Wonder why people visit Bacolod just for the food? Negrense cuisine is one of the best in the Philippines and there’s a wide range of gastronomic experience you can have in Bacolod. From upscale restaurants to wayside carinderias, one can surely find a sumptuous meal to satisfy a discriminating taste.
When travelling to a new place, trying out traditional food is a way of experiencing the local culture. Nothing is more deeply rooted to a place and its people than their traditional food which mostly were handed down from generations. And let’s admit it, nobody cooks it better than the locals. You can’t say you’ve been to Bacolod if you haven’t tried these food by the locals. Start your Namit Journey with these staple Negrense dishes on your first Bacolod food trip.
Must Try Negrense Food for First-Timers
Chicken Inasal
Chicken inasal is the famous chicken barbecue dish from Bacolod which has been copied many times over but nothing beats eating the authentic chicken inasal in Bacolod
Best places to eat chicken inasal are at Manokan Country (Lion’s Park, Nena’s, Aida’s) Bacolod Chicken Haus, and Masskara Chicken.
Batchoy
Batchoy is a famous Ilonggo delicacy is a noodle soup made with pork innards, crushed pork cracklings, rich soup stock, with egg and with bone marrow depending on your preference.
Best places to eat batchoy are at Super Batchoy House and 21 Restaurant.
Piaya
Piaya is a flaky, unleavened bread, filled with muscovado and sprinkled on top with sesame seeds. Piaya is the quintessential Bacolod delicacy that you must bring home as pasalubong. In addition to the classic muscovado filling, artisanal piayas now come with various fillings such as ube, squash, peanut, turmeric, oregano, basil, and a lot more.
Best places to get piaya are at Bailon, Merzci Pasalubong, Bongbong’s, Virgie’s, Fresh Start, and Sir Jess.
Napoleones
Napoleones is a layered puff pastry filled with custard cream and glazed with white sugar on top. It comes with small square size and a larger rectangle size and usually sold in boxes.
Best places to get napoleones are at Roli’s, Pendy’s, Virgie’s, and Merzci.
Cansi
Cansi is a traditional food both in Iloilo and Negros which is bone-in beef shank stew soured with the local fruit batuan. Cooking cansi takes hours so the meat becomes very tender it falls off the bone.
Best places to get cansi is at Sharyn’s and Eron’s.
KBL or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka
KBL or Kadyos Baboy Langka is an original Negrense/Ilonggo dish made with kadyos (pigeon peas), baboy (pork), and green langka (jack fruit) and soured with batwan.
Best places to get KBL is at Sandok Comfort Food. Most unassuming carinderias in Bacolod will also serve you with a delicious bowl of KBL.
Laswa
Laswa is a Negrense/Ilonggo vegetable stew flavored with shrimp or bagoong. Laswa is healthy, inexpensive, and really easy to prepare.
Best places to try laswa is if you get invited to eat at home by a Negrense. The second best place is at local eateries and carinderias.
How to get to Bacolod City
Bacolod City is very accessible by plane from Manila, Clark (Pampanga) Cebu, and Davao via Cebu Pacific Air. Follow Cebu Pacific to get the latest updates and seat sale alerts. Book your flight now and go on a Bacolod food trip!
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