Cafe by the Ruins Baguio | Romantic Dinner in a Rustic Artsy Setting

A must-try restaurant in Baguio, Cafe by the Ruins is well-loved by locals and tourists alike. You’ve probably heard about this restaurant many times already, as it’s one of the go-to restaurants near Burnham Park. Cafe by the Ruins gives that unique “Old Baguio” charm that many people keep on coming back for.

We’ve been to Baguio several times already but it’s only in our recent trip that we finally got to try it! After exploring Mirador Heritage Park and having our lunch at Good Taste Restaurant (then a much-needed power nap), we spent dinner time at Cafe by the Ruins.

 

Our experience at Cafe by the Ruins Baguio

I normally see photos of it during the day and they’re so great! It also gives the impression that it’s best for breakfast, lunch, or coffee breaks. But believe me, it’s equally charming at night time! Cafe by the Ruins is even great for simple romantic dinner dates, just like we had.

We just walked from Burnham Park to Cafe by the Ruins (please just use Google Maps as I suck at giving directions). At the entrance gate we were greeted by a nicely lighted pathway that leads to the restaurant counter. The staff instantly assisted us to our table and gave us their menu.

 

 

We chose the seats on the upper floor with outside view on the terrace (it’s already dark though). It’s nice since there’s better privacy and we could feel the cool breeze of Baguio.

What I liked about this restaurant is that they have a lot of choices when it comes to dining spaces that will cater to different needs of their customers. You can choose seats on the first floor if you don’t mind seeing arriving customers every now and then, or you just want easier access to the counter and comfort room especially if you have children and senior citizens with you. There are seats on the upper floor for those who need a little privacy. Or if you want to see the outside scene while dining there are more seats on the terrace part.

 

 

Lately, we’ve been trying to make it a habit to only order what we will/can eat and avoid unnecessary leftovers and cost. We are now perfectly aware of our stomach’s capacity and that sumptuous eating is really not for us. We even stopped going to eat-all-you-cans anymore because we realized it’s not worth it for us. Imagine availing that unli food for almost 1,000 php and realize you only consumed just about a quarter of the cost (I get full easily, but I also get hungry after a couple of hours!).

Anyway, these are the food that we can comfortably stuff in our stomach for the time being!

 

 

Their Beef Stroganoff is a pasta that I could crave for anytime. I mean, it instantly deserved a slot on my comfort food list! It has tender strips of beef and mushrooms in a creamy, thick, and garlicky Stroganoff sauce, served over noodles. It’s so good and versatile that it could be served as a breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner. I loved how they served it with generous amount of sauce!

Saigon Street Sandwich is another food discovery that we quite unexpectedly liked so much! We only ordered it because we were feeling adventurous and we wanted to try something that’s not marked as bestseller from the menu. We did not expect it to be really good! It’s their version of Vietnamese Banh Mi with Bagnet, pickles, liver pate, and garlic mayo. Imagine Bagnet in a sandwich, who would’ve thought it could be that good! The Bagnet was tender and flavorful, matched perfectly with their signature bread. It was served with cucumber salad and kamote chips on the side.

 

 

They also sell a lot of their signature breads and spreads. Our Airbnb host shared that their pandesal is their all time favorite and a can’t-miss (although we missed it because it’s sold out!).

 

Cafe by the Ruins Baguio: Final Thoughts

We did not initially plan to go here because we felt it was too mainstream. We were set to have dinner at another restaurant but later found out it’s closed every Monday. So we gave it a try and we’re glad we did! It even became a highlight of our trip!

We will definitely be back here on our next Baguio trips! I’m excited to try their other food offerings when we get back.

 

Location

Cafe by the Ruins is located at #25 Shuntug Rd, Baguio City, Benguet.

 

How I’d rate this resto

Food	★★★★★
Service	★★★★★
Location	★★★★☆
Price	★★★★★
Ambiance	★★★★★
Overall	4.8

 

Watch our Baguio Tour!

 

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