Tag Archives: davao dining

Holy Week Dining Guide

Davao Holy Week Dining Guide

Here are the restaurants open during Holy Week holidays from April 2 to April 4 (Holy Thursday – Black Saturday):

Alors: A Home Kitchen (food tray orders from the commisary only)
andMatcha
Bairrada Churasquerria
Chosun Chicken
Chung’s Kimchi
Classio Mobile Wood Fired Oven
Dani’s Palace
Fabian’s Pizza
Grateful Bread
Kindred Cafe
Made Simple
Mojicans Mexican Restaurant
Nonki (DGT only)
Oboza Compound: Tola, Huckleberry, Chiang Mai Superstar
Pilgrim Restaurant
Sitio Babak Korean Restaurant
Vegan Dinosaur

andMatcha

Starting our recommendations with our favorite matcha bar: &Matcha.

andMatcha Three Yards Hojicha and ereader

They craft rich and diverse matcha blends that cater to every taste. Keep an eye out for their seasonal offerings which include specialty matcha blends and regional matcha.

Their beautiful, minimalist interiors and picturesque locations are the perfect retreat for a quiet time this weekend. Whether you’re going alone or with family and friends, &matcha is a great matcha bar stop for the weekend. You can even bring a book to read or your journal.

Both their north and south branches are open during the Holy Week, Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, April 2 -5, 2026.

North: Don Dionisio Complex, Cabaguio Avenue, Agdao, Davao City
South: Three Yards, Casiana Villa-Abrille Street (corner Tulip Drive), Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City

Chung’s Kimchi

Next on our list is one of our all-time favorite dining spots in Davao: Chung’s Kimchi. Whether you’re observing meat abstinence or not, they have a variety of Korean dishes you should try.

Holy Week Dining Guide Chung's Kimchi Bokkeumbap — Cheese Ttekbokki

Our favorites are the Cheese Tteokbokki, the Kimchi Bokkeumbap, and the Kimchi Jjigae. The Bokkeumbap is available with meatloaf or without. And the Jjigae may be ordered with tuna or pork.

Looking for meat dishes? We love their Beef Galbi Jjim, the Osam Bulgogi, and the Tangsuyuk.

And for those looking for halal food, they have halal options, as well. Just ask their servers.

Chung’s Kimchi is located along Sobrecarey Street in Obrero.

Chung's Kimchi

Casual Dining, Family Style

Sobrecarey Street, Obrero

09541620004

Social Accounts

Price Range

PhP100.00 - PhP1,000.00

Dani’s Palace Shawarma

We have had many shawarmas in our life but we think Dani’s Palace Shawarma is one of the best.

Their Shawarma is filled with tasty and savory beef (or chicken) and fresh vegetables wrapped in a light pita bread. And the garlic sauce is sublime. Smooth. Full of umami flavor.

Another dish we highly recommend is their Chicken Biryani.

The rice is aromatic, cooked well, and bursting with the flavor of spices. The chicken is juicy and flavorful. It is spicy, salty, a bit tangy, with a hint of smokiness. It comes with a Yogurt Sauce and a Spicy Sauce. The Yogurt Sauce is creamy and balances the spice well. But if you love spice, go for their Spicy Sauce to make the Biryani extra spicy.

Other favorites are the Kofta, the Hummus, and the Veggie Pizza.

Dani’s Palace recently opened their Maa Branch at Limaria right outside Le Jardin along Maa Road.

Dani's Palace Shawarma and Grill

Casual Dining

Limaria Le Jardin de Villa Abrille, Maa Road, Maa, Davao City, Davao del Sur 8000

09666949550

Social Accounts

Fabian’s Pizza

Here is a new entry in our Holy Week Dining Guide: Fabian’s Pizza.

We love almost everything in this pizzeria. We are glad they are open this week. Among their pizzas, our favorite is the Prosciutto Arugula. Salty prosciutto and fresh bitter arugula go well together.

Among their burgers, our favorite is the Blue Cheese Burger. Meaty, savory patty with a generous dollop of blue cheese sauce and fresh veggies all in between a pillowy brioche bun.

And an underrated dish on their menu which we love are their tacos. Perfectly seasoned beef, refreshing tatziki sauce, tomatoes, and herbs, on lightly grilled tortillas.

Fabian’s Pizza is located along Camia Street in Juna Subdivision, Matina.

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Savory Flea Market Finds

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2025 has been busy. We have been to many cafes, restaurants, and events. And more flea markets and pop up markets than we have ever been to. Sharing with you our favorite savory flea market finds from February to November 2025.

Favorite Savory Flea Market Finds

Here is a list of the most memorable, mouth-watering, and filling savory flea market finds we tried this year:

Andare Hoagie Rolls
Little Italy Pizzeria
Charkol Food Truck
Kaniii Slow Bar
Fresh Lock Seafoods
Bitoy’s Barbeque

Andare Hoagie Rolls

First on our list is Andare Hoagie Rolls.

They have a lean menu but each item is as delicious as the next. Choosing one to order is always a puzzle. Our top pick is Mortadella. Salty deli meat, fresh, crisp veggies, and savory and tangy sauce all in between crunchy, airy bread. Pastrami is for people who love spice in their meal. And we recommend their Eggplant Parmigiana if you are not craving meat.

One sandwich is good as a meal on its own. Or if you’re eating it as a snack, ask for it to be sliced in half and share with your flea market buddy.

View this post on Instagram

Follow them on Instagram @andarehoegierolls to know where they are popping up next,

Little Italy

Another delicious flea market find that’s great for sharing is Little Italy pizza.

They serve some of the best pizzas in Davao. Their menu varies from time to time. Our top two favorites are Truffle Pizza and Straciatella Pizza. One slice is only P125 and filling enough to be a meal. But we recommend buying one whole pizza and sharing it with your friends. You can even have a custom pizza with two flavors in one whole pie.

View this post on Instagram

Little Italy Pizzeria has branches at Lanang and Ecoland. Follow them on Instagram @littleitalypizzeria.davao to know more.

Charkol

Next, is a staple at Davao flea markets: Charkol Food Truck.

We love Charkol. From their Nori Fries to their Grilled Chicken, we rarely skip the chance to buy something from them. Our top favorite? Spicy and tangy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Blue Cheese Sauce. Superb.

When they are not at pop up markets, the Charkol Foodtruck is parked in Obrero. Follow them on Instagram @charkol_foodtruck for more information.

Kaniii

Next is a food booth that you will only see at select Davao flea markets. We love them and we highly recommend you give them a try.

SAVORY Flea Market Finds: Chicken Inasal Bowl by Kanii

Delicious Flea Market Finds: Chicken Teriyaki Bowl by Kanii

Kaniii Slow Bar is a cafe that specializes in cold brew and cold brew blends. Occasionally, they join pop up markets where they serve special menu items. Our favorites are their Inasal and Teriyaki Chicken Bowls. Their Tapa Tacos and Sisig Lumpia are also must-try dishes.

Of course, we cannot overlook their superb 12 Monkeys Cold Brew Coffee. And recently, we tried their Mont Blanc Cold Brew. And it was light and refreshing.

So on the rare occasion you do see their ubiquitous booth at a pop up market, order a savory meal or a refreshing cold brew.

Kaniii Slow Bar recently opened their shop in Talomo. Follow them @kaniii.sb on Instagram for more information.

Fresh Lock Seafoods

Here is another one you should not miss: Fresh Lock Seafoods.

It’s rare to find good seafood at pop up markets so we are always happy to see Fresh Lock. Their Ebi Fry is superb. As well as their Dragon Balls. Both are great as snack items. And both are even better with their Fried Rice.

It is one of our all-time favorites, the Fresh Lock Fried Rice. It is perfectly seasoned. And every serving is generous. We also love pairing it with beef and other dishes from other food purveyors.

If you want to cook up your own seafood dishes, you may also order shrimps and other fresh and frozen seafood from Fresh Lock. You may contact them via Instagram @freshlockseafoods to know more.

Bitoy’s

Finally, we recommend Bitoy’s Barbeque.

They have only joined one flea market event so far but we hope they join more. Their menu consists of Pork Barbeque, Chicken Barbeque, and Chicken Inasal. The Chicken Inasal is our favorite. Juicy and tasty.

In case you do not see them in pop up market anymore, you may order via their Instagram account @BitoysBBQ.

More Savory Flea Market Finds

We enjoy discovering new treats and dishes to try at every market event. Here are more savory flea market finds to try:

Jane’s Kitchen
Steaks and Butter
Bonbonz Dumplings

We are glad that homecooks, home bakers, and other small food businesses are reaching new diners via local flea markets and pop up markets. And we are always excited when we discover new favorites.

More Flea Market Favorites

Interested in knowing more of our favorites? Check out this list by Diyosa Life.

Beautiful Flea Market Finds

Support local. Shop local. Dine local.

We will post more of our favorites soon. And you can also see more of these brands and other local shops in the vlogs of our Editor Ria: Davao Diaries.

See all upcoming Davao Flea Markets in the My Davao City Events Calendar: mydavaocity.com/davao-events/.

For more information on Davao restaurants, cafes, matcha bars, and other Davao dining options, visit our Davao Food Directory.

Follow us on social media for more events and stories in Davao. Watch our adventures on Tiktok @MyDavaoCity and on Youtube @MyDavaoCityBlog. Our Facebook Page is at http://www.facebook.com/MyDavaoCity. We are @MyDavaoCity on Instagram.

Mahi by Made Simple and other September 2024 Favorites [Davao Food Recommendations]

August & September Favorites

We did not go out much last August so we are sharing just one list for August and September 2024. Here were our favorites from those two months:

PANCIT LUGLUG by Pansititoy via Grab,
MAHI by Made Simple,
CANELE by Dulce Desserts, and
ORANGE DARK MOCHA by Spark Coffee.

It’s a mix of new things we tried when we dined out of the house and 2 things we loved at home.

Pancit Luglug

One of our favorite pancit dishes is homecooked Pancit Luglug (or Pancit Palabok). We found one that comes close to tasting like our homecooked favorite, Pancit Luglug by Pansititoy.

Pansititoy’s Pancit Luglug is tasty with the right ratio of sauce to noodles. Plus, a generous topping of meat, chicharon, and boiled eggs. The sauce is shrimpy without being nakakaumay. Salty and full of umami.

Pansititoy has branches around Davao City and they are available for delivery via Grab. So if you want pancit luglug that tastes homecooked, order from Pansititoy today.

Mahi by Made Simple

Next is Mahi by Made Simple.

September 2024 Favorite Made Simple Mahi — Mahi

Honestly, I do not know where to start with this. I ordered this because I wanted to eat a light fish dish. And it turned out better than expected.

The fish is cooked properly. Moist not dry. Tasty. Crispy skin. The sauce was velvety with just the right calamansi tanginess. This was a well-balanced, tasty dish that we all enjoyed.

Made Simple is located in CT Drive along Tulip Drive.

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Pancit Molo and other February 2025 Favorites

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We’re back with the best of February 2025. From a savory Pancit Molo by Recuerdo to sweet Bombolini by AB Bakery, we have selected our favorites from the past month.

Ready? Here are our favorites from February:

Pancit Molo by Recuerdo Filipino Cuisine,
Creamy Truffle Pasta by Paramount Coffee,
Kale Ceasar Wrap by Clean Cafe,
Biscoff Croffle by Wakeful Coffee, and
Bombolini by AB Bakery.

Pancit Molo by Recuerdo

First on our list is Pancit Molo by Recuerdo.

We love everything about this. The soup is garlicky and salty with just a hint of sweetness and tang. There is a good amount of dumplings with molo wrapper, tons of garlic bits and green onions. This is a great way to start your meal at Receurdo. We underestimated this and ordered only one cup of rice. But this (and the Inasal Skewers) was so good, we had to order another cup.

Recuerdo is located along Molave Street corner Mangga in Juna Subdivision.

Recuerdo Filipino Cuisine

Casual Dining, Family Style

500 Mangga corner Molave Street, Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City, 8000

09951140218

Social Accounts

Price Range

PhP100.00 - PhP1,050.00

Creamy Truffle Pasta by Paramount Coffee

Next on our favorites is Creamy Truffle Pasta by Paramount Coffee.

This one makes us happy. Most cafes in Davao barely serve savory dishes. So we are glad to see this and other savory dishes on Paramount’s menu. And we are happy to report that this Creamy Truffle Pasta is a must-try. The sauce is smooth and creamy with just the right amount of (what we assume to be) truffle oil. It has a generous amount of fresh mushrooms. All tossed in withproperly cooked pasta. It might not be the most picturesque, but it is definitely one of the best pasta dishes we have tried recently.

Paramount Coffee has branches in Lanang, along Mabini Street in Poblacion, and inside Riverfront Corporate City.

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Discovery Samal Valentines 2025

Staycation in Paradise

Book a room at Discovery Samal this month and enjoy world-class amenities and Filipino hospitality.

Choose from a range of stunning room options:

Junior Suite – Php 22,310 net per night,
Executive Suite Beach – Php 26,731 net per night,
Samal Suite – Php 27,468 net per night,
One Bedroom Suite –
Php 29,678 net per night,
Premiere One Bedroom Suite – Php 31,152 net per night, or
One Bedroom Villa – Php 32,625 net per night.

Each one offers comfortable accommodations, a gorgeous view, and a memorable experience. Your stay also includes:

Daily breakfast for two persons at The Shoreline,
Complimentary romantic dinner for two persons,
Roundtrip boat transfers from and to our Davao Welcome Center,
Roundtrip land transfers from and to the Davao International Airport,
Complimentary spa treatment for two persons,
10% discount on Morning Catch, Haribar Lounge or The Shoreline, and
10% discount on motorized aqua sports activities.

Get these special package when you book from January 15 to February 28, 2025 and stay from February 1 to 28, 2025.

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Galentines in Davao

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Hi, Davao girls! Looking to spending the upcoming Valentine’s Day with your girl friends? We have the perfect spots and events for you to spend your Galentines in Davao. So gather your best gals and celebrate the season with good food, great coffee, and some interesting finds. Maybe a glass of wine or two, as well.

What is Galentines? It is an occasion to gather your favorite girl friends (single or otherwise) and celebrate friendship and each other’s successes. Most people celebrate it on February 13. We think you can celebrate it any day this February. Or the rest of the year. Why not?

Galentines in Davao

Here in Davao, we have a few spots which we think would be a great places for you and your gal pals to gather at.

Club’s Bakery North
Koop Cafe
Yesterdays Coffee + Bar

Plus, some events this February that you might be interested in:

Louis Mireille & Friends at Fika Cafe
The Love Club by Little Toast

Club’s Bakery North

One of our favorite food spots we discovered in 2024 is Club’s Bakery. And we are glad they have now expanded to a new branch.

We chose this as our first spot for Galentines because it is cozy and quiet. They have the perfect menu for a brunch date. Or an afternoon coffee date with your gal pals. We love their Sea Salt Cream Latte.

And of course, their various croissants.

Our Editor Ria picks their Double Cookie Croissant, the Lemon Cruffin, the Pain Au Chocolat, and the Strawberry Croissant as her personal picks.

Club’s Bakery North is located at Veloso Street in Obrero.

Koop Cafe

Next on our list is Koop Cafe.

Koop Cafe is another cozy cafe in the Obrero area. They are popular for their sweet crepes. But they also serve savory crepes, pasta and rice dishes. And of course, coffee.

Our favorites are the Tomato and Basil Pasta, the Blueberry and Cream Crepe, and the Mango Crunch Crepe. Their Spanish Latte is also really good.

Koop Cafe is located along Loyola Street in Obrero.

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