#CEBUsog!
Cebu, the ‘Queen City of the South’, is also the land of awesome travel finds. People often visit the city to escape the hustle and bustle of Manila, and stuff themselves silly with the ever-famous Cebu lechon, dried mangoes, and pu-so (rice wrapped in dried leaves).
But while everyone is fixated on their usual favorites, Cebu is already up and about in the dessert scene. If you’ve got a major sweet tooth, these are some of the restaurants you should put on your next Cebu bucket list. Here, Booky collaborated with JP Gonzaga of @CHUBBYPEROHAPPY to give you a taste of the destination’s top sweet spots. Check out his feed for more drool-worthy food finds!
The Chocolate Chamber – Villa Aurora
Famed for being the chocolate experts of the Philippines, The Chocolate Chamber (TCC) is the go-to place for authentic, rich and hearty “Sikwati”(chocolate bitter water) and other delicacies made with pure cacao Filipino chocolates–far from your typical supermarket finds. Owner and founder, Raquel Choa, can attest to the benefits of chocolates as she drinks at least 1 glass of Sikwati a day. Fun Fact: TCC’s name is an ode to the Cebu Chamber of Commerce. Insider tip: You can do a Chocolate Tour by appointment at their sister branch, Casa de Cacao, on Topaz St., Casals’ Village, Cebu City. P.S. Their chocolates are perfect for pasalubong.
Must Tries: The Traditional Hot Chocolate (“Sikwati”), the TCC Chocolate Moist Cake (with white chocolate filling), Chocolate Truffle
Reservations are accepted
22 Pres. Quirino St. Villa Aurora, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
0917 628 7661
Room for Dessert – SM Seaside City
Room for Dessert, the dessert arm of the Casa Verde, is a dessert cafe specializing in premium soft serve ice cream with fairy floss. It’s perfect for diners who love beautiful interiors and over-the-top dessert items–best enjoyed with a friend, or even on your own. Insider tip: It can get messy if you don’t eat fast; Take a quick snap so you can enjoy it right away! Fun Fact: Room for Dessert was initially featured by THE INSIDER.
Must Tries: Juliana’s Cookie Madness
Reservations are accepted
SM Seaside City, South Road Properties, 6000 Cebu City, Philippines
(032) 513 5655
Amidala Café – Maria Christina Arcade
The force is strong in this one! Named after the famous queen in the Star Wars movie franchise, Amidala Café stays true to form by pumping up the quaint café with everything Star Wars. You’ll find tons of toys, figurines, masks, and wall art of the different characters from the movie franchise. Milkshakes and desserts are also out of this world and over the top. Check out our full feature here.
Must Tries: Choco CarameLeia Milkshake, Force Choke Milkshake, Wookie Milkshake
Reservations are accepted
Maria Christina Arcade, Ground floor, 6000 Cebu City
0942 613 1367
Vanille – Ayala Center Cebu
Vanille is a French-inspired cafe that boasts of delicious desserts and pastries like truffle balls, macarons, and cakes. Like their namesake, Vanilla is an important ingredient in most of their dishes. Word is the owner trained in France and fell in love with their culture and dessert offerings, so she brought her learnings in Cebu. The interiors are very lovely and this can be a perfect date place for lovers with a sweet tooth.
Must Tries: French Macarons, Tiramisu, Chocolate Ganache
Reservations are accepted
View their Instagram account
3/F Ayala Center Cebu, 6000 Cebu City, Philippines
0922 341 6730
10 Dove Street – Oakridge Business Park
10 Dove Street is a charming and cozy bakery and café that serves homemade delicacies. They originally started making cakes at their house-turned-bakery situated at 10 Dove Street, hence the name. While they have tons of branches, their Oakridge branch is one of the most beautiful ones. The place is perfect to unwind and catch a breather after munching down a hearty meal from the nearby restaurants. P.S. Don’t forget to try their coffee!
Must Tries: Ube Gateau, Decadence Cake, and the Fruit Medley Cake
Reservations are accepted
Oakridge Business Park, 880, A.S. Fortuna Street, Mandaue City, 6014
(032) 418 1010
Fudge – Ayala Center Cebu
Fudge has got to be one of the go-to places in Cebu thanks to their huge, bang-for-buck food offerings. Diners love their Lava Cake (available in original chocolate or the red velvet)–imagine a soft, moist chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream and filled with hot oozing, chocolate. Insider tip: Best to order the Lava Cake in advance because it 20 minutes to prepare. You’ll know when it’s almost done because you’ll smell the awesome chocolate cake being baked from the kitchen.
For @chubbyperohappy, Fudge is one of the most well-rounded restaurants in Cebu – both their main dishes and their dessert offerings are a must try!
Must Try: Lava Cake
Reservations are accepted
888 A.S. Fortuna St. & 4th Level Ayala Center Cebu, 6000 Cebu
(032) 416 1727
Tymad Bistro – Maria Luisa Road
Giving you a taste of Europe in Cebu, Tymad Bistro is a bakery, patisserie, and restaurant rolled up into one. It is an awesome place for travel junkies as everything reminds you of France – from the smell of the bread, the picture frames of famous French landmarks, and the food itself. Even the owner is French, so you know it’s authentic. Fun Fact: The name Tymad means “good house” in Celtic language, which comes from Britanny, France, where crepes originated.
Must Tries: Caramel Machiatto paired with some of Tymad’s Chocolate Cake
Reservations are accepted
Maria Luisa Road, 6016 Banilad, Cebu City, Philippines
(032) 239 7385
Sunday 2pm Café – Sarrosa Hotel
Owned by a Korean couple, Sunday 2pm Café has gained popularity in Cebu for its quirky design and awesome drinks and desserts. Located at G/F of Sarrosa Hotel, the cafe shouts Korean charm – with K-Pop group pictures, post-it messages, stuffed toys, and board games available for you to enjoy. Fun Fact: The café opened on a Sunday, at 2pm sharp, hence the name.
Must Tries: Black Forest Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Cheesecake
Reservations are accepted
Sarrosa Hotel, F. Cabahug St, Cebu City, Cebu
(032) 520 5174
Avalanche Ice Cream Shop – Anita’s Building
Just as the name connotes, Avalanche Ice Cream Shop makes ice cream as fast as an avalanche can happen. Their special ingredient: liquid nitrogen. Choose from a variety of flavors and ingredients; They’ll mix everything and pour in some liquid nitrogen et viola, instant ice cream! The place is small and unassuming, but the nitrogen show is definitely worth the visit.
Must Tries: Cebu Mango Ice Cream
No reservations accepted
Anita’s Building, Osmena Blvd. Corner J. Llorente St., 6000 Cebu City, Philippines
(032) 416 0345
Sulbing Dessert Cafe – Gaisano Country Mall
Cebu has a high population of Koreans, so it comes to no surprise that the Bingsu craze would soon reach the Metropolis–and Sulbing, a franchise from South Korea, is leading the pack. With the warm and humid weather in Cebu, this dessert is just perfect.
Must Tries: Frozen Mango and Cheesecake Bingsu
Reservations are accepted
Gaisano Country Mall, Banilad, Cebu City
La Marea – The Walk
La Marea literally translates to ‘tide‘ in Spanish. The name connotes its proximity to nearby bodies of water, hence the tides. They’ve grown to be one of the go-to dessert places in Cebu, famous for their affordable, simple, and just indulgent desserts. You’ve got to try their warm dessert offerings in a cup.
Must Tries: Frozen Brazo de Mercedes, Warm Brownie ala mode, Silvannas
Reservations are accepted
The Walk, Abad St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
(032) 416 2348
From JP Gonzaga of ChubbyPeroHappy:
This is but a few of the awesome dessert finds in Cebu. I’ve only been here for a little over a month, and I’m sure there’s more to discover out there. Cebu is a treasure chest for food finds! What’s your favorite dessert on the list? Let us know if you know more sweet finds so we can discover more. But first, I’m hitting the gym. Hahaha!
For more Cebu FOOD and TRAVEL finds, be sure to follow JP on his Instagram: @ChubbyPeroHappy. He’s out and about with a passion to find the next resto or destination that will leave you #CHUBBYPEROHAPPY! @Chubbyperohappy was also featured here.
