El Nido is a tourist hot spot so there are going to be lots of restaurants and many will be overpriced. But being a tourist spot with many “kano’s”, you will have many options and not just seafood, fried chicken and pork barbeque.
Here are a few places to eat in El Nido:
Burning Sun Authentic Korean Restaurant and Bar
If you have been in the Philippines for a while and you’re in El Nido with many western options, you might think about going for a burger or pizza. There are many places for that but if you still want to fulfill your tastebuds with delicious Asian cuisine and just need a break from Filipino food, Burning Sun is an excellent choice.
The Korean fried chicken was a phenomenal appetizer and the wings were okay. For my main course I ordered the Bibimbap which is a Korean rice bowl. Now at this point in the Philippines, you might be craving some veggies and the bowl was packed with fresh vegetables, rice, meat and topped with an egg. We also had the platter that you cook at your own table. The food was delicious and was a fun experience grilling right at your table.
The service was good and the food was good. Burning Sun is definitely a restaurant I’d recommend in El Nido.
Basil’s
Pizza in the Philippines isn’t great, but there are a ton of options to satisfy your cheesy cravings in El Nido. After talking to a few regulars, it sounded like Basil’s was the best. Being one of the best restaurants in town, the restaurant was packed. When we got there, the only option was to sit down cross legged on a rug with a small table above your legs. It was a cool experience but was tough with the baby. After some time, a table cleared, and we asked to move.
Being so packed the service wasn’t fast, but it never really is in the Philippines anyways. But the atmosphere was lively and the menu looked good. We ordered a couple of pizzas which were good. They were wood smoked and there were a variety of unique pizzas to choose from. But even better than the pizza was the pasta. We ordered seafood pasta and truffle pasta. I did not try the seafood pasta, but it looked good and our friend liked it. The truffle pasta was phenomenal. I’m not a mushroom fan so I was hesitant, but it was delicious.
The experience was good and the food was great. It is also probably some of the best Italian food you’ll get in the Philippines, so if you’re craving some pizza and pasta and are in El Nido, Basil’s won’t disappoint.
3 Bro’s Falafel
In addition to pizza, burgers and Asian cuisine there are a few middle eastern spots. Right across from our hotel, S Resort El Nido was 3 Bro’s Falafel. I was craving shawarma one day so headed over. You can order kebabs, falafel of course and chicken shawarma. I ordered the large chicken shawarma. It was massive. They also have a variety of sauces to top it off with, I elected for the garlic sauce and spicy one. The shawarma was hot, the ingredients tasted extremely fresh and it was delicious.
Nacpan Sunmai Sunset Restaurant
This one isn’t in El Nido and it is about 45 minutes away. But chances are if you are going to El Nido, you will have heard of Nacpan Beach, which has been rated as a top 10 beach in the world. If you make your way out to Nacpan Beach, consider eating at Sunmai Sunset Restaurant. The restaurant is located in Nacpan Glamping Resort and is in a good location right on the beach. The outdoor terrace is covered with a roof and shaded, so it’s a perfect place to take a break from the blistering heat. The terrace is nice and while we were eating, there was even live music. There are also swings to sit on with a view of the beautiful Nacpan Beach.
The restaurant boasts that their two chefs are renowned long time chefs from Manila. The menu looked good, so we decided to try it out. The drinks were delicious; we had a couple of fresh shakes and the “I love Nacpan Beach” pineapple cocktail. The food was good too, and had great presentation. We ordered the Calamari and French fries which were both crispy, fresh and delicious. We also ordered the Grilled Chicked Inato which was tasty; the chicken was both crispy and juicy. It was a perfect way to end our day on Nacpan Beach.
Cheaper Options
The prices of food in El Nido aren’t horrible, but being a tourist hot spot, the food is more expensive than a majority of the Philippines. Normally, people will turn right down C. Harma street when facing the El Nido beach in downtown. This is where the majority of the expensive restaurants are. On our last night, we decide to save a bit of money and turned left down Serena Street instead. It is still on the beach but is a little bit less crowded. There are still a ton of restaurants and the meal will cost you half as much. There were several restaurants that looked good. After sampling some pizza from Chef Mark Italian and Japanese Restaurant on the street, we decided to head in. The pizza was good, but wasn’t the same caliber as Basils. After a few free pieces, we ordered ramen and Carbonara pasta. The food wasn’t spectacular but it was a decent meal and about half the price. Being less crowded, the service was good too and our beers and food came quick. So, if you want to save a buck without eating street food, consider going down Serena Street and if you want Italian or Japanese consider Chef Mark’s.
Bonus Tip – Get a Mango Shake
Don’t forget to try some fresh fruit shakes. Being a tropical climate, there are a variety of fresh and tasty fruits in El Nido. There are a number of fresh juice and shake shacks. Throughout our 3 days in El Nido, I had plenty of shakes and they were all delicious. Mango’s taste amazing in the Philippines and the Mango Shakes were my favorite.
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