Stop, look, and eat: Places to go, food to munch on in Iloilo City

The City of Love holds many historical sights. It’s also home to a lot of dishes and delicacies, so don’t forget to make room in your camera's SD card as well as in your stomach for what Iloilo City has to offer.

Jaro Cathedral

Though one of the oldest churches in Iloilo, the Jaro cathedral, built in 1874, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1948 and repaired and consecrated in 1956. National hero Graciano Lopez Jaena was baptized here.

Jaro Cathedral, Iloilo City. Photos: Yvette Tan

Nelly Garden

The Lopez Mansion in Jaro was named after the eldest daughter of Don Vicente Lopez and Dona Elena Hofilena, the couple who built the house. It’s considered one of the grandest houses in Iloilo, and the Lopez clan still stay there when they’re in town. Tours are held by appointment, though photographing its interiors is not allowed. Nelly Garden is a popular spot for weddings.

Nelly Garden. This is just a small part of an extensive property.

Casa Mariquit

Casa Mariquit was also home to a Lopez, former Vice President Fernando Lopez. The museum has regular operating hours, and the caretaker, who will regale guests with gossip and ghost stories, is quite the character.

Casa Mariquit. The caretaker swears there are ghosts on the second floor. There is also a tunnel that leads from the mansion to Jaro Church. The tunnel has been sealed up.

Molo Church

Molo Church is also known as “the feminist church” because all the saints represented inside are women. It is also known by the name of Molo’s patron saint, St. Anne. The church was used as an evacuation center in World War II, when one of its two belfries was accidentally bombed by the Americans. It is also said that Rizal visited the church while he was in Iloilo.

Statues of female saints flank the main aisle of Molo Church.

Molo Mansion

The restored Yusay-Consing Mansion in Molo sits across the church, separated by the town plaza that hosts a thriving community of park goers, street food vendors (the bibingka is apparently a must-try), and tiny provincial fairs, complete with rides and games. The mansion itself has been bought by SM and has been turned into a Kultura store.

The Molo Mansion at dusk.

Camina Balay na Bato

The Avanceña mansion, now known as Camina Balay na Bato, is both a museum and a workshop where tourists can buy local woven cloth and ingredients to make tsokolate batirol, which the Balay is famous for. A tour of the house includes a five-minute video in lieu of a tour guide, plus a demitasse of thick hot cocoa (with one refill) with biscocho for dipping and, sometimes, pansit molo. A must-visit, if only for the hot cocoa.

Dainty tsokolate with bread for dipping at Camina Balay na Bato. Don't forget to ask for a refill!

Netong’s

Opened by Leonito Guillergan in 1946, Netong's is said to be where La Paz batchoy was invented. Guillergan’s grandson Patrick says that his grandfather adapted the recipe from Chinese soup vendors. An order of batchoy comes with unlimited soup, pork rind toppings, and condiments. Patrick says that the recipe hasn’t changed since his grandfather’s time. He also says that there is no “proper” way of eating batchoy. “The best way to eat it is to eat it right away,” he says.

Batchoy by golly wow! Batchoy from Netong's in La Paz Market.

Madge Cafe

Just around the corner from Netong’s is Madge Cafe, the watering hole of Iloilo. Everyone from market vendors to politicians has visited here since Vicente dela Cruz opened it the late 30’s and named it after his wife. The cafe serves coffee brewed the old-fashioned way: strained through a ‘sock’ (not an actual sock; we checked). Peter, Vicente’s grandson, says that business died down for a while, but picked up when he introduced iced coffee and managed to attract a younger crowd.

Madge Cafe has personalized mugs reserved for regular customers.

Biscocho House

There are many branches of Biscocho House, all of them ready to meet your pasalubong needs. Bring me back some galetas if you drop by.

Tatoy’s Manukan Seafood Restaurant

Tatoy’s looks like a large cafeteria, but the food is delicious. You get small-ish plates that are good to share, which means you can order a lot and sample everything. Prices are reasonable, though it’s a bit out of the way, so perhaps save this for when you’re heading back to the airport.

A Filipino feast at Tatoy's. This spread fed four people, with leftovers.

Roberto’s

Roberto’s in downtown is famous for its Queen Siopao, which they boast is so good that you don’t need to eat it with sauce. This is true. The siopao is filled with adobo, among other delicious things. Roberto’s holds such a deep place in the locals’ hearts that not even fast food giants can dislodge it from being number one.

Fuel.Ph

Tucked away at the end of a row of warehouses (some of them used as offices and badminton centers, some of them used as actual warehouses), the very modern Fuel.Ph offers specialty coffee brewed in different ways. The baristas know their stuff, and are happy to help customers find the perfect drink. The cafe is also an artist hub, with poetry and sketching nights held every week. — BM/BAP, GMA News