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Arts & Culture

Restaurants in Cebu to watch out for in 2017

From new concepts to existing places reinventing themselves, here are eight places we’re looking forward to checking out this year.

The growth of Cebu’s dining scene shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, with new concepts constantly being introduced, and existing restaurants evolving themselves, all to adapt to a more adventurous—if not sophisticated— palate.

We take a look at some of the most promising establishments worth checking out this year.

BLU Bar & Grill

The new BLU Bar & Grill (Photo: Manna Alcaraz/Facebook)

The new BLU Bar & Grill (Photo: Manna Alcaraz/Facebook)

With its sophisticated ambiance and majestic views of the city, it’s no surprise how Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s BLU Bar & Grill has remained a favorite spot among locals and foreigners for the longest time. Last year, they went through renovations, with the new BLU Bar unveiled just right in time for Christmas season.

While it’s still the same BLU people know and love, the changes vastly improve the overall experience—the most notable being a bigger and chicer indoor area which can now be closed off in case of bad weather. And while you’re at it, indulge in a plate of the spicy gambas before washing it off with the Chocolate Martini made from Cebu-grown cacao by Ralfe Gourmet.

  • Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
  • Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills
  • 6332. 253 1111
  • Facebook

The Clove on the Quay

The Clove on the Quay (Photo: Facebook)

The Clove on the Quay (Photo: Facebook)

The Cebu Yacht Club is becoming one of the best places to hang out when in Mactan, especially with the opening of several new restaurants in the past few years. More recently, the Yacht Club welcomed the newest member of the family, The Clove on the Quay.

The most gorgeous view of the sunset serves as the backdrop for thirst-quenching cocktails (happy hour starts at 4:00 p.m.), and then nightfall transforms it into an uber chic bistro serving Mediterranean and North African fare. Big groups will love the Spice Trade Platter which includes beef kebabs, tikka masala, grilled prawns and vegetables, and Sultan rice pilaf. My personal recommendation would be the immensely tender and flavorful Boeuf Bourguignon.

  • Cebu Yacht Club, Mactan Island
  • Facebook

The Weekend

The Weekend's Faux Gras (Photography by Oliver Echevarria/Zee Lifestyle)

The Weekend’s Faux Gras (Photography by Oliver Echevarria/Zee Lifestyle)

Considering it’s is from the same man behind Ilaputi, we’re looking forward to Jan Rodriguez’s newest venture. Set to open sometime after Sinulog (crossing fingers), The Weekend is brimming with the promise of new flavors and dishes sure to be instant favorites.

Already, Zee Lifestyle had a preview at last November’s holiday potluck feature, with Jan serving us Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower with fresh carrot and jicama sticks, and a blue cheese dip; as well as the Faux Gras made of bacon fat and pureed bacon. It also has a selection of cocktails with… interesting names, but that’s for us to know and you to find out when they finally open.

League Sports Bar

League Sports Bar (Photo: Facebook)

League Sports Bar (Photo: Facebook)

Judging from the photos alone, League might be the most legitimate sports bar in Cebu just yet. Having opened recently, it boasts of a warm and comfortable ambiance that everyone— whether sporty or otherwise—would immediately feel at home at. We also spot billiards and foozball tables in the middle of the industrial-chic decor, so while we’re not watching the latest sports on the television, we can always just hang out and have fun playing games.

Coffee & Comfort Cafe

Coffee and Comfort Cafe (Photo: Facebook)

Coffee and Comfort Cafe (Photo: Facebook)

Coffee & Comfort Cafe goes beyond being just a coffee shop. It’s also a study center, which is perfect considering its location. The environment is also conducive for meeting clients and doing freelance work. Of course, the main highlight of the place would be the delectable creations of Miles Semblante, who’s been seen more in chef whites than elaborate costumes in recent years. People have been singing praises about her French toast with caramelized bananas, while the Choco Bacardi Frappe proved to be a hit over Sinulog weekend.

  • 12 Borromeo Arcade, F. Ramos St.
  • Facebook

Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan (Photo: skyscrapercity)

Tim Ho Wan (Photo: skyscrapercity)

When is Tim Ho Wan in SM Seaside City Cebu opening? Your guess is as good as ours, considering when we poked around, we couldn’t find a definitive answer either. But we’re putting the Michelin-star restaurant on this list anyway, simply because we’re so excited to have our fix of their famous steamed pork buns that we can only cross our fingers it’ll finally open this year.

La Vie Parisienne

La Vie Parisienne (Photo: Marco Paulo Diala/lamikaayo)

La Vie Parisienne (Photo: Marco Paulo Diala/lamikaayo)

Who doesn’t know La Vie Parisienne? Famous for its croissants as much as it is for those iconic pink cherry blossom lighting fixtures, it’s become a popular hangout among locals and visitors over the years. Sometime last year, they added a chic extension that just may be their most stylish area just yet. With dome-like ceilings and pretty chandeliers, it’s a new dimension to La Vie Parisienne that bolsters its Instagram-worth reputation, while offering a new experience to its patrons.

Shaka Hawaiian Restaurant

Shaka Hawaiian Restaurant (Photo: Facebook)

Shaka Hawaiian Restaurant (Photo: Facebook)

Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian… heck, even Lebanese. Name it, and chances are Cebu has it. What was remarkably absent was Hawaiian cuisine—a gap that the Pages Group of Restaurants was all too happy to fill up with their latest venture, Shaka. The place is hard to miss; after all, it basically dominates one block of Cebu I.T. Park, incorporating the existing terrain for one charming ambiance. It all but reminds me of my childhood dreams of having a treehouse. Pineapple fans rejoice! Shaka utilizes the fruit into majority of its dishes in so many unexpected ways, you’d find yourself coming back for more.

Arts & Culture

Kultura. Kapital. Kasalukuyan: Art that Speaks of Today

by Jose Carlos G. Campos, Board of Trustees National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently teamed up to prove that money isn’t just for counting—it’s also for curating! Their latest joint exhibition, Kultura. Kapital. Kasalukuyan: Contemporary Art from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Collection, is now open, and it’s a real treat for art lovers and culture buffs alike.

On display are gems from the BSP’s contemporary art collection, including masterpieces by National Artist Benedicto Cabrera (Bencab), along with works by Onib Olmedo, Brenda Fajardo, Antipas Delotavo, Edgar Talusan Fernandez, and many more. Some of the artists even showed up in person—Charlie Co, Junyee, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Demi Padua, Joey Cobcobo, Leonard Aguinaldo, Gerardo Tan, Melvin Culaba—while others sent their family representatives, like Mayumi Habulan and Jeudi Garibay. Talk about art running in the family!

Deputy Governor General of the BSP, Berna Romulo Puyat

Chairman of NMP, Andoni Aboitiz

The BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. and members of the Monetary Board joined the event, alongside former BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., Ms. Tess Espenilla (wife of the late Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr.), and the ever-graceful former Central Bank Governor Jaime C. Laya, who gave a short but enlightening talk about the BSP art collection. 

From the NMP, Chairman Andoni Aboitiz, Director-General Jeremy Barns, and fellow trustees NCCA Chairman Victorino Mapa Manalo, Carlo Ebeo, and Jose Carlos Garcia-Campos also graced the occasion. Chairman Aboitiz expressed gratitude to the BSP for renewing its partnership, calling the exhibition a shining example of how financial institutions can also enrich our cultural wealth. 

Former Governor of BSP Jaime Laya

Governor of BSP Eli M. Remona and Chairman of NMP Board Andoni Aboitiz

Artist Charlie Co

Before the official launch, a special media preview was held on 5 August, hosted by BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and DG Jeremy Barns. It gave lucky guests a sneak peek at the collection—because sometimes, even art likes to play “hard to get.”

The exhibition Kultura. Kapital. Kasalukuyan will run until November 2027 at Galleries XVIII and XIX, 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts. Doors are open daily, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. So if you’re looking for something enriching that won’t hurt your wallet (admission is free!), this is your sign to visit. After all, the best kind of interest is cultural interest.

Monetary Board of the BSP, Walter C. Wassmer

Luis Yee, Jr. aka ‘Junyee’ The Artist beside his Sculpture

Arvin Manuel Villalon, Acting Deputy Director General for Museums, NMP with Ms. Daphne Osena Paez

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Arts & Culture

Asia’s Fashion Czar I Knew as Tito Pitoy; Remembrance of a Friendship Beyond Fashion with Designer Jose R. Moreno

by Jose Carlos G. Campos, Board of Trustees National Museum of the Philippines

My childhood encounter with the famous Pitoy Moreno happened when I was eight years old. My maternal grandmother, Leonila D. Garcia, the former First Lady of the Philippines, and my mother, Linda G. Campos, along with my Dimataga aunts, brought me to his legendary atelier on General Malvar Street in Malate, Manila. These were the unhurried years of the 1970s.

As we approached the atelier, I was enchanted by its fine appointments. The cerulean blue and canary yellow striped canopies shaded tall bay windows draped in fine lace—no signage needed, the designer’s elegance spoke for itself. Inside, we were led to a hallway adorned with Art Deco wooden filigree, and there was Pitoy Moreno himself waiting with open arms—”Kamusta na, Inday and Baby Linda,” as he fondly called Lola and Mommy.

“Ahhh Pitoy, it’s been a while,” Lola spoke with joy.
“Oh eto, may kasal na naman,” my mom teasingly smiled.

Linda Garcia Campos and Pitoy Moreno’s friendship started when they were students in the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

When Dame Margot Fonteyn came for a visit to Manila, Pitoy Moreno dressed her up for an occasion.

We had entered a world of beauty—porcelain figurines, ancient earthenware and pre-colonial relics. It was like stepping into a looking glass, only Pitoy could have imagined.

Destiny led me back years later when my mother Linda told me that Pitoy Moreno was working on his second book, Philippine Costume, and needed research material and editorial advice. At this point, around the 1990s, I was in between assignments—unsure of how a broadcasting graduate like me could possibly contribute to a fashion icon’s masterpiece. Fortunately, I agreed to the project.

Former First Lady Leonila D. Garcia and daughter Linda G. Campos in Malacañang Palace.

Returning to the designer’s atelier brought back a rush of pleasant memories. The gate opened, and there stood Pitoy Moreno, beaming as always.
“Come in, hijo. Let me show you what I have in mind—and call me Tito Pitoy, okay?”
He led me to his worktable.
“I want to publish a book that tells the story of Philippine fashion—from our pre-colonial roots to the present. A designer’s collection of images and heritage expressed in clothing.”

I was awestruck. “How can I help you?” I inquired.
“Did you know that your mother, Linda, was my barkada in the University of the Philippines in Diliman?” he grinned.

US President Dwight Eisenhower with First Lady Leonila Garcia and President Carlos Garcia in a state dinner at Malacañang Palace in Manila.

That friendship soon led to one of the proudest moments of the designer’s life. He had the opportunity to dress not only the First Lady Leonila D. Garcia but also President Carlos P. Garcia during his term. It was also during this time that the President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower, came for an official visit to Manila. The designer was able to make clothes for the President, his daughter, and his staff.
“Eisenhower even asked for discounts on the barong Tagalog,” Tito Pitoy laughed.

Tito Pitoy then asked if I could find a terno he had made for my Lola, the former First Lady, which she wore for President Eisenhower’s state visit in 1960.
“How about her other ternos, dated from the 1920s to the 1960s?” I offered.
He lit up.

I scoured my Lola’s extensive closet—it felt like unearthing a legacy. Tucked behind layers of vintage ternos from countless fashion designers, I found that terno, which was photographed by Dick Baldovino along with other pieces for the book project. Once the project was finished and I myself had moved on, my bond with Tito Pitoy never wavered.

When my Lola passed away, he was deeply touched when I personally informed him of the sad news. Once, at the wake of former Vice President Salvador Laurel, he asked me to assist him in the placement of the medals in the chapel.

Philippine Costume by Jose Moreno is the designer’s collection of images and heritage expressed in clothing.

Tito Pitoy later invited me to his 80th birthday celebration—a dazzling Manila affair in 2012. During the evening’s festivities, he handed me a printed copy of Philippine Costume and added warmly,
“Thank you, hijo. I’ll call on you for the next one.”

The highlight of his career—and his most unforgettable moment—came during the Metro Magazine Gala fashion show: A Tribute to Pitoy Moreno, Fashion Icon. A collection of evening gowns spanning six decades—many of them unseen and tucked away in his atelier—were revealed that night. When the finale came, Tito Pitoy walked the stage, triumphant and waving to a sea of admirers. Longtime friends from the industry, society’s finest, and fashionistas rose from their seats and gave him a standing ovation.

It wasn’t just to celebrate his craft and ingenuity—it was to honor the man who brought elegance, history, and heart in every stitch.

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Arts & Culture

Queer Coding in Cinema: The Best Shows to Binge for Pride Month 2025

compiled by Edge Javier

As Pride Month 2025 goes into full swing, the best way to celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices is with a binge-worthy lineup of shows that center queer stories, joy, love, resilience — and yes, of course, drama. From groundbreaking recent series to must-watch staples and fan favorites, here are the top shows to stream this June that reflect the vibrant spectrum of the queer-coded experience.

1. Heartstopper – Season 3 (Netflix)
Nick and Charlie are back, and the coming-of-age sweetness is stronger than ever. Season 3 explores deeper emotional territory while keeping the wholesome tone fans adore. Expect more queer joy, nuanced relationships, and tearjerker moments that feel like a warm hug.

2. Drag Me to Dinner (Hulu)
Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, this chaotic culinary competition pairs drag duos in a battle to throw the most fabulous themed dinner party. With outrageous challenges, surprise twists, and plenty of camp, queens serve up equal parts food, flair, and fierce shade. It’s RuPaul meets Top Chef—served with a side of sequins.

3. Queer Planet (Apple TV+)
Hosted by Janelle Monáe, this visually stunning docuseries dives into queerness in the animal kingdom and parallels in human identities. It’s smart, groundbreaking, and perfect for those who want to feel seen—and informed.

4. Fellow Travelers (Paramount+)
This period romance-drama set during the Lavender Scare continues to grip audiences with its tragic beauty and sharp historical insight. If you missed Season 1, now is the perfect time to catch up before the highly anticipated Season 2 lands later this year.

5. The Buccaneers – Season 2 (Apple TV+)
The unapologetically queer period drama returns with more scandal, sapphic yearning, and feminist rebellion among American heiresses navigating high society in 1870s London. Think Bridgerton, but with more edge and better sapphic representation.

6. Our Flag Means Death – The Finale Special (Max)
This fan-favorite pirate rom-com wraps up with a one-hour finale special airing this June. Whether you’re rewatching from the start or jumping into the last hurrah, this show remains a shining example of queer love told with heart and humor.

7. This Is Me Now… The Series (Prime Video)
Following Jennifer Lopez’s genre-blurring film-musical hybrid, the series version delves into themes of love, identity, and self-acceptance, and features cameos by queer icons and allies. It’s campy, messy, and made for Pride Month mood-boosting.

8. Sort Of – Final Season (Max)
This critically acclaimed dramedy about a gender-fluid millennial navigating love, grief, and identity in Toronto comes to a close with an emotionally rich final season. A thoughtful and often hilarious story that never loses its beating heart.

9. Red, White & Royal Blue – Limited Series (Prime Video)
After the hit film adaptation, the beloved queer romance returns in a serialized format, expanding on Alex and Henry’s story with new twists and deeper character arcs. It’s romantic escapism, elevated.

10. POSE: The Legacy (FX/Hulu)
This documentary miniseries honors the cultural legacy of POSE and the real-life ballroom legends who inspired it. Featuring interviews with cast, creators, and icons from the scene, it’s a must-watch tribute to queer history and resilience.

Whether you’re looking for laughter, tears, romance, or revolution, these Pride Month picks for 2025 offer it all—while honoring the complexity and beauty of LGBTQIA+ lives. So press play, turn up the volume, and let queer stories shine this June and beyond. Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

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