Port Barton Restaurants: Where To Eat In Port Barton, Palawan

By Travel Textbook - Lucy

Port Barton is a sleepy seaside town on the western coast of the Philippine island of Palawan. The rustic township was our favourite destination in Palawan, and one of our favourite things to do there was sample the eateries. Despite the small size of Port Barton, there are plenty of places to eat. These restaurants and cafés can be found both within the town itself, or a short tricycle journey away.

Here are the restaurants we sampled during our few days in Port Barton and the recommendations we have for them!

REEF CAFÉ

COST: ₱₱

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Favourite Meal: Fish and Chips

Reef Café is tucked away in a small corner of Port Barton, close to the northern end of the town. We visited on a rainy night in the tail end of wet season and were greeted by the friendly staff. Live music is played every evening in the restaurant which adds to the ambience. The Reef Café features a simple yet classic menu; the majority of the meals come with seafood, but beef and chicken burgers also feature. The bar menu is simple but includes the usual Filipino staples such as Red Horse and San Miguel.

On our first visit, we decided to go with a plate of good ol’ fish and chips each. The meal was presented beautifully; the sight of stacked pieces of fish with homemade fries immediately impressed us! And, as expected, it tasted incredible. The fish was fresh and burst with flavour, the batter was crisp and made in the “melt in your mouth” fashion. Likewise, the chips were delicious – just the right amount of crunch. A simple side of tartare sauce went well with the meal. Even though the serving didn’t look massive on the plate it was the perfect amount. As is normal in Port Barton, it was great to be sitting so close to where the fish had been freshly caught.

On our second visit we both chose beef burgers. Although we largely avoided meat in the Philippines (opting to eat mostly pescatarian for a change), we couldn’t resist them as they looked amazing! The buns were fresh and the burgers contained a simple salad (lettuce, tomato) along with the beef patty. An aioli/mayonnaise sauce completed the package, along with more of the Reef Café’s fresh chips. Another great meal, very filling!

Drinks were cheap – during our first visit we drank the classic Red Horse (70 PHP) and on our second visit we chose San Miguel Pilsener (65 PHP). The Reef Café is definitely worth trying.

MABUTI EAT AND CHILL

Cost: ₱₱

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Favourite Meal: Veggie Burger

Mabuti Eat & Chill is situated just behind the beach in the centre of town. Although it is not directly on the waterfront, the restaurant is two storeys – meaning that you get a great view from the top floor! As the restaurant’s name implies, there is a strong emphasis on eating, relaxing and chatting. The downstairs component consists of simple tables, but upstairs there are beanbags, hammocks, armchairs and couches for guests to completely relax. Mabuti provides you with a WiFi access code and travellers were able to use this space to catch up on work. In any case, it is the perfect ambiance to enjoy a meal or a few drinks (there is a fully stocked bar upstairs). In the evenings, fairy lights create a relaxed atmosphere as guests come and go.

During our first visit to Mabuti it was breakfast time and so we decided to go for an omelette, scrambled eggs and pancakes. On offer is a small breakfast combo (one dish and a drink for 160 PHP) or a big breakfast combo (two dishes and a drink for 250 PHP). Choose between the two purely based on how hungry you are! Luce had the omelette and said that it was delicious in every way that an omelette should be. I went for the American pancakes with banana and scrambled eggs. The pancakes were awesome; they were fluffy and the bananas were clearly fresh. The scrambled eggs, however, weren’t my favourite. My advice is therefore to go with the omelette as it seemed like the “safer” option. The French Press coffee that we were given was tasty and there was more than enough per person.

Our second visit to Mabuti was in the evening and felt like a completely different experience! As mentioned above, the lighting was moody and it had more of a “bar” feel. Both of us opted to go for the veggie burger (290 PHP). The burger consisted of a vegetable patty, mozzarella and fresh vegetables. As was expected, the meal was delicious and satisfying. I only realised after I had finished the burger that I had eaten the whole thing before taking a photo! The patty, which can sometimes be dry in veggie burgers, was moist and the vegetables has been roasted to perfection. It was served with freshly cut and fried potato wedges. It’s worth noting that Mabuti is able to make the burger vegan upon request, as well. We paired the burger with some local beers and left the restaurant very satisfied. Mabuti Eat & Chill is 100% worth trying and was a personal favourite of ours from our trip to the Philippines.

ELSA’S COTTAGES

Cost: ₱₱

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The big advantage that Elsa’s Cottages has is location, location, location. Situated directly on the waterfront, the entire restaurant is surrounded by palm trees and the gorgeous beach. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try a full meal at the restaurant but instead had a few beers, enjoyed a small plate of vegetarian “pancit” (120 PHP) and took in the stunning view.

The pancit was tasty. The noodles that are used are thin (comparable with vermicelli) and ours were mixed with broccoli, carrot and cabbage. Although it was a smallish serving, it was great as a snack in between two larger meals. The restaurant does however offer a number of dishes of all varieties and cuisines. There is a range of cocktails on offer and the drinks are reasonably priced, given the awesome location of the bar! Tourists come and go, as do the locals, and everyone seemed to be having a good time by the seaside.

VILLA MARGUERITA

Cost: ₱₱

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We visited Villa Marguerita incidentally as we wanted a light snack and a drink. It was a hot and sticky day and the restaurant is located on the beachfront – so we thought that it was ideal for a quick rest. At this odd hour, it was more or less empty upon our arrival. We tried the vegetable pancit here which was tasty and freshly made. We imagine that Villa Marguerita would’ve been a better experience if we had visited in the evening, when they host live bands and set up atmospheric lighting. They had plenty of food and drink options on offer that should hopefully suit everyone’s needs.

HAPPY BAR

Cost: ₱₱

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The location of Happy Bar is incredible! The bar has been built as close to the beach as possible and sand runs all the way up and into the bar (so that your feet touch the sand as you relax). We weren’t able to try anything from the menu so we rather just enjoyed a beer as the sun went down for the day. Light music was playing as guests chatted amongst themselves. During happy hour you even get a small bowl of popcorn with your drinks, not bad! Throughout our visit it rained, which meant that we had to sit inside the bar – but on warmer days the staff set up tables on the beach itself. All in all, a great place to relax and we can’t wait to go back to try the food.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO PORT BARTON? WHAT RESTAURANTS, CAFÉS AND BARS DID YOU ENJOY?

WELCOME ABOARD!

My name’s Lucy and I’m the junior doctor and travel writer behind the blog. If you’re a fan of scratching beneath the surface of travel, visiting interesting destinations, and exploring ethically, then you’re in the right place. Focusing on purposeful budget and solo travel, Travel Textbook hopes to inspire more young people to seek meaningful adventure.