You already know that Malapascua is the darling of our trips in the Philippines and that it makes us feel at home. If you’re lucky enough to visit for a few days, besides enjoying its underwater world, beaches and lovely people, you’ll have plenty of options to eat well for little money. So you don’t have to go in blind, here you’ll find a list of great places where to eat in Malapascua.
From cheap little market stalls to delicious pizzas served by the sea, discover the best restaurants in Malapascua with us. Remember that at the end of this article, you’ll find a map to locate them easily.
Malapascua Market, a paradise for cheap and tasty eats
It was only a few years ago that Malapascua’s market began to come back to life. What used to be just a couple of stalls selling essentials has now become the meeting point for travelers visiting the island. In addition to small grocery stores and sari-sari shops (they also sell fresh fruit to inject vitamins straight into your veins), you’ll now find more than 5 carenderias or eateries, that is, the traditional Filipino “little-pot” restaurants.
Come by without fear and see what they’ve cooked up today. If you don’t know what something might be, just ask and they’ll kindly answer. When you’re ready, you can order a portion of rice and as many sides as you want. A good meal can cost you 80–150 pesos at the Malapascua market.
What’s more, each of these small restaurants has a menu that combines international dishes with Filipino stews. They also serve breakfasts, smoothies, coffee and even cocktails during happy hour. At night, the market gets even livelier and fills with the aroma of barbecue skewers. They all display the fish or meat out front and you just have to pick what you fancy and wait patiently. You’ll also be treated to the greatest hits of videoke—they never fail.
Unfortunately, the market stalls change a lot, opening and closing more or less as they wish, but the one that’s currently the hottest spot at night is Avrill’s. At Justine F&B they have plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.
Angelina, the best pizzas
When we want to treat ourselves, we don’t hesitate—we head to Angelina. Located on a corner of Logon Beach, with tables both outside and inside, this is one of our favorite restaurants in Malapascua for one simple reason: the pizza.
The owners are Italian and know so well what they’re doing that we dare say it’s in the top 3 for the best pizzas in the Philippines. Despite the recent price hike, we think the value for money is still good (pizzas are around 500–600 pesos and you can share with another person), the service is decent, the house wine is nice without needing a loan, and the ice creams are creamy—hard for anything to go wrong at a dinner in Angelina. Plus, they accept card payments!
Mr. Kwiiz, where to eat in Malapascua without breaking the bank
Mr. Kwiiz was one of the first places we stayed on the island (remember you have lots of hotel suggestions in Where to stay in Malapascua) and, in fact, we were lucky enough to spend a Christmas there. Besides basic but cheap rooms, they have a small restaurant that doesn’t offer convoluted dishes, but it does deliver tasty food at a good price. It’s a great spot to enjoy home-style Filipino cooking (for example, tortang talong) or step away from the usual with some spaghetti without spending much (you can easily eat for 150 pesos).
The family who runs it is very nice and they’re not slow in the kitchen. Also, while the restaurant doesn’t stand out for its decor, it’s spacious and pleasant for a Malapascua dinner. Although getting there can be a bit of a maze, we think it’s well worth it.
Ocean Vida, a taste of home with sea views
The restaurant at the Ocean Vida resort is another of our favorite places to eat in Malapascua. Besides being in a place we love—right by the sea—and our go-to nook for a cocktail as we watch the day end, the restaurant has a few dishes that take us a little back home. For example, the gazpacho is good and, although the escalivada isn’t 100% faithful to the original recipe and the portion keeps getting smaller, it’ll help with the homesickness. Their burgers don’t disappoint either and they have real coffee to go with hearty breakfasts.
On the other hand, as we were saying, Ocean Vida has beanbags right on the beach that start to fill up around 4:00 pm. That’s when happy hour kicks off and the 2-for-1 cocktails deal starts. Our favorite is the pineapple daiquiri, but the banana one isn’t bad either. Enjoy it for us!
Guannas Place, start the day with joy
The small restaurant at Guannas hostel is a nice spot both for breakfast and for a quick dinner, since the ladies who work here are as fast as the wind. Their omelets served with brown bread with raisins and walnuts for 150 pesos will save more than one breakfast, but you also have tasty spaghetti and heartier dishes without breaking the bank. It won’t surprise you with its decor, but thanks to its great value for money it’s a good place to eat in Malapascua.
Craic House, falafel like no other
On our favorite stretch of Bounty Beach, the restaurant at the Evolution hotel always wins us over with its burgers (with tasty vegetarian options), its falafel pitas and its hearty lentil curries. At Craic House you can enjoy Mediterranean food and international beers with the best sea views you could ask for. In fact, you could spend a few hours on their beanbags or loungers, which are, in our opinion, in the best area of Bounty Beach—so you’ll easily find us here if we’re on the island (which isn’t rare). Plus, the service is friendly and fast, and they have Starlink internet and a generator (which will save your life if the power goes out).
A fantastic Malapascua restaurant for both a relaxed lunch and a different dinner. Dishes are around 300–400 pesos, so keep that in mind. And if you’re after caffeine, the coffee isn’t bad at all.
Kaon Nilumad – Vegan Eatery & Café
It opened its doors in 2025 and has become one of the best places to eat in Malapascua and also an ideal spot to watch the sunset if you’re after a more backpacker vibe and happy hour (from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm every day). Not only that—after sunset they usually host a fire show or live music and they have a small shop with crafts and souvenirs supporting social projects on the island. Some mornings they also offer yoga classes.
The food is 100% vegan, but even if you’re not, we highly recommend you try it. It works as a karinderia, that is, with a buffet of ready-made dishes at 50 pesos per portion (it’s advisable to go early because they run out), but they also have some à la carte items like burgers, crepes, tacos, French fries and BBQ skewers. We recommend you don’t miss the halo-halo—it’s really good.
They open at 7:30 and have good coffee (with plant milks) and some pastries, so it’s also a breakfast spot.
Bebot’s, good breakfasts to eat in Malapascua
Somewhat hidden in Malapascua’s sandy streets, Bebot’s has earned a reputation among the island’s expats thanks to its breakfasts. Generous omelets and sandwiches, well-poured fruit shakes and real coffee at contained prices make up the recipe for its success. We especially enjoy them after the thresher shark dive, when we come back starving after so many early starts and adrenaline. Even so, they also have pasta and other heartier dishes.
On the other hand, if you’re missing a decent loaf of bread, you’ll be glad to know they sell it at fairly decent prices. Half a fairly large loaf of sliced bread costs 100 pesos.
Hippocampus, a great spot to eat in Malapascua with your feet in the sand
Although their Saturday live music always draws us in like a magnet, the truth is we only recently sat down at one of the tables that the Hippocampus resort has right on the beach. An hour later, we got up very surprised by the good value for money of their dishes and the menu of Filipino and Western food with a little fusion touch (we especially liked the pasta). Cold beers, quick and attentive service, a relaxed vibe with your feet in the sand—nothing bad to say!
Villa Potenciana, Malapascua’s vegetarian spot
The island’s most hippie vibe is at Villa Potenciana, the restaurant run by JonJon, a Filipino with a rather unusual life story (take a look at the book about his life that he sells right there). His restaurant serves a huge selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes at very good prices (between 180 and 250 pesos), some of them versions of Filipino dishes like adobo eggplant with veggie meat or native caldereta. The pasta dishes (green pasta and carbonara) and the shawarma aren’t bad at all. Whether you’re vegetarian or not, we think you’ll like it—promise.
One thing to consider is that, although we like Villa Potenciana and went several times, they still don’t have a very clear handle on the difference between vegan and vegetarian. Therefore, if you’re in the former group or you have any lactose or egg intolerance or allergy, we recommend either not going or making VERY, VERY SURE that what you order doesn’t contain animal products. Believe us, we were very insistent and still couldn’t get what we ordered to be completely vegan.
The restaurant is right on Bounty Beach, so it’s ideal for dinner with your feet in the sand and relaxing to the sound of the sea, although on weekends there’s usually live music. And if you’re on the island on a Saturday, you can join the “feeding program”. Around 12:00–13:00, they gather lots of kids, entertain them with different games and music, and feed them for free. A lovely initiative to keep in mind.
Discover more restaurants of this style in our article Best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the Philippines.
K.B-MERK, flies under the radar but worth it
Another small Filipino eatery on a quiet street that will surprise you with how tasty the dishes are and how quickly they cook (compared to other places of the same style). If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll be glad to know they have tofu options. Otherwise, they offer seafood and fresh fish, grilled meats and even breakfast/desserts like pancakes.
Prices are around 200–300 pesos for pretty generous and tasty portions.
Where to eat in northern Malapascua
Our advice is to look in the south of the island to stay in Malapascua, since we think it’s the most convenient area to access by boat and also where most dive centers, hotels and restaurants are concentrated. Even so, the north has the best beach in Malapascua, Langob Beach, so a day visit is highly recommended. If you get hungry up there, we suggest two places:
- Josephine Grilled fish and BBQ: it’s a little stall at the eastern end of the beach, right on the sand. It’ll get you out of a bind with grilled fish and meat and some dishes they usually have ready at midday. The lady is, moreover, very bad.
- My Tablea Cafe: the portions, in our opinion, are small for what they offer, but the food is tasty. They have some vegan options, although we recommend making sure they understand you don’t want cheese or egg.
Map of places to eat in Malapascua
Here you have all these Malapascua restaurants pinned on the island map:
Have you read our Malapascua Guide yet? In it you’ll find all the tips to enjoy this small but charming Philippine island.
If you have any suggestions or comments about these Malapascua restaurants, we’d love to read you in the comments!
