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Ormoc Lechon

Pepper Teehankee

Very few have said Ormoc if asked for a gourmet destination around the Philippines. Ormoc in Leyte is underrated for what the city has to offer.Let’s start with Kumbira, their annual lechon festival. Unknown to many, lechon here can rival the best in the Philippines. Congressman Richard Gomez and Ormoc Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez with Teling Pangilinan as Culture Chief, leveled up this year&#x27;s Kumbira 2026. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785213262310Juliana, Lucy, and Richard Gomez.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:511.992px;height:936.125px" width="511.992"/>Juliana, Lucy, and Richard GomezUnlike the previous years where the lechon is simply shown to the judges, an elaborate lechon presentation with performances was added making one think of the roasted pig as a contestant in some beauty contest!  </div>Themes were created around the lechon and some of the performances and display stands were pretty elaborate! Richard started this lechon competition in 2016 because he (rightfully) believes that the Ormoc lechon is one of the best in the country and it is not a well known fact! Each judge was given lechon skin, meat, and a rib. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785213084689Lechon 1 2 3.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:696px"/>There were 12 entries this year and they were all winners, but Proning and Alice Romo&#x27;s Lechon got the top prize! All the lechon is given to the Ormocanons and over 2,000 lechon packs were distributed to the city residents that night.</div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2026/7/27/lio-estate-hosts-fete-de-la-musique-celebration-in-el-nido-1559" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lio Estate hosts Fête de la Musique celebration in El Nido</a></div>There are a number of restaurants that are noteworthy to visit as well. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bigroyscafe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Big Roy’s Café</a> (IG: @bigroyscafe) is popular with locals and visitors. Teling started this restaurant named after her husband and is now run by her son Luigi and wife Nicole.  Dishes from heirloom recipes from her mother and grandmother are served alongside new creations by Luigi and Nicole. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785213208012Nicole, Luigi, and Teling Pangilinan of Big Roy_s Cafe.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="741.992" style="width:741.992px"/>Nicole, Luigi, and Teling Pangilinan of Big Roy&#x27;s CafeDon’t miss the Adobong Pinakaging—dried pork adobo served with sisi (Visayan fermented small oysters) that goes perfectly with garlic fried rice as well as their delicious chicharon bulaklak (crispy pork mesentery)—probably the cleanest tasting one in the whole Philippines! Their baked pompano with garlic and black pepper is not to be missed too! </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785211660848Roy&#x27;s Cafe.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="732.995" style="width:732.995px"/>Baked Pompano and Adobong Pinakaging with Sisi at Big Roy&#x27;s Cafe<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ormoc_herbs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ormoc Herbs</a> (IG: @ormoc_herbs) by Chef Jin Ho Yoo is another restaurant to go. His well stocked wine cellar has wine to go with anything he serves. We had excellent Grilled Australian Wagyu MB6 as well as a deliciously refreshing salad with fruits and nuts and paella negra. </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785211911907Ormoc Herbs.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Fruit &amp; Nut Salad and Australian Wagyu Tomahawk at Ormoc HerbsJin also runs Sgropino, an Italian restaurant popular for their pizzas and pastas!</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785213400274Lyn &amp; Jin Ho Yoo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="581.992" style="width:581.992px"/>Lyn &amp; Jin Ho Yoo of Ormoc Herbs and Sgropino <a href="https://www.instagram.com/martasresort/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marta’s Resort </a>(IG: @martasresort) is another popular destination for locals and visitors who would enjoy eating Ormocanon food such as clam soup or crispy dinuguan as well as their other specialties such as the warm prawn salad with walnuts, sisig, tuna poke, and their famous light and fluffy banana pancakes.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785212686270Marta&#x27;s Resort.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Marta&#x27;s Resort&#x27;s sisig and famous light and fluffy banana pancakes<a href="https://www.instagram.com/altopeakchocolates/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alto Peak</a> (IG: @altopeakchocolates) started creating delicious chocolates and then opened a café. They had to move to a bigger one recently to accommodate more customers. Try their delicious sikwate (batirol style hot chocolate) with puto maya (think of suman or a steamed sticky rice stick flavored with ginger) and mango. Other dishes worth exploring here are kabkab (thin, crisp cassava pancakes with latik), and cassava cake.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785211334625Puto maya and sikwate at Alto Peak.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="617.995" style="width:617.995px"/>Puto maya and sikwate at Alto Peak</div>Do visit Lake Danao, a serene and beautiful guitar-shaped lake within the Lake Danao Natural Park. Here is where one looks for Marissa Narciso, the woman who invented the Tab Sisig, one of the delicacies of Ormoc, Leyte. Tab is a freshwater shell, a variation of the Chinese pond mussel (sinanodonta woodiana) found only in Lake Danao. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785212207989Marisa Narciso&#x27;s Tab Sisig.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="630" style="width:630px;display:block;height:auto"/>Marissa Narciso and her famed Tab Sisig</div>She sells this sisig in her carinderia with no signage (be on the lookout for a huge pile of tab shells or ask around where she cooks and locals will know). She said they called the shell “tab” because it was matabang (bland)... but with her aromatics and seasonings, it was definitely delicious!<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2026/7/25/amorita-resort-and-spa-brings-new-luxury-to-palawan-0148" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Nature, culture, and self: Amorita Resort &amp; Spa brings a new kind of luxury to Palawan</a></div><div>The City of Ormoc just recently launched Homemade: A Taste of Ormoc—a 306-page Filipino recipe book that chronicles the culture and heritage of Ormocanon cuisine. Ormoc City Mayor Lucy started this product three years ago and got writer Bum Tenorio to edit the book and compile 77 stories in it! <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785212388150The book launch of Homemade - A Taste or Ormoc.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:520px" width="520"/>The book launch of &quot;Homemade: A Taste of Ormoc&quot; edited by Bum Tenorio</div>There are several recipes and/or stories in it too including Big Roy’s Adobong Pinakaging and Marissa’s Tab Sisig. Discover Ormocanon food as this city will most likely be a major food destination in the Philippines in the very near future!<div>Photos by Pepper Teehankee.</div>

From celebrated lechon and heritage recipes to destination-worthy restaurants and local delicacies, this Leyte city offers plenty to delight curious food lovers. Pepper Teehankee shares the restaurants, signature dishes, and local experiences that make the city well worth the journey.

From celebrated lechon and heritage recipes to destination-worthy restaurants and local delicacies, this Leyte city offers plenty to delight curious food lovers. Pepper Teehankee shares the restaurants, signature dishes, and local experiences that make the city well worth the journey.

Why Ormoc is a food destination worth discovering

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Why Ormoc is a food destination worth discovering

Pepper Teehankee

Published July 28, 2026 12:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Ormoc

Leyte

Food And Travel

Philippine Cuisine

Ormocanon Food

Lechon

Food Guide Philippines

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