When we say Zamboanga City is colorful, we’re not just talking about the vibrant sails of the vinta or the seemingly blushing sand of Pink Beach. Color here is not only something to see but also something to taste! From the fiery reddish sauce of satti to the rainbow hues of knickerbocker. It’s not enough to just feast our eyes on the fascinating sights and rich heritage of Zamboanga, we also have to savor it!
The city’s food scene is as diverse as its culture. And if there’s anything that excites us as much as exploring, it’s good food! Ready to dig in? Here are some of the best eats and food places we’ve tried in Zamboanga City.
WHAT'S IN THIS GUIDE?
Curacha
In Chavacano, the name means “cockroach”. BUT relax! We’re not referring to the actual insect that pops up when you least expect it. Not THAT party crasher. We’re talking about the star of the party. This is the famous curacha (spanner crab) of Zamboanga.
Its spiky, hairy appearance might be why it got its name. But there’s more than meets the eye. You have to crack the shell and relish its succulent meat. Curacha is like a hybrid between common crabs and lobsters. It’s known for its tender meat and subtle sweetness. It’s no wonder that it’s one of the most sought-after delicacies in Zamboanga.
Alavar Seafood Restaurant
Alavar Seafood Restaurant is the most popular place serving this. Their best seller is the one cooked in their specialty sauce made with coconut milk, aligue (crab roe paste), and a variety of spices. The rich, thick sauce paired with the meat’s succulent texture creates a delicious combination that we love.
However, there’s a catch. This can be a bit pricey. During our last visit in 2022, the price of curacha ranged from P1,500 to P1,700 per kilogram, depending on the size. But note that this serving size would be too much for one or two persons. One kilo is equivalent to two large-sized curacha. If you’re in a big group, you can split the cost, so it will be more affordable. This option is also perfect for those who simply want to sample this dish.
Address: 173 Don Alfaro Street, Zamboanga City
Operating Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Specialty: Curacha in Alavar Sauce
Aderes Flea Market
If the cooked version is out of your budget, you can head to Aderes Flea Market in Guiwan to grab fresh curacha and other seafood products. Luckily, the surrounding waters are full of them, so you’re sure to find the freshest catch!
Address: Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat Highway (Maharlika Highway), Zamboanga City
Moro Cuisine
Although Palm Grill, a restaurant specializing in ZAMBASULTA cuisine, has branches in Quezon City — one in Cubao and another in Tomas Morato — most people in Metro Manila have yet to try, or even hear of, Moro cuisine. To be honest, before our trip to Zamboanga City, we were among them. Many of us are more familiar with foreign dishes than Southern Mindanao offerings. So, if you ever find yourself in Zamboanga, don’t miss the opportunity to experience Moro cuisine.
More than a third of Zamboanga’s population is Muslim. The Moro or Filipino Muslim community has a distinct food culture that sets it apart from the rest of the Philippines. They like using aromatic spices like galangal, kaffir lime, and turmeric, which are also widely used in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. Incorporating coconut and coconut milk into the dishes is also common.
One of the dishes we tried that made quite an impression on us is the tiyulah itum (black soup). Made with beef or goat meat, this dish gets its black color from burnt or charred coconut (niyog). But don’t worry. It doesn’t have that bitter, burnt taste. Instead, the charred coconut adds a smoky depth to the flavor. It might look intimidating at first, but we loved it! It’s hard to just describe with words. You have to try it yourself if you get the chance.
Bay Tal Mal
Tiyulah itum is just one of the many dishes the Tausug people take pride in. If you want to sample more in one go, make your way to Bay Tal Mal and order their latal (P959), which is a platter of Tausug specialties.
Aside from tiyulah itum, this set also includes beef kulma, which is similar to beef curry; piyassak, which consists of beef liver cubes with charred coconut and coconut milk; chicken piyanggang, a grilled chicken marinated in burnt coconut and various spices; and chicken kaliya, a chicken stew made with coconut milk, lemongrass, turmeric, and other spices.
It also features beef adobo, fried fish, fried shrimp, and cucumber with sambal. We also had this one that was not on the menu. We think this is utak-utak (fried fish cake).
You can pair this with rice, but we also enjoyed it with our favorite mie goreng (P259). If you’re looking for other options, Bay Tal Mal has plenty of other items on their menu.
The first time we tried it, the restaurant was still located on Mayor Jaldon Street. But now, you’ll find it on the 4th level of SM Mindpro.
Address: 4th floor, SM Mindpro, La Purisima Street, Zamboanga City
Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Specialty: Latal (platter of Tausug dishes)
Tausug Coffee & Pastries
Dennis Coffee Garden is among the popular food places here in Zamboanga City. But if you trace its roots, you’ll end up in Jolo, Sulu, where the first branch opened in 1962. Today, it has expanded to multiple locations, with four branches here in Zamboanga City.
Kahawa Sug (Tausug Coffee)
The café is known for its…COFFEE! They proudly serve their signature kahawa sug (P100), an authentic Tausug brew. If you’re a fan of strong coffee, this one is for you. I’m not a coffee drinker, but since we’re already here, I figured it would be a crime not to try it — though I only took a sip from Yosh’s cup. For those who prefer a milder kick, they also offer it iced and with milk.
Bang Bang Sug (Tausug Pastries)
Aside from Sulu coffee, they’re also famous for their bang bang sug (native Tausug pastries), which are perfect for a morning or an afternoon snack! But since we went here at night — tired and famished — we went all out and ordered everything on their snack menu! Yes, we are THAT hungry! But hey, it was also a perfect excuse to sample them all and tell you which ones are our favorites. Right?!
When we visited in 2022, each one was priced at P65, but as of writing, it’s now P95 each. Here are the snack items:
- Daral: crepe with a sweet coconut filling, which tastes like bukayo
- Panggih-panggih: deep-fried dough rings
- Biyaki: grated sweet corn cakes with coconut milk, wrapped in corn husks then steamed
- Jualan Saing: deep-fried bananas paired with sweetened coconut dip
- Jualan Panggih: deep-fried sweet potatoes that also comes with sweetened coconut dip
- Pitis: glutinous rice flour cakes with sweetened coconut filling, wrapped in banana leaves
- Patulakan: steamed rice flour with milk and grated coconut, also wrapped in banana leaves
Among everything we sampled, our top picks were jualan saing, daral, biyaki and panggih-panggih! But of course, our tastes might be different from yours.
We also tried pastil, which is similar to an empanada filled with togue (bean sprouts) and served with a sweet and spicy sauce.
Besides coffee and pastries, Dennis Coffee Garden offers Tausug tray or platter as well. It’s basically the same as Bay Tal Mal’s latal, but they call it dulang (P1,100) and features six dishes.
Branches: San Jose Road (Baliwasan), KCC Mall Zamboanga City, Yubengco (Tetuan), and Southern Heights (La Paz)
Specialty: Kahawa Sug (Sulu coffee) and Bang Bang Sug (Tausug pastries)
Tetuan Lechon
If you’ve noticed, the last three items we featured didn’t include pork. That’s because pork is forbidden in Islam, which is why you won’t find them on the menus of Tausug or Moro restaurants.
However, this doesn’t mean that pork is completely nonexistent in Zamboanga. There’s actually a street here that will have lechon lovers swooning! Yup, you heard that right — LECHON.
Located in Tetuan, this street is lined with stalls selling juicy, mouthwatering lechon. There are plenty of options to choose from, but after asking some locals for recommendations, we decided to try Prince Tasty Lechon.
Prince Tasty Lechon
Prince Tasty Lechon seems to have several stalls throughout the city, but we ended up here in Tetuan because it was just a short walk from Alavar. As soon as we approached, we were given a piece of lechon skin to sample. And wow! It was so crispy it crumbled like chicharon when we took a bite. At that time, the price was P550 per kilo, while half a kilo was P350. Now, a kilo is priced at P600.
Tetuan lechon is often compared to the more popular Cebu lechon, and honestly, the taste was quite similar. It was moist, juicy, and tender. The flavor soaked through the meat and enhanced by spices and herbs like garlic, onions, pepper, calamansi, and laurel leaves. You won’t even need a sauce or dip. You can enjoy it on its own.
If you just want to have a smaller portion, like a meal with rice, you can head over to Prince Fastfood, located near the corner of Estrada Street and Don Alfaro Street. It’s just a quick walk from their stall along the main road. You won’t find it on Google Maps, but you can see it on Google Street View. The landmark is Seaoil Gas Station.
Anyway! For P150, you’ll have a combo meal consisting of 200 grams of lechon, a drink, a soup, and two cups of rice.
Prince Tasty Lechon Fastfood
Address: Estrada Street, Tetuan, Zamboanga City
Opening Hours: Daily, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Satti
This list won’t be complete without mentioning satti, which is a staple here. You’ll spot satti houses on almost every corner. We even noticed other regular houses with signs saying, “We serve satti.”
Satti is similar to satay found in other places — grilled skewered chicken or beef. But here in Zamboanga (and even in Tawi-Tawi), it’s usually served half-dipped in a bowl of spicy sauce with rice cubes.
Jimmy’s Satti Food Haus
When we asked the locals — mostly tricycle drivers — where’s the best satti place in the city, a majority of them swear by Jimmy’s Satti Food Haus. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to try Jimmy’s. We ended up having satti at a different eatery. But if you’re traveling to Zamboanga, give Jimmy’s a try for us, and let us know in the comment section what you think!
Address: Pilar Street, Zamboanga City
Operating Hours: Daily, 3:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Specialty: Satti
Knickerbocker
After all those appetizing dishes and flavorful local delicacies, now is the perfect time for dessert!
Here in Zamboanga City, no dessert is more iconic than the knickerbocker.
When I first heard the name, “dessert” wasn’t what I imagined at all. Curious where it got its name? It was named after the owner’s favorite basketball team — the New York Knickerbockers, better known as the New York Knicks.
This cool and colorful treat is like the fruitier, healthier sibling of halo-halo. It is typically made up of jellies, nata de coco, and fresh fruits like watermelon, apple, pineapple, and mango. The mixture is then drizzled with condensed milk and crowned with a scoop or two of strawberry ice cream. The result is a bright, sweet, and creamy dessert, perfect for capping off any meal.
Hacienda Palmeras Hotel & Restaurant
You won’t have a hard time finding one in the city, but if you want to have a taste of the original, follow your sweet tooth to Hacienda Palmeras Hotel and Restaurant, which is said to be the brain behind this tropical dessert.
The restaurant sits in a garden tucked away in a quiet part of the city, but it’s still easily accessible by jeepney or tricycle.
Address: Pasonanca Road, Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City
Operating Hours: Wednesday to Friday, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM; Saturday to Tuesday, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Specialty: Knickerbocker and seafood
Street Food
And of course, we can’t wrap up this article without including street food. We looooove street food!
Take chikalang, for example. And no, it’s not chika lang (chika lang = Tagalog slang for “joke only”, gossip, or rumor) because that is really the name of this fried twisted sticky rice rolled in brown sugar. It tastes similar to karioka or pilipit, but it’s denser, heavier, and has a distinctive purple color.
You might see a vendor selling it around Paseo del Mar. You can try one while waiting for your boat to the Santa Cruz Islands or unwinding after the trip. You’ll also find here the usual Pinoy favorites such as banana cue, kikiam, and fish balls.
Another great spot for street food hunting is along R.T. Lim Boulevard. Here, you can feast on local favorites like pastil, lokot-lokot, ihaw-ihaw (grilled skewers), and even mie goreng! And because we’re addicted to mie goreng, you already know the drill — we bought one from a vendor and ate it on the spot! During that time, we got it for only P35.
Are you on the lookout for balut or penoy? You can also get your hands on those here!
HELLO! Surely, there are still many that we haven’t covered. So if you have other recommendations for the best food joints and restaurants in Zamboanga City, just comment below and we’ll take note of them for our next visit. Thank you!
Where to Stay in Zamboanga City
If you’re traveling to Zamboanga City soon but still don’t have a place to stay, check out these top-rated hotels, highly recommended by online users.
Top Hotels on Agoda
- LM METRO HOTEL
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Top Hotels on Booking.com
- MARCIAN GARDEN HOTEL
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Find more Zamboanga City Hotels!
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2025.05.01 – First uploaded
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