Where to eat in Tarlac
Tarlac City is never going to run out of places to fill your stomach with delicious and mouth-watering local cuisine and all-time favorite Filipino food. I'm not a foodie nor declaring myself as a food blogger, but I have learned to appreciate food in every place I visit as one of the many ways to appreciate its culture through culinary delights. 

Courtesy of Lakbay Norte 7, our stop over to Tarlac on the way to Ilocos Norte was actually a food trip I will always cherish. It was almost a non-stop eating escapade that I wish I have a "bottomless" belly! I'm talking about literally health benefits of traveling which is this time food galore.

Here's a list of  4 restaurants in Tarlac for you foodies out there!

KAPE AGAPE
Kape is not your ordinary restaurant in Tarlac. Rather, it is a community cafe where they promote arts by training talented young Tarlaqueños to be the best they can through this medium. First of all, I have to admit I am a bit biased for giving Kape Agape more feature and photos on this blog post compared to the rest of restaurants we ate in Tarlac. It's because Kape Agape has a story worth sharing.   

Previously called St. John Nepomucene Learning Center in 1992, Anao's very first preschool in town, it was converted to Kids' Center in 2006. In order to sustain its mission of ministering to kids, it was transformed to what is now known as Kape Agape last December 2015. Kape Agape is a God-centered cafe serving good food and coffee.

The food is so good that I'm willing to go back to Tarlac just to eat here if I have ample time! For someone who frequently eats in different local and international restaurants, I would say Kape Agape's food is of the same standard of well-known cafes in Manila. If not higher because it is again a cafe with a cause.

If you're looking for a certified cheap restaurant in Tarlac, Kape Agape is the answer! I am at this moment craving for Hana Penne & Beefy Penne (Php 59 each) - cylindrical shaped pasta mixed with heavenly Spanish sardines and beef. Also,  Pancit Anao which is served regular or crispy (Php 120), Barangay Fiesta Nachos (Php 99) and French Toast Php 60.

For coffeeholics, try any of these: iced choco matcha (Php 40), French Vanilla Ice (Php 45), Cappuccino (Php 45) and ChocNut Caramel Frappe (Php 75).

Kape Agape is just a few minutes away from Anao's Factory of World-class Essential Oils and Perfumes. You can drop by to this spot after you eat. To read more of my TRAVEL GUIDE TO TARLAC: TOURIST SPOTS AND WHERE TO STAY, please click HERE.

More good things about Kape Agape Tarlac

• It's very environmentally conscious that they don't use plastics for take outs.

• It's very active in tourism development by conceptualizing events for influx of local visitors and balikbayans

• One of its advocacies is mental health by doing activities such as Tea Time and MH is Bipolar

• It's the venue for Anao Art Academy during Saturdays and conducts photography classes.

Kape Agape address: Barangay Poblacion, Anao beside the Municipal Hall and Iglesia Filipina Independiente.
Facebok fan page: https://www.facebook.com/KapeAgape/\ Email | Contact numbers: kapeagape@gmail.com | 09977216633 / 09179061228

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

TATUN'S KAMBINGAN RESTAURANTTatun's Kambingan Restaurant is for those looking for authentic tasting Tarlac and Filipino cuisine. Especially known for its mouthwatering goat dishes, I had second thoughts whether I will enjoy eating here since I am not a fan of eating "exotic" food but I was proved wrong! You have to order their Kalderetang Kambing, Spicy Goat Adobo, and Kampukan Kambing. Instead of the usual pork meat, they use goat meat to cook some of our all-time favorite Pinoy food.   
Also, I super love kare-kare, the peanut sauce is so thick and savory plus the meat is so tender.  I missed eating the binuro or binurong isda  (fried fish served with fermented rice/fish/shrimp and boiled vegetable leaves) which was my favorite when I went to Pangasinan for a blogger trip as well. Bulanglang Liempo and Angus beef are some of the most recommended dishes to eat in Tatun's according to previous guests as well. I wish to order these when I come back in Tarlac! 

Apologies, wasn't able to get the prices for the dishes I have mentioned. Feel free to contact Tatun's Kambingan through its Facebook fan page or phone number listed below.

Tatuns Kambingan address is 7051 7th Street, Fairlane Subd., San Vicente, Tarlac City.
Facebok fan page: https://www.facebook.com/Tatuns-Kambingan-119381595062668/\ Contact number: 0916 229 4541

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB**

BETTY'S NATIVE CAKES
Betty's Native Cakes is famous in Tarlac for their special local rice cakes such as duman (with creamy coconut topping) and tibok-tibok (white pudding made of carabao’s milk). They also serve varieties of pancit (local noodles), putong kapit, and bibingkang nasi. The second floor of Betty's RestoBar looks Instagrammable too. It reminds me of a bookstore slash cafe setting.  

Betty's Native Cakes started from the very bottom. Its owners used to sell these native cakes at the sidewalks in 1972 but because they are hardworking individuals, the business grew big with 50 branches around Luzon.

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

You will never crave for rice when you eat their native cakes and pancit, promise! What I like about Betty's Native Cakes is they continue to innovate the tastes of these local delicacies. I mean, going to a restaurant that sells native cakes and pancit is easy but finding one that sells the best is few. Betty's Native Cakes in Tarlac is one of those. 

Apologies, wasn't able to get the prices for the dishes I have mentioned. Feel free to contact Betty's Native Cakes through its Facebook fan page or phone number listed below.

Betty's Native Cakes address is 7051 7th Street, Fairlane Subd., San Vicente, Tarlac City.
Facebok fan page: https://www.facebook.com/Bettys-Native-Cakes-309954666839/\ Contact number: (045) 982 0465

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

LA BONETERIA & BONNETTE'S BBQ GRILLE
La Boneteria & Bonnette's BBQ Grille will prove you that a pair of hot malunggay pandesal (called bonete in Tarlac) and a barbecue stick fresh from the grill will blow your mind away! I bet you haven't heard of this weird combination yet but if you are planning for a food trip in Tarlac that offers something unique, check them out. Of course, a bottle of ice cold beer while you eat your malunggay pandesal and barbecue (pork or chicken) stick will surely make your stay in Tarlac memorable!

Located beside each other and owned by same business partners, La Boneteria sells bread and Bonnette's BBQ Grille sells a variety of grilled meat. They use a homemade vinegar specially concocted for your barbecue cum pandesal pulutan.  

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

Their malunggay pandesal has REAL malunggay flakes, has NO PRESERVATIVES, and LARD-FREE. If I can just go to Tarlac in a heart's beat, I will eat this kind of bread every morning!

Apologies, wasn't able to get the prices for the dishes I have mentioned. Feel free to contact La Boneteria & Bonnette's BBQ Grille through its Facebook fan page or phone number listed below.

La Boneteria & Bonnette's BBQ Grille address is Villa Zarraga Subdivision, San Vicente
Tarlac, Tarlac.
Facebok fan page: https://www.facebook.com/LaBoneteriaPh/\ Contact number: 0916 229 4541

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

RUSTICA RESTAURANT 
Rustica Restaurant is for those who want a fine-dining style of eating in Tarlac. I would recommend this place to those looking for a venue to celebrate their special occasions in life like wedding, debut, baptism et cetera. Someone told me that Rustica Restaurant is the best catering service in Tarlac so you know what to expect.

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

To give you an idea of what to eat in Rustica Restaurant, take a look below:
Appetizer: parmesan cheese sticks, rumaki, skewered ham & egg
Soup: seafood chowder, dinner rolls with butter
Salad: umbria salad, caesar salad, macaroni salad
Main viands: prawns thermidor, Grilled tanigue with lemon butter sauce, lengua con champignon, cheesy pusit, pata tim, vegetable lasagna, steamed rice, roast turkey with cranberry sauce, stuffed salmon with lemon butter sauce
Beverages: pineapple juice, four seasons juice, assorted fruits,
Dessert: carrot cake, banana split, double chocolate cake 

Apologies, wasn't able to get the prices for the dishes I have mentioned. Feel free to contact Rustica Restaurant Tarlac through its Facebook fan page or phone number listed below.

Rustica Restaurant Tarlac address is Villa Zarraga Subdivision, San Vicente
Tarlac, Tarlac.
Facebok fan page: https://www.facebook.com/LaBoneteriaPh/\ Contact number: 0916 229 4541

What (UNIQUE FOOD) to eat in Tarlac
My food trip to Tarlac is not all about the glorious brands of restaurants where we ate. Please check a few more options for your food itinerary in Tarlac:

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

BINALLAY GRILLED SUMAN**
Ever heard of grilled sticky rice cake? Wrapped in banana leaves, the binallay grilled suman in Tarlac is a must-eat when you're in town. This type of suman (sticky rice cake) is often served during fiesta. Most of mothers and elders in Tarlac know how to cook binallay suman. If you want a business that sells this kind of suman, please see below: 

YRN Food Products 
Address: Poblacion B, Camiling Tarlac
Contact Numbers: 0950 578-0037 | 0917 938-5009

Credit: Martin San Diego of NPVB

EGG LECHE FLAN
How about eating your favorite leche flan straight from the eggshell? It may sound a tedious process but a young entrepreneur named Kristoffer John Martinez, a graduate of Tarlac State University "invented" a different way of eating leche flan. Instead of breaking the eggshell during the preparation process, a syringe with needle is used to fill the egg with other ingredients to make the sweetest leche flan you'll ever taste in your life. Your job is to crack it open when youre about to eat it.  

Zwitoffer House of Sweets
Address: San Nicolas, Tarlac
Contact number: 09338545495


For pasalubong, I recommend Hardinero Agriculture Cooperative. If you love anything about green mangoes, this is the place to be. They sell green mango pickles, mango jam and even mango vinegar!

Hardinero Agriculture Cooperative's address is Sitio Maserpat Sta. Ines East Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac. You can call or send them a message via 0995 5179679.

SOURCE: http://www.mariaronabeltran.com/2018/03/restaurants-in-tarlac-list-of-what-to.html