It was a Monday in Butuan City and after going back in time with the historical sites, it was also a time to relish the food landscape of the city. I had no idea where to have meals so I consulted Instagram. Since everyone are now taking photos of everything and uploading it on the photo-sharing app, using the hashtag #butuancity, I created my food itinerary on my short stay in Butuan City.

There are burger joints, barbeque houses, all-day breakfast, and coffee shops scattered in the city. My eagerness to experience every bit of it will literally blow up my tummy so I decided to just pick some. Here’s a list of restaurants I was able to try on my very limited time in Butuan City.

WEEGOL’S GRILL HAUS, Montilla Boulevard

We were starving from the bus trip from Surigao Del Sur and right after we got down the bus, we immediately entered Weegol’s Grill Haus without any expectations. By the restaurant’s name itself, you’ll probably get an impression that the best sellers on their menu are grilled food. Without a blink of an eye, I ordered one of their bestsellers, Chicken Barbeque. The roasted chicken was served with two cups of rice and an atchara (pickled papaya). A satisfying meal for Php100, reminds me of Bacolod City’s chicken inasal.

MARGIE’S BAKESHOP, J.C. Aquino Avenue

I remember a bakeshop when I joined Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2015 and it has the same name with this famous café in Butuan City, Margie’s Bakeshop. From a friend, I found out that the one in Butuan is their original branch. To shake off the sluggish mood, we decided to drop by the restaurant and avail some of their coffee and cakes.

Margie’s also serves all-day breakfast, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and rice meals. For Php347, we had a cappuccino (Php75), iced latte (Php80), a slice of Oreo cheesecake (Php102), and Cookie Monster cake (Php90). Beverages were fine but the desserts had our two thumbs up in the air. I liked how the way the cakes weren’t so sweet yet very satisfying. The highlight of the light meal was the super moist Cookie Monster cake.

BIG DADDY RIBS-TO-GO, J.C. Aquino Avenue

Still along JC Aquino Avenue, located on the ground floor of Big Daddy Hotel and Restaurant is Big Daddy Ribs-To-Go. The place is more of a fast food than a restaurant. Anyways, I had the fried chicken with ribs served with a cup of rice, meager sautéed cubed carrots and corn kernels, and separate dips for the meats.

LAHAINA, Gov Rosales Ave (Closed)

To continue my search for places to dine in Butuan City, Instagram brought me to Lahaina, a really cozy restaurant located in PS Arcade compound. In addition to the main dining hall, Lahaina also has a loft that can accommodate up to 15 pax. Beach as the theme is somehow evident with the presence of paddles, lifebuoy, mini coconut trees on the wall, fishes, and starfishes.

I tried Kahana Kawali as it’s one of the bestsellers as per the crew who took my order. I settled in one of the tables on the loft section and was amazed by the tiny colorful tissue holders/buckets, and other table decorations. Kahana Kawali is simply lechon kawali sautéed in onions and tomatoes. The fried pork was crunchy and the rice was served in shape of a star! The entire place is Instagram-able, no doubt why people flock the place.

RIBBS DINER, Wayfarer Pension House, T. Calo Extension

Before heading to Bancasi Airport, I had my breakfast in Ribbs Diner, the in-house restaurant of Wayfarer Pension House. Their homemade bacon served with two eggs, rice, and coffee was enough to satisfy my appetite. Bacon wasn’t that crispy yet it was flavorful. Service was a bit off though as it took them a long time to serve my order. They accommodate an advance reservation for guests staying at their hotel and food for these people will only be prepared when they get to the restaurant. So there’s a great chance that their food will be served first than yours.

Considering its location, I didn’t expect so much with what Butuan City could offer to its tourists in terms of food options. The presence of the restaurants mentioned above, and other restaurants I didn’t get to try, exceeded my expectation. The city is neither Davao nor Cebu that has varied culinary offerings, but restaurants in Butuan prove that they can satisfy your palate without spending way off your budget.