Bacon Lovers Burger with Country Fries and Lemon Grass TeaThe summer sun is at its hottest and most intense, calling for nonstop air-conditioners or electric fans at the maximum settings. To get further away from the heat, families and friends flock to places like Baguio, Tagaytay, Boracay and Palawan.

Eating in places with low temperatures increases one’s enjoyment gastronomically, and when you partner this with a very interesting place in one of the coldest places in Luzon, then you might simply call it pure bliss!

Sagada in Mountain Province is located six hours from Baguio. It prides itself on being a haven for trekking, spelunking and nature hiking. Compared to other popular tourist destinations, this place is a must-see especially for nature lovers, and the food is great too.

Here are some food stops that visitors might want to look into.

First is Yoghurt House, whose best sellers are Java chicken with salad, and the banana with strawberry yoghurt.

Another notable restaurant is Misty Lodge and Café, a place famous for its burgers and pizzas. Try the bacon lover’s country fries and lemongrass tea. Great-tasting burger!

Banana with Strawberry YoghurtCafe Bodega at the Rock Inn serves meals with its popular farm rice. The quantity per serving is overwhelming for a breakfast meal.

The Salt and Pepper Diner is known for various inutom dishes. The mushroom inutom with potato is unique and delicious!

Lastly, for coffee enthusiasts, visit Bana’s Cafe & Resto for civet coffee, also called kape alamid or kopi luwak. This type of coffee refers to the beans of coffee berries once they have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet, thus making it the world’s rarest gourmet coffee beverage.

Of course, one must never leave Sagada without tasting the fresh veggies.

Baguio may be the so-called summer capital of the Philippines, but a trip to Sagada releases the nature-loving aspect of the traveler in an adventurous sense; coupled with good food selections, a great journey it would definitely be! Happy summer!(Story/photos by Gerbs De Castro)

Civet Coffee

Farm Rice with Bacon Egg

Mushroom Inutom with Potato