Baguio Indian Restaurants Guide: Where to Find Indian Food in the City
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-17
Honest take up front: Baguio does not have a Little India to speak of. There is no concentration of South Indian joints shouting at you from Session Road. This guide covers where to eat when the biryani craving hits at 9 PM. For related planning, see our guide on Sea Backpacking Hub.
Prices listed in this guide are based on menu posts and recent traveller reports as of the last verified date above. Baguio prices are quoted in Philippine pesos (PHP) and approximate Indian rupee (INR) equivalents. Baguio sits at roughly 1,500 metres elevation so the climate is cooler than Manila, which makes it a favourite escape for Indian students and Pinoy tourists alike. For a broader look at vegetarian food in Baguio for Indian backpackers, see the dedicated guide.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| How many Indian restaurants are named in this guide? | One: Rumours Bar and Restaurant on Session Road. Other Indian spots come and go; verify on the day. | (see entry below) |
| Best Filipino veg-friendly restaurant chain? | Goodtaste Restaurant (try the pinikpikan without the chicken version) | ₱200-350 |
| Is Filipino street food safe for vegetarians? | Yes for grills and skewers, but always ask about fish sauce | ₱30-80 |
Pro tip: Baguio’s Indian restaurants are small. Most seat 20-40 people. On weekends after church, Indian restaurants in the city centre fill up by 7 PM. Go at 6 or after 8:30.
The Indian Food Scene in Baguio
Baguio’s Indian community is mostly students and a few business families running sari-sari stores, transport companies, or restaurants. For a deeper look at how Indian backpackers navigate food across the region, see our guide on vegetarian food for Indian backpackers in Southeast Asia.
What is available: butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, paneer butter masala, dal makhani, palak paneer, biryani (chicken and veg), chapati, naan, samosa, pakora, chai, lassi. What is rare: South Indian (dosa, idli, sambar), Gujarati thali, Jain food without onion and garlic. What is missing: a proper Indian grocery store, fresh curry leaves in any quantity, and 24-hour delivery.
The catch with Filipino restaurants is similar to Thailand and Vietnam: hidden animal products everywhere. Fish sauce (patis) and shrimp paste (bagoong) show up in vegetable dishes you would never expect. Even “vegetable sinigang” can come with pork ribs as a default. The Pinoy version of vegetarian is loose. Tell them plainly: walang karne, walang isda, walang hipon (no meat, no fish, no shrimp). For context on avoiding these pitfalls elsewhere in the region, see this street food safety guide for Southeast Asia.
Where to Eat Indian Food in Baguio
This section lists Indian restaurants reported as operating in Baguio as of mid-2026. Several spots come and go, so verify on the day.
Indian restaurants operating in Baguio as of mid-2026 include Rumours Bar and Restaurant on Session Road. Other small Indian eateries have been reported near Mabini Street and the university belt, so verify on the day before visiting. Treat prices and hours as indicative rather than guaranteed.
Pro tip: All Indian restaurants in Baguio close or run limited hours on Mondays. Tuesday through Sunday is your safe bet. Call ahead if you are planning a big group dinner.
Rumours Bar and Restaurant
Rumours Bar and Restaurant on Session Road serves a mixed menu that includes Indian dishes alongside bar food. It is a long-running Baguio spot and a convenient place to grab a familiar curry or biryani between sightseeing. Confirm current hours and Indian menu availability before visiting.
Filipino Restaurants That Work for Vegetarians
When the Indian places feel heavy (or you want a break from curry), Baguio has solid Filipino restaurants with real veg options. The trick is knowing what to order and what to avoid.
Goodtaste Restaurant
Location: Multiple branches, main one on Marcos Highway. Speciality: Filipino comfort food, the pinikpikan stew. Price range: ₱200-400 per dish.
Goodtaste is famous for pinikpikan, a traditional Igorot chicken stew from the Cordillera region. The chicken version is the original, but Goodtaste offers a vegetable version on request. Order the veg sinigang (₱220, about ₹365 (~$3.78)), which is a sour tamarind soup, and ask them to make it without the default pork.
Manam SM Baguio
Location: SM City Baguio mall. Speciality: Filipino comfort food with a modern twist. Price range: ₱250-450.
Manam is part of a Manila chain, so prices are slightly higher than local spots, but the quality is consistent. The tinola (chicken ginger soup) can be ordered with mushrooms instead of chicken. The kare-kare (peanut stew) comes in a veg version. The vegetable lumpia (fresh spring rolls) are excellent. It is inside SM City Baguio, which is air-conditioned and a relief after walking up Session Road.
Canto
Location: Upper Session Road. Speciality: Asian fusion, creative takes on Filipino dishes. Price range: ₱350-550.
Canto is where Pinoy chefs play with traditional dishes. The truffle sisig is famous, but sisig is pork, so skip it. Go for the vegetable dishes: grilled vegetables with bagoong rice (ask for the rice without bagoong), the mushroom adobo (₱380, about ₹630 (~$6.53)), and the calamansi sorbet for dessert. Travellers report Canto is the most “Instagram” of Baguio restaurants. Worth one visit for the experience.
The Farmer’s Daughter Restaurant
Location: Along the road to Mines View Park. Speciality: Local Cordilleran cuisine. Price range: ₱250-400.
Farmer’s Daughter serves dishes from the Igorot and Cordilleran tradition. Most dishes are vegetable-heavy. This is the closest you get to “native restaurant” food in Baguio that does not centre meat.
Valencia’s Restaurant
Location: Session Road. Speciality: Traditional Filipino dishes, longtime favourite. Price range: ₱200-380.
Valencia’s has been feeding Baguio for decades. The vegetable kare-kare and the pakbet (vegetable stew with shrimp paste, so ask them to skip the bagoong) are the safe vegetarian picks. Service is old-school. Atmosphere is plain. Food is reliable.
Baguio Night Market (Food Stalls)
Location: Harrison Road, evening hours only. Speciality: Grilled skewers, street snacks, sweets. Price range: ₱30-120 per skewer or snack.
The Baguio Night Market is open from around 6 PM to midnight, sometimes later. For vegetarians, focus on the grilled corn, banana cue (fried banana on a stick), turon (fried banana spring roll), and the taho vendor (soft tofu with sago and syrup, a Filipino classic). Avoid anything with the word “BBQ” unless you confirm it is tofu. Prices are cheap. Cash only.
Tong Yang, SM City Baguio
Location: SM City Baguio mall. Speciality: Hotpot and grill, all-you-can-eat format. Price range: ₱399-599 per person.
Tong Yang is technically Chinese-Filipino, but it is a gift for vegetarians because you cook your own food at the table. The vegetable platter is generous, the sauces are good, and there is zero risk of hidden fish sauce because you control what goes in the pot. The all-you-can-eat format means you leave full for around ₱450. Group of four or more is the best value.
Pro tip: Baguio tap water is not safe. Stick to bottled water (₱20-40 per litre at sari-sari stores, about ₹30-₹65 (~$0.31-$0.67)). Most Indian restaurants serve filtered water but ask to confirm.
Key Phrases to Order Food in Baguio
Filipino (Tagalog) is the main language. Ilocano and Igorot languages run alongside it in the markets and restaurants outside the tourist strip. For ordering food, Tagalog phrases cover you everywhere.
| English Phrase | What it Means | Tagalog Script | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am vegetarian | Walang karne ako | Walang karne ako | Wah-lahng kar-neh ah-koh |
| No meat, no fish, no shrimp | Walang karne, isda, hipon | Walang karne, isda, hipon | Wah-lahng kar-neh, is-dah, hee-pon |
| No fish sauce | Walang patis | Walang patis | Wah-lahng pah-tis |
| No egg | Walang itlog | Walang itlog | Wah-lahng it-log |
| Is there onion/garlic? | May sibuyas/bawang? | May sibuyas/bawang? | My see-boo-yas / bah-wahng |
| Just vegetables | Gulay lang | Gulay lang | Goo-lay lahng |
| With rice | May kanin | May kah-nin | My kah-neen |
| No spicy | Hindi maanghang | Hindi ma-ang-hang | Hin-dee ma-ang-hang |
| spicy | Napakaanghang | Napakaanghang | Na-pa-ka-ang-hang |
| Thank you | Salamat po | Salamat po | Sah-lah-mat poh |
The word “po” at the end of sentences is a sign of respect, especially to elders. Use it. It goes a long way.
Street Food in Baguio That Works for Vegetarians
Baguio’s cool climate means street food sits out longer without spoiling, which is a small plus. The night market on Harrison Road is the main street food zone, but vendors also set up around Burnham Park during the day.
Taho
Soft silken tofu with brown sugar syrup and sago pearls. Sold from bicycles with two metal buckets. ₱20-30. Vegan. The vendor pounds a cup in front of you. Buy from the bicycle, not from a stall that has been sitting out.
Banana cue
Fried saba bananas coated in caramelised brown sugar, skewered on a stick. ₱20-40. Vegetarian. Eat hot. The caramelised sugar is what makes it.
Turon
Fried banana spring roll with jackfruit, caramelised sugar outside. ₱25-50. The crispy wrapper is the draw.
Grilled corn (Nilugaw or just inihaw na mais)
Corn on the cob grilled over charcoal, brushed with butter or margarine, sometimes salted. ₱25-40. Ask for butter only, no cheese (some stalls add processed cheese).
Manggang hinog
Ripe mango slices, sometimes with bagoong (shrimp paste) on the side. ₱30-50. Ask for the mango without bagoong if you are strict vegetarian, or accept that this is a Pinoy tradition and decide for yourself.
Bibingka
Rice cake cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves, topped with salted egg, cheese, or coconut. ₱40-80. The plain version is vegetarian. Skip the salted egg topping.
Common Mistakes Indians Make with Filipino Food
Mistake 1: Assuming “vegetable” means no animal products
Filipino vegetable dishes often come with pork, shrimp paste, or fish sauce by default. The kare-kare has oxtail. The pakbet has bagoong. The sinigang has pork ribs. Saying “vegetarian” is not enough. Always say walang karne, walang isda, walang hipon, walang patis, walang bagoong.
Mistake 2: Trusting the English menu over the cook
Many Baguio restaurants have English menus that list a dish as “vegetable stir fry” but the cook will default to fish sauce and oyster sauce. Point at the dish, name the no-go ingredients, and watch them cook if possible. Better: order from the staff who has handled vegetarian requests before.
Mistake 3: Skipping rice out of habit
Filipino meals come with rice. A full meal without rice in Baguio feels incomplete and costs more if you are buying sides separately. Eat the rice. It is safe, it is filling, and the locals will assume you are unwell if you skip it.
Mistake 4: Looking for “pure veg” signs
Baguio does not have the yellow “Jay” flag system Thailand uses. There is no green dot system either. Your best signal is asking other Indian travellers or the staff directly. Indian restaurants are generally a safer bet for vegetarians than Filipino restaurants, but always confirm preparation.
Mistake 5: Ordering halo-halo without checking ingredients
Halo-halo is the famous shaved ice dessert. For more sweet treats, see our guide to Filipino desserts, drinks, and fruits. It contains leche flan (egg custard), ube (purple yam), beans, fruits, and sometimes pinipig (toasted rice). The leche flan is the only non-vegetarian issue. Some versions use condensed milk only. Ask which toppings you want and skip the leche flan.
FAQ
Is there a Little India in Baguio?
No. Unlike Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, Baguio has no concentrated Indian neighbourhood. The Indian restaurants are scattered across Session Road, Mabini, and the university belt. There is also no Indian grocery store of any size in Baguio as of 2026. For Indian groceries, you have to go to Manila or order online from Indian delivery services operating in Metro Manila. A real Little India cluster looks different from Baguio’s scattered Indian restaurants.
Can I find Jain food (no onion, no garlic) in Baguio?
Genuinely Jain food is rare. Most Indian restaurants in Baguio use onion and garlic as base ingredients. Your best move is to call ahead and ask. Some home cooks in the Indian community may prepare Jain meals on order, but you would need to know someone locally. Jain food is rare outside Manila in the Philippines.
Are the Indian restaurants in Baguio halal?
It varies by restaurant. Ask before you order if this matters to you.
What is the cheapest full Indian meal in Baguio?
Quality is variable across restaurants. Main dishes typically start around ₱280-350.
Is Baguio tap water safe to drink?
No. Drink bottled water only. Buy from sari-sari stores (₱20-40 per litre) or from supermarkets. Ice in restaurants is generally safe (made from purified water) but in street stalls, ask first.
Do Indian restaurants deliver in Baguio?
Some do via GrabFood and Foodpanda. Delivery fees run ₱49-89 depending on distance. Order direct from the restaurant by phone to save the fee.
Is Indian food more expensive in Baguio than in Manila?
Yes, slightly. Indian restaurants in Baguio are fewer, smaller, and serve a captive market, so prices run 10-20% higher than equivalent Manila spots. A butter chicken in Baguio might be ₱400; in Manila it would be around ₱330. Factor this into your budget.
Food Safety and Hygiene in Baguio
Baguio’s elevation means cooler temperatures, which slows bacterial growth. This is a genuine plus for street food safety compared to Manila. Even so, follow these rules:
Pro tip: Eat at stalls and restaurants where locals are eating. High turnover means fresh food. Empty restaurants with food sitting on the counter are a red flag everywhere.
- Drink bottled or filtered water only. Brush teeth with bottled water if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Eat street food hot and freshly cooked. Avoid anything that has been sitting out.
- Wash hands before eating or carry a small bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
- Stick to fruit you can peel (bananas, mangoes) or that you have washed with bottled water.
- Avoid raw vegetables in unknown restaurants. Cooked veg is safer.
- Carry oral rehydration salts (ORS) from an Indian pharmacy before you fly. They are cheap and lifesaving if you get food poisoning.
Baguio has pharmacies (Mercury Drug, the main chain) that stock most basics, but bringing your own ORS and a small first-aid kit from India saves you a trip.
Subodh’s Take
Baguio is not a city you visit for Indian food. You visit it for the pine trees, the cool air, the strawberry taho, and the weekend market on Session Road. The Indian restaurants are there for the students and the occasional homesick traveller, not as a destination in themselves. Go once at Rumours Bar and Restaurant for the butter chicken, then spend the rest of your food budget on Filipino dishes you cannot get anywhere else. The pakbet, the pinikpikan, the taho, the ube jam, the strawberry wine. Those are what make Baguio worth the bus ride from Manila. Eat the local food. Save the curry for when you miss it.
Travel Insurance: Get SafetyWing travel insurance, covers Indian travelers (about $62/month). Includes COVID, trip interruption, and medical evacuation across Southeast Asia.
