Food and Coffee in Sagada

Part of the Sagada travel guide — see every topic in All Sagada Guides.

Sagada is a small mountain town, but it has a warm and simple food scene. Many visitors remember its lemon pie, its yoghurt and its strong mountain coffee. Meals are often hearty, made for cold evenings and long days of walking. Most places to eat are along the main road in the town centre. This guide covers what to try and some tips for eating well.

Lemon pie and yoghurt

Sagada is well known for two sweet foods. The first is lemon pie, sold at a small pie house in town. Many visitors buy several slices, or a whole pie, to take home. The second is yoghurt, served at a long-running yoghurt house with fruit, granola and other toppings. Both places are popular and can be busy in the high season. Go in the morning or mid-afternoon for a shorter wait. They are good places to rest after a cave or a walk.

Sagada coffee

Coffee grows on the slopes around Sagada, and most of it is Arabica. Many cafés in town serve local coffee, and some roast it themselves. The flavour is often rich and smooth. You can buy bags of beans or ground coffee to take home, which helps local farmers. Ask the café where the beans come from. A cup of hot coffee is very welcome on a cold Sagada morning, especially after a sunrise trip. Some cafés open early for sunrise visitors. Most cafés are small, so seats can fill up fast.

Local dishes

Try etag, a salted and cured pork that is a tradition in the Cordillera region. It is often cooked in soups or with vegetables, and it has a strong, smoky taste. Highland vegetables, such as cabbage, beans and sayote, are fresh and cheap. Many restaurants also serve rice, vegetables from local gardens and simple meat dishes. Some places offer set dinners in a group. Ask your guesthouse for a recommendation, as menus change with the season. Portions are usually generous and good value.

Practical tips

Sagada is a small town, and restaurants close early, often by 9 pm. Plan to eat dinner early. The town also has a local evening curfew; ask your guesthouse or the tourism office for the current time and rules. ATMs are few and can run out of cash, so bring enough cash from Baguio or Manila. Card payment is not common. In high season, popular restaurants fill up quickly, so arrive early or book if possible. Keep some small notes for tricycles and snacks.

Food and Coffee at a glance

More in Sagada

All 5 Sagada guides·Philippines tourist maps

Featured Videos