BEST Cagayan de Oro Restaurants, Food Spots, and Night Life
Cagayan de Oro is known for its adventure activities such as white water rafting. As the capital of Misamis Oriental province, there’s a lot of good restaurants you can visit here too! Here we’ve compiled the best Cagayan de Oro restaurants and other food spots that you should check out.
P.S. Visiting Cagayan de Oro soon? Read about our Travel Guide to Cagayan de Oro and Top Things to Do in Cagayan de Oro.
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Best Cagayan de Oro restaurants
Here are the most recommended restaurants in Cagayan de Oro, based on local recommendations and reviews.
1. Cucina Higala
Cucina Higala is one of top-rated restaurants in CDO. It has repeated won awards from TripAdvisor. But don’t just rely on online reviews, check it out for yourself!
Cucina Higala features a beautiful old-world ambiance and offers great local dishes, specifically northern Mindanao heritage Cuisine. Some of the recommended dishes include sinuglaw (Cagayan’s signature dish), surol (chicken soup in coconut milk), humba, and kare-kare.
My favorite dish is their steamed pompano, which is a flavorful, delicate fish.
I visited here on my first time in CDO and I was highly impressed with the restaurant. I recommend it especially for groups.
2. Kagay-anon Restaurant
Kagay-anon Restaurant is one of the oldest restaurants in the city.
They offer authentic Cagayanon dishes. Their specialty is ostrich salpicao and pinakbet, which is cooked Cagayan-style (i.e., vegetables are not overcooked). Other must-try includes sizzling bangus fillet, baked clams, sweet & sour pork, kinilaw, sinuglaw, grilled items such as tuna belly and liempo, and more.
3. Panagatan
Every local in Cagayan knows about Panagatan. Panagatan is a seafood restaurant offering favorites such as grilled squid and fishes, steamed shrimps, and kinilaw. They also have bilao specials for groups.
The original branch of Panagatan is located along the National Highway, about 20 minutes drive away from the city proper. It is open air and has great ocean views especially at night. For those staying in the city proper, it also has branches in SM Downtown and Ayala Centrio Mall.
4. Circa 1850
Circa 1850 is the sister company of Sentro 1850, another well loved restaurant in Cagayan de Oro.
Circa 1850 started a few years ago and it promotes healthy dining. The restaurant itself is built from recycled timber and bricks, in European design. The food is prepared from organic produce from local farmers
Some of their bestsellers include pasta with shrimp, shrimp scotch eggs salad, beefsteak tomato, and bistecca fiorentina. The food is given in generous servings and the rates are reasonable.
5. Bigby’s Cafe and Restaurant
This is one of the most popular homegrown restaurants in the city. It’s a mix of fine dining and casual eats, serving international cuisine.
Must-try platters items include Food Trip Platter (various appetizers), Belly Buster (baby back ribs, chops and smoked pork belly), and Fisherman’s Platter (fish fillet, squiggly rings, and grilled shrimps).
Serving is generous and rate is in the mid-range. This is recommended for group dining.
Bigby’s can be found in a handful of malls in Cagayan.
6. Countryside Steakhouse
Located beside Kagay-anon Restaurant, Countryside Steakhouse is another old favorite among Cagayanons. It offers the best steak in the city.
Prices are on the expensive side, so prepare your budget accordingly.
7. High Ridge
There are several restaurants in Cagayan de Oro where you can enjoy great views. One of the popular ones is the High Ridge, located in Upper Macasandig.
High Ridge offers an overlooking view of the city. It has indoor and alfresco dining areas, as well as landscaped areas, playground, and swimming pools for leisure.
This is a good option for families and even couples on a romantic night out.
8. Hugo Skye Lounge
Similar to High Ridge, Hugo Skye Lounge offers a panoramic view of the city.
It has a restaurant and bar, interactive zoo, children’s playground and infinity pool. Live band performances are done on selected nights.
Night Life in Cagayan de Oro
These are the places where you can hang out and chill at night in Cagayan de Oro.
1. The Hive
Currently, The Hive is the biggest food park in Cagayan de Oro. It houses around 30 food & beverage stalls.
Here you can order various types of food (local, Asian, and other cuisines) and drinks (juices, smoothies, cocktails). The prices are generally affordable to the public.
If you want to have a food trip without moving from one location to another, this is a great place to be.
The Hive is located at Rosario Strip in Limketkai Center.
2. Skybar
Located at the 3rd level of Cagayan Town Center, Skybar offers good city views, ambiance and food. There are also different performances depending on the day of the week.
Skybar is huge so it can accommodate groups, families and friends. The choices are varied, with local & international drinks available.
The Skybar has an open air setting, so make sure to check the weather before visiting!
3. Lifestyle District
The Lifestyle District is home to several restaurants and alfresco bars, with live band performances on selected nights. With lots of choices, this is a good option for those who’re looking to enjoy drinks at nights.
The Lifestyle District is accessible. It is walking distance from Gaisano and Ayala Centrio malls.
Eat Like a Local!
Aside from the Cagayan de Oro restaurants we’ve mentioned above, you might also consider checking out local food spots so you can taste their local delicacies and snacks.
1. Cogon Public Market
Cogon Public Market is your regular market where you can find wet & dry goods. For the foodie, this is a treasure trove.
The market has sections specifically for non-halal and halal food. There are also stalls selling sikwate (hot chocolate) and puto maya (sticky rice), which is a breakfast or merienda staple. Of course, there is also a huge fruit section where you can buy local fruits such as marang.
Here, you can also find the famous Humbaan ni Aling Violy, a favorite stop for humba.
2. Ces Tuna
This is a simple & open-air restaurant well-known among locals in Cagayan de Oro. Ces Tuna Grill and Seafood Restaurant offers tuna cooked in different ways, including grilled, kawali, or kaldereta. They also offer seafood items.
3. Kambingan sa Buena Oro
Kambingan sa Buena Oro is Cagayan de Oro’s best kambingan restaurant. You can order various lamb delicacies, including sinigang, adobo, or kaldereta.
This is a great option for having lunch.
That ends our food guide for Cagayan de Oro! Do you have other suggestions on where to eat in Cagayan de Oro? Let us know in the comment section below!
What to read next:
Planning a trip to Cagayan de Oro? Here are our guides!
- Cagayan de Oro: Travel Guide and Itinerary
- Cagayan de Oro Tourist Spots + Things to Do
- Cagayan de Oro Restaurants and Local Food Spots
- Where to Stay in Cagayan de Oro: Seda Centrio Hotel
- White Water Rafting in Cagayan de Oro
Other related articles:
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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!).
2 Comments
LLOYD GABRIEL CASTILLO
Please edit… Cagayan de Oro is the capital of Misamis Oriental and not Lanao del Norte. Thanks
Katherine Cortes
Oops. Corrected po. 🙂