Tagaytay Food Crawl: 3 New Restaurants to Try on Your Next Visit
This month, I was invited with other southie bloggers on a Tagaytay food crawl. It’s been a while since I’d been to Tagaytay, so I was looking forward to what kinds of restaurants have sprung up over the recent years. We went from a local cafe to a bulalo restaurant and finally to an upscale smoke house.
Here’s my foodie review for Hello Cafe, Klara’s Bulalo Kafe, and Reynaldo’s Smoke House.
Hello Cafe
Hello Cafe is a relatively new cafe located just a few minutes walk from the New Olivares Terminal in Tagaytay. At first, I was thinking it’s a little out of the way but a short glance at the cafe made me understood why it’s popular especially with the younger crowd.
This cafe has a chic, minimalist design and spacious outdoors, perfect for hanging out with your barkada with a hot or iced cup of coffee. The interior is small but airconditioned and comfortable, and they have sockets so you can bring your laptop and do some work.
Aside from being IG-worthy spot, this Tagaytay coffee shop also has good food and drinks. You can choose from coffee and non-coffee based drinks, as well as snacks, rice meals, and pastries.
We tried a variety of items from the menu, but my favorites are definitely the Hello Signature and lychee/peach soda for the drinks and the nachos and beef salpicao rice meal. Honestly, just thinking of that juicy beef salpicao is making me hungry!
Aside from their cafe menu, Hello Tagaytay also offers barista classes for those interested in experiencing what it’s like to be a barista. They also plan to hold outdoor movie nights in the future.
Hello Cafe
Opens daily from 9AM to 9PM
Facebook
Klara’s Bulalo Kafe
Located along Mahogany Avenue, Klara’s Bulalo Kafe is a great place for group meals. They have a spacious indoors and an alfresco area for those who want fresh air while indulging in their hearty meals.
Of course, one of their specialty dishes is bulalo. What makes it different from other bulalo is that the soup doesn’t produce fats even when cold because the beef is roasted first before being added in the pot. If you’re a bulalo lover, you’ll definitely love the flavorful broth of Klara’s bulalo.
Aside from this, another dish that you should get is crispy pata kare-kare. My companions were actually gushing about this.
We also had pancit (pretty good), four-cheese pizza (a must-try), and pasta gambaretti (which is simple but delicious).
For the drinks, I tried the affogato and I’d recommend it in a heartbeat. The owner of Klara’s Bulalo Kafe also recommended their hot chocolate. I immediately thought, yes, but my tummy was already full from all the good food, so there’s definitely a reason to go back here.
Aside from their delicious meals, another reason to support Klara’s Bulalo Kafe is that they buy their ingredients from local sources to support the local community.
Klara’s Bulalo Kafe also holds Filipino breakfast buffet and acoustic nights from Friday to Saturday.
Klara’s Bulalo Kafe
Breakfast buffet starts at 7AM to 10AM / Open daily until 9:45PM
Facebook
Reynaldo’s Smoke House
If you’re an avid watcher of Ninong Ry, you probably know about Reynaldo’s Smoke House already.
Reynaldo’s Smoke House is definitely one of the best restaurants in Tagaytay. They serve steaks, smoked briskets, baby back ribs, pulled pork, and more, as well as other American and Filipino dishes. Basically, if you love good-quality steaks, this is a place you should definitely visit.
During our visit, we get to see the area where they smoke the meats, and wow, it definitely whetted my appetite.
We were served a full-course meal from appetizers to the main course and then desserts. For the appetizers, my favorite was definitely the seared pepper-crusted tuna. Puff pastry with steak sinugba tartare, puff pastry with roasted tomato in basil oil and mozzarella, and clam chowder were also good.
For the main course, we had a large plate of Angus Tomahawk steak, which costs around P15,000. It is pricy for sure, but remember you’re paying for good-quality steak which is hard to find here in the Philippines and the portion is good for sharing. It was juicy and flavorful — the sauce isn’t even needed. It was served with dirty rice, wedge salad, and garlic parmesan price.
We also had grilled wagyu striploin, and this one won my heart. It costs around P5000 and it was served with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes.
We capped this filing dinner with little cups of strawberry and chocolate mousse.
I had a really great dining experience at Reynaldo’s Smoke House. For those who like good steaks or just want to try a new dining option in Tagaytay for couples, groups, and even corporate dinners, stop by at Reynaldo’s.
Reynaldo’s Smoke House
Opens daily from 11AM to 10PM
Facebook
You can watch a short clip of our Tagaytay food crawl here:
Disclaimer: Meals were complimentary c/o the respective cafes and restaurants. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.
What other restaurants do you recommend for our next Tagaytay food crawl? Let us know in the comments section below!
What to read next:
Visiting Tagaytay? Check out these travel guides:
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- Private Resorts in Tagaytay for Amazing Weekends
- 9 Best Tagaytay Camping Sites
- Taal Vista and Hotel
- Hidden View Mansion
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Katherine Cortes is a long-time backpacker and a freelance writer/editor. She likes beaches, snorkeling trips, and relaxing staycations (preferably with bath tubs!).
