Tagaytay, the city situated about an hour and a half by car from Manila, is known for Taal Volcano. Taal is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines according to Smithsonian Institution. In addition to seeing the Taal volcano and lake, a reason for you to drive all the way to Tagaytay from Manila is to enjoy the food scene. Charito by Bag of Beans is a great place for those who are looking for a table with a spectacular view of Taal Volcano. In fact, this spot has one of the closest views of the volcano I have seen.
Charito by Bag of Beans offers a good selection of local food. Since I felt like tasting something local, I ordered a popular Filipino dish called sisig. The dish came sizzling on a hot iron plate. It reminded me of Tex-Mex fajita! We ordered rice as well to accompany the sisig. It was yummy. I personally loved being in Tagaytay in January and February because the weather is cool and dry enough to enjoy the outdoors. There is something about eating outside that makes the dining experience even more special.
SISIG
My friend kindly showed me how to mix the sisig before serving on our plates. The excitement!
How about lovely rich chocolate cake? Yum!
While we were eating, the cloud swiftly entered and veiled the volcano.
BAKERY
Charito has a big bakery section. I brought home a box of cinnamon rolls and chocolate crinkles as a souvenir. I highly recommend them.
CHARITO BY BAG OF BEANS
Address: 150 Emilio Aguinaldo Hwy, Tagaytay, Cavite
Phone: (046) 483 1279
SIDE NOTE
I went back to Tagaytay two weeks after this trip on a Monday after Chinese New Year 2021. Most of the restaurants in Tagaytay were closed that day. Starbucks were only open for pick-up. If you are headed there on Monday after a big holiday, it’s better to check with restaurants of your interest to see if they open on the day you plan on going.
RELATED POSTS
Qiwellness Living The Amazing Getaway In Tagaytay
My previous blog post was about Qiwellness Living, a stylish spa overlooking the Taal Volcano. Charito is a convenient place to combine a day trip with a spa time at Qiwellness Living because they are only a few buildings down from each other. (See a map below.) One option is to have brunch first and go to the spa. The other is to go to the spa first and have lunch later.
TIP FOR TRAFFIC
For those who are concerned about the traffic on the way back to Manila in the afternoon, go to spa first and lunch after. That way you have a better control over the time to leave from Tagaytay. On a weekday it’s better to leave Tagaytay before 3:00 p.m. to avoid the commuter traffic. The roads there are narrow with one lane each and visitors’ cars and tour buses going in and out of many shops and restaurants cause traffic. I hear that Tagaytay gets very busy on weekends.
The blog post below is another related read. Enjoy!
Breakfast At Antonio’s Where The Best Breakfast Can Be Found
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