El Nido restaurants: where to eat and drink

El Nido town restaurants range from rice-and-viand canteens to wood-fired pizza, Thai curries and seafood grilled on the beach, most of them packed into a few streets behind the bay. This guide explains where to eat by area, names places with recent reviews, gives typical prices in pesos and covers street food and the evening scene in El Nido.

Where to eat in El Nido: the areas

Most restaurants in town line Calle Hama and Serena Street, the lanes that run along the town beach, where tables look out over the boats toward the islands. A block inland, Real Street and Rizal Street have cheaper canteens, bakeries and cafes. Everything is within a ten-minute walk, which makes town the easiest place to eat after a tour day.

South of town, Corong-Corong and the beaches of Las Cabanas and Marimegmeg face west for the sunset, with beach bars and resort restaurants. North of town, Caalan looks across to Cadlao Island, and the Lio estate by the airport and Nacpan Beach have their own restaurants. Our where to stay guide explains the areas.

El Nido town restaurants worth knowing

Restaurants open and close quickly here, so the places below are ones with recent reviews in 2025-2026. On Serena Street, Artcafe is one of the town's oldest names, a large upstairs restaurant serving seafood, pizza and pasta, and Happiness Beach Bar serves Mediterranean food such as falafel, hummus and shakshuka, with cocktails on the sand.

On Calle Hama, Big Bad Thai serves curries and noodles from a second-floor dining room, Angel Wish is a good-value choice for fresh seafood, and Osaka Castle covers sushi and ramen; Gusto Gelato is the stop for ice cream. For Italian, Altrove is known for its wood-fired pizza, and Taste, on Rizal Street, is a small vegan cafe with smoothie bowls. Piece of Sky, on the sixth floor of a hotel on Real Street, is one of the best-reviewed places in town, mixing Filipino dishes with drinks and a view.

Sunset dinners outside town

Cadlao Resort and Restaurant, in Caalan just north of town, has a terrace looking straight across the water to Cadlao Island, and works well for a sunset drink or dinner. In Corong-Corong, Outpost Sunset Bar and Republica Sunset Bar face the bay for the evening light; arrive early for a table in high season.

Farther south, Maremegmeg Beach Bar is a casual spot on the sand at Las Cabanas, popular for cocktails at sunset. If you are staying at Lio, Punta Playa serves tapas and paella on the beachfront, and at Nacpan, Sunmai Nacpan Beach Restaurant is a reliable lunch stop. Agree the tricycle fare back to town before you settle in.

Prices: what a meal costs in El Nido

El Nido is generally pricier than Puerto Princesa, but you can still eat cheaply. A plate of rice with a meat or fish dish at a local carinderia (canteen) usually costs around ₱100-200 (about $2-3). A main course in a tourist restaurant typically runs around ₱300-600, and dinner with a drink comes to roughly ₱400-800 (about $6.50-13) per person. Cocktails cost around ₱250-400 (about $4-6.50), while beer is cheaper during happy hours.

Some restaurants add a 10% service charge, so check the menu. Many smaller places accept cash only, and change for ₱1,000 notes can be hard to find, so carry smaller bills. Tour days include lunch, so most visitors eat out only for breakfast and dinner; our Palawan budget guide puts these prices in context.

Street food and Filipino dishes to try

In the evening, grill stands in town sell barbecue skewers of pork and chicken, and seafood places let you choose fish, squid or prawns by weight and have them grilled. Look out for kinilaw, raw fish cured in vinegar with ginger and onion, along with adobo, sinigang (a sour tamarind soup), halo-halo for dessert and fresh buko (young coconut). For more on regional dishes, see Palawan food.

Drink bottled or filtered water, and ask whether the ice is made from purified water. Water supply is under pressure in the dry season, so keep showers short.

El Nido nightlife

El Nido nightlife is relaxed rather than wild. The evening starts with sunset drinks at Las Cabanas or Corong-Corong, then moves to the bars on Serena Street and Calle Hama, where happy hours and music fill the beachfront in high season. Rooftop bars in town add views over the bay.

Most island-hopping boats leave around 9 am, so late nights and early tours do not mix well. Walk or take a tricycle back rather than riding a scooter after drinking, and keep the music down if your guesthouse is in a residential lane. For safety tips and local rules, see our safety guide, and plan your boat days with the El Nido tours guide.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the best restaurants in El Nido?

Most are on Calle Hama and Serena Street along the town beach, with more on Real and Rizal Streets inland. For sunset dinners, head to Corong-Corong, Las Cabanas or Cadlao Resort in Caalan.

How much does food cost in El Nido?

Around ₱100-200 for a local canteen meal and roughly ₱400-800 per person for dinner with a drink in a tourist restaurant; cocktails cost around ₱250-400.

Is there nightlife in El Nido?

Yes, but it is low-key: sunset bars in Corong-Corong and Las Cabanas, then beach bars with happy hours and live music on Serena Street and Calle Hama.

Do restaurants in El Nido take credit cards?

Some larger restaurants do, but many smaller places are cash only, and the town's ATMs can run out, so carry enough pesos.