As we rambled down the streets of Baguio, one of the places that was highly recommended was Café by the Ruins. The eclectic menu was highly satisfying and we gorged on so many dishes. It is an iconic café, restaurant and bakery in Baguio that's long been beloved by both locals and visitors. The ambience has a rustic, artsy vibe and has played an important role in the city's cultural and culinary scene. It's called Café by the Ruins quite literally because it was built beside, and partly within, the ruins of a war-damaged building in downtown Baguio. After World War II, much of Baguio was destroyed during the battle to retake the city. This is why the café became a natural home for artists, writers, activists and thinkers, the space itself tells a story of survival and reinvention. read more

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I thought that I wrote a review for this place years ago. I have been going here for about 30 years. It is an amazing restaurant with a historical location. All this time I thought the restaurant was located on Chuntug. During my younger days, Baguio was known for the clubs and casinos at a couple of the hotels. Things changed after a major earthquake, and I guess the name of the street for the Cafe By The Ruins also changed to Shuntug. I love all the architectural changes that the restaurant has made after the horrible fire they had. Of course the restaurant would have a wonderful ambiance, since the co-founders were artists and creative minded individuals. This is a location where memories are created with an unforgettable dining experience. They proudly served farm-to-table food before the social movement of using local ingredients in food preparation. In fact, the menu changes due to the seasonal fruits and vegetables. I encourage you to ask your server for their recommendations. They will know what's currently popular, and it is a great way to discover new items you might not have considered otherwise. I say that only because I would not have tried the duck pinikpikan, since I remembered how chicken pinikpikan was made. I'm glad we ordered it, because it was the perfect match with the rice that was served with it. The black ink pasta with fish rose cream sauce and crispy tapa are dishes that I'll be ordering again. I also asked what the server recommended for a dessert, and I'm hoping that they'll always have the strawberry pavlova on their menu. I also enjoyed Christine's Crepe. The Ice Ruins Coffee was a wonderful beverage with my desserts. This is a restaurant that I always go to whenever I go to Baguio. read more

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A Must-Visit Restaurant in Baguio! Café by the Ruins truly lives up to its reputation. From the moment we arrived, the entrance was stunning--cozy, charming, and beautifully decorated with hanging flowers that instantly make the place feel warm and welcoming. There was a bit of a wait, but every minute was worth it. Compliments to the chef! The food was absolutely excellent. Our favorites were the kare-kare, sariwang lumpia, sinigang na bagnet, and the steamed pompano with white sauce. Each dish was flavorful, fresh, and clearly prepared with great care. What made the experience even better was the wonderful service. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome throughout the meal. If you're visiting Baguio, this place should definitely be on your list. Great ambiance, amazing food, and excellent service--an unforgettable dining experience. read more

Will definitely come back here again, if not for the ambiance alone, but also for all the food delicacies. read more

Cafe By The Ruins - Sonia invited us (balikbayans) for lunch before we head back to Manila. The ambiance was invigorating and the food were excellent. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Baguio, BEN

I've been going here for 15 plus years. Highly recommended for Baguio. Good food and service. Quick service. read more

Cafe By The Ruins - Fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Baguio, BEN

Let me preface this by saying it's been quite awhile since I've been here, so of course things can change... however I was scrolling through some pics and realized I never reviewed Cafe by the Ruins on my last trip here, and since reading some negative reviews I need to say my piece about this spot that has a special place in my heart. If you're a tourist that isn't familiar with Filipino culture or food, I would state such before making negative remarks, both for this location and the other location, because it's just not a fair review, and what we post on yelp can really damage a business! Same goes for those complaining about the weather and seating arrangements. The Cafe cannot control the weather okay, please take that into consideration. Anyways, every dish we tried here was one of the absolute best I've tried when it comes to Filipino food at a restaurant. In PHP, yes, it's pricey in comparison to other food spots, but worth it. In USD? You have nothing to complain about and you know it. Our experience with the servers were excellent, and my only regret is not coming here more often during our stay. In addition to the dishes we tried, they had a number of food items available to purchase as gifts, which is very convenient for pasalubong! read more

Cafe By The Ruins - Arrow Caldo (bottom) ; Tortang Talon (Right) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Baguio, BEN

(2019) Went for coffee in the morning after jogging at Burnham park, ambiance is warm and inviting with unique decor overall. We had the Ruins Coffee taste so good with maskubado, we also had the ensaymada which is not so sweet yet rich in flavour, buttery and i love the queso on it. Service is wonderful, staffs were friendly and the place is clean. Will surely comeback for lunch or dinner on my next vacation. read more

Cafe By The Ruins - Signature coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Baguio, BEN

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Good Food, but no parking. There's always a long wait to get seated, which is a good sign. The place is not suitable for kids. read more

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Had a sumptuos meal and staffs are very accomodating recommendable and highly satisfied customer

My jaw dropped when I approached this cafe. It was the first place that felt like it came from a storybook? As if Tarzan met Atlantis. I don't even know why, but that's what it seemed like to me. Also, I'm a big sucker for cafes, so even more so, I was so terribly excited. Just looking at the menu (please look at the photos!), I was so excited and I'm now so sad that I didn't get to try literally every single thing on the menu. Everything was amazing, of the highest quality it seemed, but not even terribly priced? At least to me. I loved their fresh lumpia, as it was the first time I had it and it was such a nice take on the traditional lumpia that I'm used to. The lechon kawali was also to die for. Maybe the best I had when I was in the Philippines. So good, so fried, so juicy! Definitely not healthy, but that's not why I'm eating it.. ANYWAYS! We also had some turon, which was a nice end to the meal because it's sweet but not super rich, since it is banana, after all. The cafe's interior is what really put it all over the top, though. Kind of ancient, but earthy, and definitely had the "ruin" vibe that is in its name. The pictures should show you a bit of what I mean. There were also a lot of greens surrounding the cafe which just added to the dreamy, storybook quality of it. Ugh, it's probably my favorite place I visited in the Philippines. Naturally, of course, it's in the mountaintop.. But now I see why everyone goes here. My family loves this place and if I ever go back, I'm definitely heading here again. Next time, I'll be getting some of their drinks and trying some of their baked goods. I'm drooling a bit just thinking of that extensive menu. To all those who come here after me, ENJOY. I'm so jealous. read more

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Terrible service! Good service is long however it's not the waiters fault, I am sure it's from the kitchen .. and it's not like the menu is complicated .. so .. I would not recommend this place read more

Wow! I am surprised by the reviews here. My personal experience here was actually pretty awesome. Loved the décor of the restaurants, and although it was packed, the servers managed to sit me appropriately. The service was awesome too. Though it was a particular crowded day at the restaurant, my order was taken appropriately and served on a timely manner. I also enjoyed the menu items. The menu items had soo many things to choose from and I particularly didn't mind the prices, but that may be subjective because I was essentially using dollars (still haven't figured out what was expensive or not when it comes to food :p ). As a tourist, I think you will enjoy this restaurant that has a wide and unique choice of food and drinks to order. Not only did they serve bakery items, but there was an assortment of specialty drinks and regular food to order. Definitely will come back! read more

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This cafe has definitely stood the test of time because I came here throughout college days at SLU. My fave was the carbonara and at long ago they served their iced tea with honey. Do not come here hoping for super fast service as it is more of a leisurely place. Things can take a bit of time but meanwhile take in all your surroundings. read more

The lemongrass iced tea and suman with mangoes are still my fave at this resto. I brought my foreign boyfriend here and he loved the food as well. read more

The atmosphere is great here, although the fact that a few of the tables are under an open roof makes it risky during the rainy season. Some of the food was okay, but nothing that special and some of it took a very long time and was cold by the time it got to me. It was pretty disappointing, since the restaurant gets so much coverage in articles about Baguio restaurants. read more

I have eaten here several times before I started using Yelp, and I agree that their food is not that exceptional and being pricey makes it a last resort if not at all a place I would eat with my family ever again. But they do have a nice place, relaxing atmosphere. read more

Nice place, good location. Cyrus gave wonderful service! The breakfast omelette very good! Nice selection of coffees. Its all good. Thank you and staff for hard work. We love Baguio! read more

Ambiance is good but its Pricey. And really Slow! After 30 mins cheese sticks pa lang nakukuha ko. I had to ask for water 3 times. Talong and arozcaldo lang ah... omg!!! This branch is in DUA read more

Foods are great! I love the roasted duck and the carbonara, also, must try the pinikpikan. The only downside, I agree to most of the reviews that its a little bit pricey. But, if you have money to spare and want a taste of Baguio, this is a great place. read more