Cafe by the Ruins is one of Baguio's most beloved and historic restaurants, founded in 1988 by a collective of artists and writers — among them National Artist Benedicto "BenCab" Cabrera — on the ruins of a building destroyed when Baguio was carpet-bombed during its 1945 liberation in World War II, the former site of the old Garden Theater directly across City Hall and near Burnham Park. Those weathered ruins give the place its name and rustic, garden-like charm, complete with a Cordilleran dap-ay stone circle in the garden and a striking main-hall chandelier by artist Kawayan de Guia. A long-running hub for art, poetry, and music — and famous nationwide after a scene from the film That Thing Called Tadhana was shot here — it champions slow food built on natural, local, and seasonal Cordilleran ingredients, with a strong line of vegetarian dishes. The kitchen is known for its house-baked breads (especially Ernie's Camote bread and basil bread) served with signature spreads like herbed liver pate and fish-roe mousse, plus Cordilleran specialties such as pinikpikan (the traditional healing soup with etag), Baguio bagnet, kare-kareng buntot, and house-cured tapa, alongside fresh pastas, salads, and curries. Pair it with their signature Ruins Coffee (cardamom-spiced Arabica with cream and cinnamon), siphon coffee from Kalinga or Benguet beans, herbal teas, or a ginger fizz, and finish with lime-perfumed leche flan or carabao-milk ice cream. The original Shuntug Street home was rebuilt and reopened in 2018 after a 2017 fire. It's walk-in only and tends to draw a queue at peak times.
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Landmark: Directly across Baguio City Hall, near Burnham Park
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