Local Philippines: Vjandep Restaurant - Mambajao, Camiguin

Camiguin is one of those places that Filipinos have started to flock to, whether to enjoy its hot springs, marvel at the underground cemetery, or simply frolic at the white sands of White Island. This influx in tourism has contributed to the many resorts and restaurants sprouting on the island. Good thing these establishments care enough to preserve the untouched beauty of the island. Speaking of restaurants, let me tell you about this one place we went to.

Vjandep is a bakery in Camiguin that is famous for their pastel – a bun with a yema (custard-like) filling that’s great for merienda or breakfast. Camiguin is famous for it. But did you know that the people behind Vjandep Bakery also run a restaurant?

Vjandep Restaurant is a short walk from the always busy Vjandep Bakery in Mambajao, Camiguin Island. We had a driver our entire stay in Camiguin and after spending an entire afternoon visiting the beautiful Island’s attractions and were still undecided as to where to go to for dinner. We asked him if he could recommend a nice place to eat, and he brought us to Vjandep.

The place was bustling when we got there, but thankfully my friends and I were able to get a table for ourselves. We suddenly remembered our driver, who suddenly disappeared. It turns out, he was already eating, as drivers eat for free in Vjandep. Perhaps it’s their rewards for bringing tourists to eat in the restaurant. Fair enough.

It was an understatement to say that we were hungry, and we sure were glad to see that there was an all-you-can-eat buffet set up for only Php99! No second thoughts about going for the buffet. The food was great and there were a variety of options when it came to viands. They also refilled the food quite regularly so you can always get a fresh-from-the-kitchen batch when you go for seconds. The buffet meal for Php99 also comes with dessert and all-you-can-drink iced tea. It’s mainly self-service though, but at that price, can you even complain?

We had such a nice time at dinner that we returned the next day before we headed back to the ferry taking us to Cagayan de Oro, only this time there was no buffet set up so we ordered ala carte. Again, we were hungry, so ordered quite a lot. We were still tickled that we ended up paying for much, much less than we expected. If I remember right, the iced tea was PhP12 per glass. It seemed like nothing was ever expensive there, and the food was still good. Our driver still ate for free.

When visiting Camiguin, try to give this place a visit. Their food might be simple, but you’ll be sure to have good food to nourish you as you go around the island’s many attractions. Best of all, it’s sure to be well within your budget. Don’t forget to walk over to the nearby bakery to buy some of their famous pastel. It’s a great way to top off a pleasant meal at Vjandep.


http://www.localphilippines.com is your travel buddy. We have information about the destinations, how to get there, what to do while in the area and more! Destinations in the beaches or in the mountains, destinations under water, destinations right at the middle of the urban hub, name it and LocalPhilippines will most likely feature it.