Influenced by Muslims, Spaniards, Chinese, and settlers from the Visayas and Luzon, Zamboanga City’s cuisine is one big, delicious melting pot of diverse textures and flavors. This underrated food hub, shaped by decades of culinary preservation and fusion, is a highly recommended destination for foodie travelers. To guide you through your food trip around the city, here are must-visit places on where to eat in Zamboanga City.
Where and What to Eat in Zamboanga City
Alavar Seafood Restaurant
No visit to Zamboanga City is complete without trying out Alavar Seafood Restaurant’s Curacha, a deep-sea giant crab that’s almost the size of a child’s face. Using your bare hands, crack the shell open to reveal the thick and juicy meat inside. Don’t forget to glaze it with the restaurant’s signature Alavar sauce! You will be surprised at how many crabs you’ve licked clean, as the Curacha is definitely a delight to the taste buds. Other must-try dishes at Alavar include dinuguan cooked Chavacano style, prawn curry, grilled tuna jaw, pinakbet Chavacano, and Paella Chavacano, among many others.
Alavar Seafood Restaurant can be found at Don Alfaro Street, Tetuan, Zamboanga City.
Paseo del Mar and Palmeras Restaurant
Paseo del Mar and Hacienda Palmeras are popular spots to try the local Knickerbocker. When compared to halo-halo or fruit salad, one can say that Knickerbocker is "same-same but different." While it also features milk cream, sliced frozen fruits, jelly cubes, and ice cream, it's still a unique and refreshing dessert concept.
Palmeras Restaurant can be found at Hacienda de Palmeras, Sta. Maria Rd., Zamboanga City, while Paseo del Mar is located at Valderoza St. (right beside Fort Pilar), Zamboanga City.
Tsokolate Restaurant
Aside from cakes, pies, and pastries, Tsokolate also serves hot plated meals to go with their aromatic and flavorful brewed coffee. Mixing great food with a laid-back vibe, you get to feast your eyes on cool vintage decorations like vinyl records and other pop culture mementos. This charming nook is an ideal spot to hang out with friends and enjoy a wonderful meal.
Tsokolate Restaurant can be found at NS Valderosa St., Zamboanga City.
Dennis Coffee Garden
It’s popular for its rich brewed coffee and Tausug cuisine, but Dennis Coffee Garden also serves traditional native pastries that are widely known across the entire Sulu archipelago. Don’t forget to try out a platter of Daral (comparable to a crepe but with a sugary coconut filling), Jualan (fried bananas that come with a sweet dip), Pulihmandi (purple-colored rice balls covered with coconut shavings), and Sulu’s version of a local pancake called apam.
Dennis Coffee Garden has locations at Labuan-Limpapa National Rd. and KCC Mall along Gov. Camins Rd. (near the airport), Zamboanga City.
Bay Tal Mal
No 'Where to Eat in Zamboanga City' list is complete without the inclusion of Bay Tal Mal. Coined from the Arabic word ‘Bayt-ul Mal’ which means ‘House of Wealth’, Bay Tal Mal serves traditional Tausug and halal Moro cuisines. The Moroccan-inspired interior sets an idyllic mood that’s perfect for feasting on Latal—a platter featuring a variety of Tausug native dishes. These go great with rice and other favorites such as chicken piyanggang and kiyaliya.
Bay Tal Mal can be found at DSEN Bldg., Mayor Jaldon St., Canelar, Zamboanga City.
Jimmy’s Satti and Johnny’s Morning Sun Satti
If you’re arriving in Zamboanga early in the morning, consider yourself fortunate because you can immediately try what most locals choose for breakfast. Satti is flavored local barbecue (either chicken, beef, or liver) eaten with a soupy, sweet and spicy sauce and rice wrapped in coconut leaves. Upon arriving, you can head straight to either Jimmy’s Satti or Johnny’s Morning Sun Satti—both modest eateries located on the roadside not far from the airport.
Jimmy’s Satti Place can be found at Pilar St., Zamboanga City, while Johnny’s Morning Sun Satti is located at C. Atilano St., Brgy. San Jose Gusu, Zamboanga City.
La Vista del Mar
A favorite among seafood lovers, this seaside restaurant serves many of the region’s heritage cuisines. A scene-stealing dish here is a healthy bowl of goodness called Ensalada Chamba. It’s an appropriate play on the word chamba, which means ‘stroke of luck,’ because the combination of ingredients (namely diced mangoes, sliced eggplants, salted egg, cucumber, and others) just happened to blend together perfectly.
La Vista del Mar can be found at Labuan-Limpapa National Rd., Zamboanga City.
Sama Bangingi Muslim Delicacies
These are just a few of the favorite appetizers which originated from the Sama Bangingi ethno-linguistic group residing across the Greater Sulu Archipelago: from bottom left (counterclockwise), lokot-lokot (rice flour rolls), baulo mamun, panganan, kalling, pitis patani, baulo tapung, and panyalam (or panyam bangingi) in the middle.
Baked Imbao
In Zamboanga, clams are prepared in a number of different ways, and one of the standout creations is Baked Imbao. Capped off with garlic and butter, it serves as the ultimate appetizer to complement any seafood feast.
Chupa Kulo
A familiar sight on dinner tables among the houses in coastal towns and islands surrounding Zamboanga City, Chupa Kulo are snails simmered in squash and coconut milk. As the name suggests, you need to suck the shell to enjoy the slimy yet intensely flavorful meat inside.
For a hassle-free transport and to avail of an expert tour guide to accompany you on your food trip adventure around Zamboanga City, I suggest getting the services of ITravel TouristLane travel agency based in the city.
