Bantayan is one of the easiest islands for a few relaxing beach days on a trip to the Philippines, and it’s also an easy place to find where to eat in Bantayan. Besides not needing transport to enjoy gorgeous beaches, it has decent hotel infrastructure and restaurants for every palate and budget. As tourism has grown, loads of places to eat in Bantayan have popped up. You’ll find local eateries (the carenderias) as well as spots serving all kinds of cuisine: Italian, Korean, Mexican… You choose!
On our latest one-week visit to the island, we had time to discover plenty of places to eat in Bantayan. Most of them are in Santa Fe, which is also where most of the hotels in Bantayan are located, but you’ll also find the odd recommendation for the main town. Without further ado, keep reading and discover the best ones.
Pizzeria La Filomina
We were craving a good pizza and this Bantayan restaurant was recommended to us. Set on the main road on the way to the port, it’s a bit of a walk but worth it. It’s a small place with 3 or 4 tables on the terrace, from which you can see your food being prepared and the small wood-fired oven for the pizzas, which, for us, is a sign of quality.
While they’re not the best pizzas we’ve had in our lives, they’re certainly among the most decent we’ve eaten on our trips around the Philippines. They also have fresh pasta with great value for money. The portions are quite generous and hover around 250 pesos. Pizzas cost between 330 and 400 pesos and are enough for 2 people if you’re not very hungry. They have several vegetarian options and, on top of that, the beer is ice cold!
Bantayan Market
If you’re after something more local to eat in Bantayan, we recommend heading to the market. Located right in the heart of Santa Fe, it’s a little hidden, but you won’t have trouble finding it by looking at the map we’ve placed below. Inside, besides fruit, vegetable, meat and fish stalls, you’ll see a couple of carinderias with pots on display.
It would be rare to spend more than 60 pesos to eat here. Be sure to take a look at our article What to eat in the Philippines to get your bearings with the country’s cuisine.
It’s advisable to come early—around 12:30 is fine—because otherwise you might miss out. Food here flies! They cook in the morning and usually don’t restock during the day, so it’s basically a lunch spot.
Very close to the market, at the intersection, there are several little stalls selling skewers or burgers that pop up throughout the afternoon. In addition, there are a couple of carinderias next door. The best-known is Melds Barbacue and Eatery, which at night has a huge selection of grilled fish, seafood and meat. A good place to eat in Bantayan without spending much.
Everyday Sunday Café
This spot in Santa Fe clearly shows the rise in tourism of all kinds coming to Bantayan. It’s a trendy little café, Siargao‑style, focused on smoothie bowls, shakes and a few bites like wraps or quesadillas. We tried the latter two and left quite happy. Prices are fairly contained, but it’s also true that portions aren’t very big. It’s more of a breakfast place.
They’ve now moved to a bigger and nicer venue than the one you see in the photo, so you’ll likely feel even more comfortable.
Sarapoi
This is one of the places located in MJ Square, a long plaza where you’ll find loads of restaurants and where most of Bantayan’s nightlife is concentrated. Besides the eateries we recommend here—where we’ve only selected the ones we liked best—this plaza also features TapaMaster (mostly meat), Chef Panyang (a mix of Filipino food and pizzas at very low prices) and Shake Me (fruit shakes, though a bit pricey).
Sarapoi blends international and Filipino food, with a highlight on their selection of Indian dishes. The korma curry isn’t bad at all for the price, and the owner, Larry, is quite friendly.
Bantayan Burrito Company
This is probably one of the best-known places to eat in Bantayan. Also located in MJ Square, it’s a pretty small spot with 4 or 5 tables outside. As you might guess, they serve Mexican food, with standouts like nachos, burritos, chimichangas and burgers. If you come hungry, the P.I.G, a chimichanga topped with chili and bacon, will fill you up. They also have vegetarian and vegan burritos with beans.
Prices are around 260–350 pesos, but note that the portions aren’t very big. For the price, the P.I.G and the burgers are better value.
Tiki Bar Bantayan
Right opposite MJ Square is this restaurant, which was one of our favorite places to eat in Bantayan and, therefore, the one we visited 4 times. Although they have almost everything—Filipino dishes, pasta, seafood, meats—their burgers convinced us the most: good size and served with tasty fries. If you want, they also have a vegetarian option.
On the other hand, Tiki Bar is a cool spot for a drink. Besides having live music on many nights, they have a large variety of beers, some imported, at good prices. Finally, the venue, with a Hawaiian vibe, is very pleasant.
Diego’s Kitchen
On our day exploring Bantayan by motorbike, we came across this restaurant very nicely located on the outskirts of the island’s main town. Truth be told, although the food isn’t spectacular, it’s a charming and not too expensive spot. We went for tortang talong—an eggplant omelet—and rice, but you have other Filipino dishes like pancit, bulalo or sinigang served hot, unlike what usually happens at the carinderias.
Kermit’s Café and Pastry
We stumbled upon this place purely by chance while we were looking around Bantayan, where there are several interesting ancestral houses. It’s a very well-appointed café with a huge selection of cakes and pastries, featuring the famous brazo de Mercedes and the ever‑popular halo‑halo. They also have some savory dishes like pastas, pizzas and sandwiches.
It’s a spot where Bantayan’s youth gathers, so it’s fairly untouristy and prices are modest.
The Hungry Beach Co.
At Kota Beach they’ve opened a sort of food park with several stalls so you can enjoy the beach while you eat or have dinner. You’ve got everything from barbecue spots to a Thai place, along with pasta and nachos. It’s a great place to watch the sunset without spending a fortune on beers, and the vibe is quite youthful—something that, to be honest, is somewhat lacking on the island.
More places to eat in Bantayan
If the ones above don’t suit you and you’re looking for more alternatives, take a look at these other places to eat in Bantayan:
- Stumble Inn Beach Club: beachfront, with hefty burgers and breakfasts at good prices. If you fancy it, they also have a pool table.
- The Coco Cafe: Balinese vibe, ideal for breakfast thanks to its power bowls and sandwiches. They also have tasty Vietnamese coffee.
- Sunday Co.: cozy café with great coffee and breakfasts that can easily turn into lunch.
- Igbaw Resto Grill: Filipino dishes and plenty of seafood await at one of the most famous restaurants to eat in Bantayan. There’s usually live music on weekends.
Map of places to eat in Bantayan
You already know what you can eat there, but here you can better locate the places to eat in Bantayan that we’ve recommended:
We hope this has been helpful! Remember you’ll find much more information about this island in our Bantayan Guide.
