We Listed 5 Baguio Food Delicacies We Think Are the Best; See If You Agree

Since Benguet has an abundance of strawberries, Baguio also gets to partake in the bounty, especially when the fruit is in season. Fresh strawberries are also one of Baguio's Delicacies to bring home. These fresh strawberries are available in the public market for as low as PhP100 per kilo in season, usually around November to May. One helpful hint when buying fresh strawberries to be your Baguio food delicacies and pasalubong (take-home gift) is to pick the ones that haven't ripened yet so that they survive the trip back to the city. Also, store them somewhere dry—strawberries spoil quickly once it gets too humid or if they get wet.

When you have fresh strawberries, expect that there will also be all types of strawberry products available. Jams are made of strawberry pulp cooked with sugar, while preserves are whole strawberries cooked in sugar. You can buy these at Good Shepherd Convent in Gibraltar. The shop is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Our favorite taho also gets its twist in Baguio. It is one of the famous Baguio food delicacies: with just a dollop of strawberry jam, the morning staple becomes a new favorite: strawberry taho. Most taho vendors in Burnham Park and other tourist spots sell this, and you better treat yourself to a cup, too!

The divine strawberry shortcake from Vizco's Restaurant is the best transformation of strawberry yet and famous food in Baguio. This is the best Baguio delicacies and pasalubong for cake and dessert lovers to take home with you! The restaurant of this renowned food in Baguio is located at Porta Vaga Mall along Session Road. It uses fresh strawberries to create its divine version of the popular dessert. Locals who have lived with these Baguio food delicacies all their lives love them, so that should be proof enough of how good it is. Vizco also has a branch in SM City Baguio.

Whenever someone mentions Baguio, what immediately comes to mind are pasalubongs from Baguio, specifically the sweet desserts in plastic jars. There are lots of Baguio pasalubongs, but one of the sure standouts is the peanut brittle, which is essentially chopped or whole peanuts cooked in sugar and butter and then formed into a crunchy candy. Good Shepherd is one of the best brands selling peanut brittle, but Romana's Baguio food delicacies is also a best seller.

Ube (purple yam) jam, particularly that from Good Shepherd, is also in demand among Baguio visitors. Nothing beats these famous Baguio delicacies, the creamy, buttery taste of purple yam made at the Mountain Maid Training Center.

Another butter-based delicacy is the lengua de gato (literally "cat's tongue"), or butter cookies shaped like a cat's tongue. When visiting the local market, you can buy jars of lengua de gato from the best brands of Baguio food delicacies, such as Rico's or Tartland.

Good news for veggie lovers: organically-grown vegetables are readily available in Baguio City. Groups such as the La Trinidad Organic Producers (LATOP) and Mountain Grown Natural Food Store sell famous food in Baguio and locally grown vegetables like lettuce, carrots, spinach, and fresh herbs. LATOP has a stall in the public market, while Mountain Grown is at the cathedral level of the Sky Zone, Porta Vaga Mall.

Pair off your fresh veggies with the homemade salad dressings by Iggy's, sold at the Mountain Grown Natural Food Store, which opens daily from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Some of the must-tries of Baguio food delicacies are the French dressing and the strawberry vinaigrette, available at Vizcos, unmistakably a true Baguio delicacies specialty.

If you have yet to try it out, Baguio is also a great place to get good coffee beans at an affordable price. Garcia's Pure Coffee at the public market is the best local source for this. Here, you can buy and have it as a Baguio food delicacy and pasalubong, their signature Benguet blend, or their House Blend Arabica (dark roast). They also have beans harvested from Sagada and Kalinga. Brew your coffee in the comforts of your home and taste the distinct Baguio blend.

Café by the Ruins along Upper Session Road is a favorite must-try restaurant among Baguio visitors. Through the years, it's made a name for itself with its freshly baked pieces of bread made of camote (sweet potato) and squash, which go great with its homemade spreads. Their famous Baguio food delicacies are their version of pinikpikan, a Cordilleran chicken soup, and their salads are made of fresh Baguio veggies. The place also offers Baguio longganisa (Filipino-style sausages of ground pork, sugar, and spices). Also, one of their famous Baguio delicacies is their bagnet (deep-fried crispy pork belly), which will surely satisfy any proud carnivore.

For a closer and more memorable taste of Baguio's local food scene, try dining at any of these restaurants serving home-style Cordilleran cuisine. Café by the Ruins is open daily from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Another local favorite, Café Yagam, located at J. Felipe St., Gibraltar, is quickly becoming a go-to place for lovers of authentic Cordilleran cuisine. Among the Baguio food delicacies, they serve are pinuneg, or pork blood sausage, and kiniing, or etag, as called by the Ibaloi, which is smoked and cured pork. All dishes come with a serving of red rice or boiled camote. Make room for local desserts, usually made of sticky rice: Kalinga's inandila (glutinous rice cake) and Ifugao's kiniwar (sweetened sticky rice). They also roast their coffee so that you can enjoy a warm, freshly brewed cup with your sweet dessert.

December 2022 Update: Cafe Yagam is still closed until further notice. Follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/yagamcoffee/, to be the first to know when they resume operations!

Make sure to visit Yoorekka Magazine to learn and find out more about the best Baguio food delicacies.