Best Restaurants in Naga City: 12 Places Locals Go Back To

Looking for the best restaurants in Naga City? Go to Graceland for Bicolano rice meals like pork chop with pinangat, Red Platter or Narra Café for kare-kare, Bob Marlin for crispy pata, and Taste of Spice for biryani. Most of these are on or near Magsaysay Avenue, Naga’s main dining strip.

Naga takes its food seriously, especially when it comes to Bicolano flavor. Laing, pinangat, and Bicol Express cooked in gata are on almost every menu in town.

But the city’s food goes well past the classics.

On one stretch of Magsaysay Avenue you can have crispy pata for lunch and quattro formaggi pizza for dinner, and a short tricycle ride away there’s biryani good enough to top Naga’s Tripadvisor list.

To help you navigate all these options, we’ve put together a lineup of the city’s standout dining spots. We’ve made this list for anyone who has asked “saan tayo kakain?” in Naga, whether you’re here for the weekend, here for work, or a local picking a place for a family lunch. We’ve eaten at every place here, and for each one we tell you  the dishes we keep ordering, where to find them, and who they’re best for.

Our 12 Picks for the Best Restaurants in Naga City

1. Graceland — Best restaurant in Naga City  for Bicolano rice meals

If you want to know what Nagueños eat on a normal day, start here, the Bicolano restaurant Naga locals always recommend. Graceland is a homegrown Bicol chain, and its Naga branches serve the dishes locals grew up with: Bicol Express, laing, pinangat, pancit, and fried chicken, plus halo-halo and cakes from its sister bakeshop, Baker’s Plaza.

What We Order: The Bicol Special, a crispy pork chop paired with pinangat, which is also Graceland’s bestseller. On other days, the Lechon Bicol Express: crispy lechon kawali with a side of Bicol Express. Both are a good first taste of Bicol in one plate.

Good for: Families, quick and affordable lunches, early breakfasts.

Where: Graceland Magsaysay, G/F ADC’s Building, corner Catmon II, Magsaysay Avenue (7 AM–10 PM). Graceland Elias Angeles, Elias Angeles St. corner Arana St., Sta. Cruz, near the city centre (opens 6:30 AM). Both are on Foodpanda and GrabFood.

2. Red Platter — Kare-kare and leche flan are a must-try for family occasions

Red Platter is where Naga families go when lunch is an occasion: a birthday, a visiting relative, a Sunday after Mass. It’s a semi-formal dining room on Magsaysay Avenue with a menu that mixes Bicolano, Filipino, and Western dishes, and diners rate its cakes and desserts as highly as its mains.

What We Order: Kare-kare, the crispy beef riblets, and the creamy leche flan to finish.

Good for: Family celebrations, groups, dessert lovers.

Where: Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City. Open daily, 9:30 AM–9:30 PM.

3. Grissini Ristorante — Italian for a date night

When you want a break from rice meals, Grissini is Naga’s go-to for Italian: pizza, pasta and heavier plates like osso buco and seafood risotto.

What We Order: The quattro formaggi pizza and the grazing bundle when there’s a group to share it with.

Good for: Dates, anniversaries, small celebrations. Plan on spending more than at a typical Naga restaurant.

Where: Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City. Mon–Thu 10:30 AM–9 PM; Fri–Sun 10:30 AM–9:30 PM.

4. Chef Doy’s — Bicolano seafood

Chef Doy’s puts Bicol’s coconut-and-chili cooking on a seafood-heavy menu. It’s a good place to take visitors who want more than the usual Bicolano basics.

What We Order: Batang-batang pusit and kinunot, the Bicolano dish of flaked fish cooked in coconut milk with malunggay.

Good for: Groups who like to share seafood, and visitors trying Bicolano flavours for the first time.

Where: Cereza Compound, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City. Mon–Fri 10 AM–10 PM; Sat–Sun 10 AM–10:30 PM.

5. Bob Marlin — For the crispy pata everyone talks about

Bob Marlin is one of Naga’s busiest restaurants. Come at lunch or dinner and expect a full room. The reggae-themed interior and the walls of celebrity-signed plates make it easy to spot, but the crispy pata is the reason it’s always packed.

What We Order: Crispy pata, first and always. Then dinuguang baka and the beef and corn.

Good for: Barkada dinners, big groups, first-time visitors who want the famous one.

Where: Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City. Open daily, 10 AM–10 PM

6. Taste of Spice — The best biryani in Bicol

Taste of Spice is an Indian and Mediterranean restaurant on Mayon Avenue, and it sits at the top of the city’s Tripadvisor rankings. Diners rave about the biryani, and the kitchen also cooks Filipino and Bicolano dishes, so mixed groups don’t have to compromise.

What We Order: The biryani, a masala, and the garlic chili curried shrimp. Get paratha on the side for the sauce.

Good for: Groups with mixed tastes, a relaxed dinner, anyone who wants a break from the usual.

Where: Mayon Avenue, Brgy. Tinago, Naga City. Open daily, 10 AM–10 PM. Tel. (054) 631-1518.

7. Rolando’s Cafe at Villa Caceres Hotel — A quiet hotel café with dependable mains

Off the lobby of Villa Caceres Hotel, Rolando’s Cafe serves Bicolano and Chinese dishes in a calm setting. It’s an easy choice if you’re staying at the hotel or want a quieter meal away from the busier places on the strip.

What We Order: The fresh lumpia platter, which comes with the fillings and wrappers you assemble your own, and the toasted siopao. Honestly, almost every main dish here is good.

Good for: Hotel guests, business lunches, a quiet meal, merienda.

Where: Villa Caceres Hotel, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City. Open daily (Mon 4AM-12AM, Tues – Sun 24/7) Tel. (054) 473-6530.

8. Manna Korea — First owner-run Korean restaurant in Naga

Manna Korea has served home-style Korean food in Naga since 2015. It’s run by a Korean owner who cooks from traditional recipes, and diners say the portions are generous for the price.

What We Order: Tteokbokki, the chewy rice cakes in a spicy-sweet sauce, and bibimbap.

Good for: Barkada and birthday groups, K-drama fans who want the real thing.

Where: Avenue Square, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City.

9. Narra Café at Downtown District Hotel — Bagnet kare-kare in the city centre

On the third floor of Downtown District Hotel, Narra Café serves Filipino dishes in a cozy, stylish room right in the city centre. Diners keep mentioning one dish: the bagnet kare-kare, which swaps the usual oxtail for crispy bagnet in a rich peanut sauce.

What We Order: The bagnet kare-kare, paired with gising-gising (green beans in spicy coconut milk) on the side.

Good for: Lunch while you’re downtown, a relaxed family meal, small celebrations.

Where: 3rd Level, Downtown District Hotel, Elias Angeles St. corner P. Diaz St., Sta. Cruz, Naga City. Mon–Thu 7 AM–9 PM; Fri–Sun 7 AM–10 PM. Dishes are cooked to order, so expect a little wait.

10. The Coffee Table — The best steak and pasta in Magsaysay Avenue

The Coffee Table looks like a café, with a brew bar, books and windows over Magsaysay Avenue, but it serves full meals too. It’s a good place to stay a while, whether for a long lunch or a work meeting over dinner.

What We Order: The beef striploin, the lasagna, and the seafood marinara pasta.

Good for: Casual dates, meetings, long lunches, coffee after dinner.

Where: 2F, ADC Building, Balatas, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City, upstairs from Graceland Magsaysay. Open daily, 8 AM–11 PM.

11. Bigg’s — the Naga original

Bigg’s started in Naga as a small take-out burger counter and grew into one of Bicol’s best-known restaurant chains. For many Nagueños it’s the place they’ve been going since they were kids, and it’s still the easy choice when the family can’t agree.

What We Order: The chicken. It’s what we always come back to Bigg’s for.

Good for: Families, quick meals, kids.

Where: Several branches around Naga, including Bigg’s BMC on J. Miranda Ave., Concepcion Pequeña (daily 7 AM–9 PM).

12. Chef Buster Cuisine — For late-night pizza cravings and Filipino favourites

Chef Buster is the place to remember when everywhere else is closed. It’s on Mayflower St. off Magsaysay Avenue, it’s affordable, and it has private KTV rooms if your group wants to make a night of it.

What We Order: Beef salpicao, lechon paksiw and the pizza.

Good for: Late-night meals, barkada nights, KTV groups, budget eats.

Where: Mayflower St., Magsaysay Avenue, Concepcion Pequeña, Naga City. Open 24 hours.

Quick Picks: Where to Eat in Naga City by Occasion

If you want…	Go to
Classic Bicolano food on a budget	Graceland
Kare-kare	Red Platter, or Narra Café for bagnet kare-kare
Crispy pata with the barkada	Bob Marlin
Bicolano seafood	Chef Doy’s
A date night	Grissini Ristorante or The Coffee Table
Something different	Taste of Spice (Indian) or Manna Korea (Korean)
Quiet meals	Rolando’s Cafe
Family meal everyone agrees on	Bigg’s
Food after 11 PM	Chef Buster Cuisine
Breakfast before 7 AM	Graceland Elias Angeles

Tips for Eating Out in Naga City

Magsaysay Avenue is the main dining strip.

Red Platter, Grissini, Chef Doy’s, Bob Marlin, Manna Korea, Rolando’s Cafe, The Coffee Table, Chef Buster and Graceland Magsaysay are all on or just off the avenue, so you can plan a whole food trip on one road.

Downtown has the old-town feel.

Graceland Elias Angeles and Narra Café are near the city centre, close to Plaza Rizal and Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.

Go early at peak times.

The popular places fill up at lunch and dinner, especially on weekends and in festival season (Peñafrancia in September and the Christmas season in December).

Try the gata at least once.

If it’s your first time in Bicol, order pinangat, Bicol Express, kinunot or gising-gising somewhere on this list. For more, see our Naga City Restaurant Directory and Naga City Pasalubong Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best restaurant in Naga City?

It depends on what you want. For everyday Bicolano food, go to Graceland. For a sit-down family meal, Red Platter. For crispy pata, Bob Marlin. For something different, Taste of Spice, one of the top-rated restaurants on Tripadvisor in Naga.

2. Where can I eat authentic Bicolano food in Naga City?

These restaurants in Naga City offer authentic Bicolano food. Graceland (pork chop with pinangat, Bicol Express), Chef Doy’s (kinunot), and Narra Café (gising-gising) all serve Bicolano classics. Red Platter and Bob Marlin have Bicolano dishes on their menus too.

3. Where is the best kare-kare in Naga? 

Red Platter is known for its kare-kare. Narra Café’s bagnet kare-kare is also one of the most praised dishes in recent reviews.

4. What are some of Magsaysay Avenue restaurants worth visiting?

Red Platter, Grissini Ristorante, Chef Doy’s, Bob Marlin, Manna Korea, Rolando’s Cafe (in Villa Caceres Hotel), The Coffee Table, Chef Buster Cuisine and Graceland Magsaysay are all on or near Magsaysay Avenue.

5. Is there a restaurant open late or 24 hours in Naga City?

Chef Buster Cuisine of Magsaysay Avenue is listed as open 24 hours, Rolando’s Cafe (in Villa Caceres Hotel) is also open 24 hours on Tuesdays-Sundays, and The Coffee Table is open until 11 PM.

6. Is there a restaurant open early in Naga City?

Graceland on Elias Angeles St. opens at 6:30 AM. Narra Café and Bigg’s BMC open at 7 AM.

Plan Your Naga Food Trip

Naga is small enough to eat your way across in a weekend: pinangat and Bicol Express downtown, crispy pata and kare-kare on Magsaysay, and biryani, tteokbokki or a late-night pizza when you want a change.

Save this list, and browse the full Naga City restaurant directory for more places, menus and contact details.

Know a Naga restaurant that should be on this list? Message us on Facebook and tell us what to order.