas, muffins, and a huge bowl of soup on the side. Wait a minute, didn’t we just eat?!
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| STRAWBERRY CHEESE CAKE ~ PHP 175.00 |
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| NACHOS WITH MANGO DIP |
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| MANGO JALAPENO CHEESEBURGER ~ ₱288.00 |
But yes, The Bakery’s burgers are indeed to die for. Dubbed as the Mango Jalapeno Cheeseburger (₱288.00), it’s about eight inches high, loaded with multiple patties, sloppily lathered with mayo and cheese, and set with bits of mangoes and jalapeño chilies. It was incredibly good and also, incredibly hard to eat without making a mess. The combination of flavors work really well together, with the jalapeño bits giving an additional kick. Really, really good. I’d have to say it again. Really, really good.
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| COMBINATION SOUP (₱208.00) & CARBONARA (₱148.00) |
And not to forget about the other plates on the table, I’d also have to commend their carbonara (₱208.00) and spaghetti (₱148.00)—the servings were on the petite size, especially after the burger—but every forkful was well worth the calories.
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| HOUSE COOKIES |
BIGFOOT RESTAURANT (SAN ANTONIO)
ADDRESS: BRGY. WEST DIRITA., SAN ANTONIO | CONTACT: +63 (908) 456-8791 | OPENING HOURS: 11AM-11PM, CLOSED ON TUESDAYS | GPS MAP: 14.965259, 120.086603 | FACEBOOK | MENU
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| BIGFOOT RESTAURANT ZAMBALES’ AL FRESCO AREA |
One of the OG restaurants in the whole of Zambales, Bigfoot Restaurant has been around since 1979 and was quite popular during the time of the US Bases in the province. Located in the town of San Antonio, it was in fact frequented by US personnel from Subic during its initial outing as a restobar, before it shifted its focus as a restaurant with a videoke—one of the first at the time—which quickly attracted the local crowd. They have since removed the videoke machine, retaining only their delicious food.
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| BIGFOOT RESTAURANT INTERIORS IN SAN ANTONIO |
During a random road trip from Cabangan, my wife suggested we snack there just to relive childhood memories in Zambales. With no real plan, we randomly ordered their their sisig, pancit guisado, and halo-halo. That last one, an essential Bigfoot order, she said. Even their menu declares that it is the best halo-halo in Zambales.
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| SISIG ~ ₱315.00 |
For its price, I found the sisig (₱315.00) to be on the small side. It has no mayo and egg, something most Kapampangan would appreciate. It was crispy and tasted like any other good sisig, which isn’t really bad thing. I mean, why fix something that ain’t broken. I just wish it has a more generous portion and served on sizzling plate for added oomph.
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| PANSIT GUISADO ~ ₱210.00 |
Like their sisig, their pancit guisado (₱210.00) tasted as it should—well, for me, at least, my companions all found it to be a tad too salty. I love how fresh the veggies were and how crunchy they still were. They served it with a couple of calamansi, which seemed unnecessary since the dish already has that distinct calamansi flavor.
It’s actually one of their bestsellers, along with their crispy pata, fried chicken, kare-kare, and Filipino-style pizza.
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| BIGFOOT HALO-HALO ~ ₱179.00 |
Everyone in the group agreed that the winner at Bigfoot Restaurant was their Bigfoot Halo-Halo (₱179.00). Their ice was finely shaved, ala Razon’s, was mixed with an almost syrupy blended langka, and has a very pinipig flavor. It’s topped with two slices of leche flan, and a scoop of ube and vanilla ice cream.
CASA BARAKA (CABANGAN)
ADDRESS: PUROK 1, BRGY. SAN ISIDRO., CABANGAN | CONTACT: +63 (962) 271-4078 | OPENING HOURS: 8:30AM-10PM, DAILY | GPS MAP: 15.162014, 120.045557 | FACEBOOK | MAIN MENU / DRINKS MENU / PARTY TRAYS MENU
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| CASA BARAKA IN CABANGAN |
One of the newest cafes to pop up in Zambales, Casa Baraka, opened with Skarlet of Put3ska skanking like a Manila Girl along its vast garden, has bucolic farmlands as backdrop, has a chef holding a resume for a fifteen-year stint in Boracay (from The Lind, Crimson, and Movenpick), has an Arabic name that means blessing, and have pet ducks that strut across their yard. While you’re probably expecting something eclectic from Casa Baraka, what they actually serve is five-star restaurant-caliber Filipino comfort food.
►SEE: THE LIND BORACAY DINNER
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| AL FRESCO SEATS AT CASA BARAKA |
We visited the casa for breakfast, hankering for the holy trinity of Filipino morning meal—tapsilog, tocilog, and longsilog. That last one, however, was out of stock. They explained that they make everything themselves—from scratch. So if they can’t procure the proper ingredients, they simply don’t offer them for the day. Alright, commendable. So, instead of garlic longganisa, we opted for their much vaunted hamburger.
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| TOCILOG (₱235.00) & TAPSILOG HOME DELIVERY (₱265.00) AT CASA BARAKA |
Their silogs are priced a bit too steeply for me. To be fair, the meat portion is a tad more generous than usual, has two eggs, atchara on the sides, fried rice, and comes with a cup of Milano Blend Arabica-Robusta brewed coffee. While the tocino (₱235.00) was good, their beef tapa (₱265.00) was better—beef strips with the perfect combination of savory, vinegary, and salty elements—making me wish I ordered it instead. I did, nevertheless, got the full experience a couple of days later when our aunt treated us to a takeaway breakfast from Casa Baraka.
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| BARAKA BURGER WITH FRIES ~ ₱255.00 |
The Baraka Burger with Fries (₱255.00), has a quarter-pound of Brazilian beef sandwiched with slices of tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles on a brioche bread. It comes with a serving of potato wedges complemented by a ketchup and some sort of mayo dip. The patty has that distinct char-grilled taste, very subtle flavor. I, however, prefer my burger to have a much stronger flavor and with a softer bun—but I might be the minority here, as they said it’s one of their best-sellers, and not a few people I spoke with in Cabangan has nothing but praises for it.
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| CASA BARAKA IN CABANGAN |
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| CASA BARAKA’S BRIGHT INTERIORS |
While having breakfast, we got to talking with its very animated owner—unaware, lunchtime crept up on us and we were soon ordering food again. This time we requested for their mushroom truffle oil pizza and bagnet kare kare.
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| MUSHROOM TRUFFLE OIL PIZZA ~ ₱359.00 |
I’m no truffle expert, but their Mushroom Truffle Pizza (₱359.00) was quite good. The winner for me though was the Bagnet Kare-Kare (₱339.00). Serving size is massive, it’s actually good for two to three persons—totally justifying its price. It has generous amount of veggies—pechay, stringbeans, and eggplants, no banana blossoms though—and more importantly, it has chunks of bagnet. It’s not your usual kare-kare—with actual peanuts bits still swimming on its thick, creamy, and somehow garlicky, sauce. While I wish that the bagnet skin still retained its crispiness, it’s still one of the best kare-kare I’ve tried in Zambales, or any other place for that matter.
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| BAGNET KARE-KARE ~ ₱339.00 |
2026 UPDATE: We’ve dined numerous times at Casa Baraka ever since reviewing it and there have been numerous changes since.
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| CASA BARAKA’S NEW AIRCONDITIONED WING |
The restaurant has now expanded from a few air-conditioned tables to a full restaurant that can comfortably accommodate sixty guests—the al freso part, now also air-conditioned. A pickle ball court, located out back, is also available guests, you just have to order something to be able to use it for free.
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| DELICIOUS PORK BINAGOONGAN ~ ₱359.00 |
But there are also some things that remain the same, which is not a bad thing. The food remains good and prices remain affordable. The kare-kare remains a favorite. And we also have new faves on our list, which include their Pork Binagoongan (₱359.00), which rises to greater heights if you ask for an extra dish of bagoong alamang and Pepperoni Pizza.
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| FINALLY GOT TO TRY THEIR LONGSILOG, WHICH USES LEGIT ALAMINOS LONGGANISA ~ ~ ₱255.00 |
And finally, I got to try their Longsilog (₱255.00)—which varies from Ybanag or Alaminos longganisa, depending on availability, they source it straight from Tuguegarao and Alaminos. If you’re ordering this, make sure to ask it well done for best flavor.
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| EVENINGS AT CASA BARAKA |
I also love that they now offer bang-for-the-buck Party Trays, which can serve 8 to 10 persons.
KITCHEN K CAFE & RESTAURANT (CABANGAN)
ADDRESS: NATL. HI-WAY, LONGOS, CABANGAN | CONTACT: +63 (915) 264-0598 | OPENING HOURS: 10AM-9PM, DAILY | GPS MAP: 15.141295, 120.054064 | FACEBOOK | MENU
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| KITCHEN K’S SNAZZY INTERIORS |
Housed in a simple white façade with arch-top door and windows, Kitchen K surprises as you step inside. In contrast to its outer shell, the interiors are decorated in eclectic mix of bare concrete walls, hanging wood-caned lamps, and dark wooden furniture, complemented with moss green accents. The effect is gorgeously classy—I haven’t seen anything like this in Cabangan, or even Zambales.
They also have outdoor seats, shaded by lush trees—which is probably enchanting during the evenings. I just find it strange that their toilet is located within this area, like, you have to go out the front door of the restaurant to access it.
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| LECHON KAWALI KARE-KARE ~ ₱485.00 |
They mainly offer Filipino dishes with a few Westerns in between. For appetizers, we ordered their Crispy Shanghai (₱395.00). For the mains, we asked for their Chicken Galantina Roll (₱595.00), Bagnet Pinakbet (₱365.00), Lechon Kawali Kare Kare (Small, ₱485.00), and Crispy Pata (Large, ₱995.00). All these were paired with a bowl of KK Fried Rice (₱355.00) and Pancit Bihon (₱355.00).
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| BAGNET PINAKBET ~ ₱365.00 |
We all agreed that their pakbet, kare kare, and crispy pata were all really good—the pork, fried just right, retaining juiciness without sacrificing crispiness. The fried rice also has that smoky flavor, which everyone liked. I find the galantina to be delicious, while my companions found it to be so-so. Everyone agreed that the pancit and shanghai was just so-so, a few even finding the latter to be a bit funky in taste.
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| CHICKEN GALANTINA ROLL ~ ₱595.00 |
Prices are on the high side—this is probably the most expensive restaurant in Cabangan, as of this writing—but it compensates with generous servings and excellent flavor.
WIMPY'S (OLONGAPO)
ADDRESS: MAGSAYSAY DRIVE, OLONGAPO CITY | CONTACT: (047) 222-3213 | OPENING HOURS: 9AM – 10PM, DAILY | GPS MAP: 14.828625, 120.282130 | MENU
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| THE ORIGINAL WIMPY’S BRANCH AT MAGSAYSAY DRIVE |
A local fast-food institution in Olongapo City, Wimpy’s started out in 1982 as a restobar—it’s original name actually is Wimpy’s Pub House—catering to US servicemen during Subic’s American-base era. It has since transformed into something similar to Jollibee, or more aptly, Tropical Hut. They serve fast-food favorites like burgers, pasta, and fried chicken. But aside from that, they also have mami and traditional Filipino pancit dishes on their menu, plus short-order dishes like sisig and lechon kawali.
They have four branches—all of them in Olongapo—with the original branch located along Magsaysay Drive. And that’s where we went for dinner. Well, actually my wife, BG, who hails from Zambales, has already tried Wimpy’s multiple times, but it was a first time for me and Kid A.
We ordered their Super Cheeseburger Combo Meal (₱124.00), 2-piece Chicken Dinner (₱166.00), and a slice of Brazo de Mercedes cake for dessert. Prices are noticeably lower compared to more famous fast-food joints in the country.
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| SUPER CHEESEBURGER COMBO MEAL |
Wimpy’s Super Cheeseburger Combo Meal is served on a plate with fries and, surprisingly, a slice of cucumber and tomato—which, I guess, you can put in the burger if you like. The bun looks like a typical local bakery monay bun with a very homemade-ish patty. And as expected, it did taste like a very charming home-made burger, which is actually not a bad thing.
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| TWO-PIECE CHICKEN DINNER |
Similarly, the Chicken Dinner also tasted like homemade fried chicken. It was also served with a slice of cucumber and tomato. Both dishes were good, but nothing really outstanding. I guess it’s the taste of home for Zambaleños more than anything else.
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| SUPERB BRAZO DE MERCEDES AT WIMPY’S |
But before brushing off Wimpy’s from your Zambales food list, you have to try their Brazo de Mercedes cake first, which really blew us away. Soft and moist and with just the right amount of sweetness; it was really, really delicious.
XTREMELY XPRESSO CAFÉ (OLONGAPO ~ SBMA)
ADDRESS: 1 DEWEY AVE. COR. STA. RITA ROAD, SBMA, OLONGAPO CITY | CONTACT: +63 (917) 521-7642 | OPENING HOURS: 6AM - 11PM, DAILY | GPS MAP: 14.819189, 120.280776 | MENU
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| XTREMELY XPRESSO AT SBMA |
A favorite stopover when traveling from Manila to Zambales, and vice versa, is Xtremely Xpresso, a European-style bistro inside the SBMA grounds. The restaurant’s interior is cozy, with brick-laden walls, while the al fresco area is breezy with lush planted surroundings. We always preferred eating al fresco by choice, but really, mostly because it was always too crowded inside.
Operating since 2003, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And we have tried all these through our numerous visits.
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| GOOD MORNING BREAKFAST ~ ₱320.00 | BREAKFAST PANCAKE ~ ₱170.00 |
For their breakfast, our favorites include their Good Morning Breakfast (₱320.00) and Breakfast Pancake (₱170.00). The former particularly impressed on me, with its combination of two fried eggs, a footlong sausage, bacon, butter, and sliced bread. Deliciously sinful.
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| SALISBURY STEAK ~ ₱280.00 | BABY BACK RIBS ~ ₱345.00 |
For lunch, we’ve tried their Salisbury Steak (₱280.00), Baby Back Ribs (₱345.00), Meatball Spaghetti (₱260.00), and Bacon Cheeseburger (₱280.00), which includes some potato chips. The Salisbury is my personal favorite, with the rice and meat swimming on delicious gravy—although I wish they have an option for a fried egg.
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| XTREMELY XPRESSO’S ICONIC BIG BEN PIZZA |
Dinner usually has us ordering Macho Tacos (₱260.00) as starters and following it up with their massive 22-inch Big Ben Pizza (Regular ₱749.00, Xtra Large ₱939.00) for sharing.
Prices tip a little teeny bit on the high side, but Xtremely Xpresso’s serving size and enjoyable flavors more than make up for it.
OH-BEN BAKED CAFÉ
ADDRESS: GOVIC HI-WAY, BANGANTALINGA, IBA | CONTACT: +63 (998) 549-4797 | OPENING HOURS: 8AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.341559, 119.970618
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| OH-BEN BAKED CAFE IN IBA, ZAMBALES |
We need not stray far for our after-meal coffee fix. Right next door to Sonsing is the Oh-Ben Baked Café. Oh-Ben. Oven. Gets? Lol.
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| CINNAMON BUNS, CAKE, AND COFFEE |
Operated by the same family, the café is geared more for the younger crowd with its black on wood interiors and coffee-ism wall quotes. Very hipster. We were able to try out their cinnamon buns, a few slices of cakes, and of course, their coffee—which was pretty good.
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| HAVING A CUP OF COFFEE AT OH-BEN BAKED CAFE |
Oh-Ben Baked Café is currently closed for renovation, but their cookies and pastries can still be bought at The Bakery by S.E.
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