Weekend Guide: Where to Eat in Tarlac near Lumina Homes

Tarlac is well-known for its superb cuisine and enormous sugar and rice farms, and its great culinary scene is a result of its location at the intersection of four main civilizations.

As a matter of fact, visitors to the province of Tarlac will always be surprised by what they discover when it comes to its culinary traditions, which are often neglected as a tourist draw. No surprise Tarlac becomes a melting ground for Central Luzon's mixture of local cuisines when it's surrounded by areas like Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Pangasinan, all of which are well-known for their delectable fare in their respective provinces.

Local food store, best restaurants, and coffee shop in Tarlac City

You'll never run out of restaurants in Tarlac City to satisfy your cravings for mouthwatering local cuisine and all-time Filipino favorites. Join us on a culinary tour as we explore the finest of Tarlaqueno cuisine at some of the greatest restaurants in the area and near Lumina Tarlac.

1. Betty's Native Cakes

Betty's Native Cakes in the City of Tarlac is known for its native rice cakes, such as duman (with a creamy coconut covering) and tibok-tibok (white pudding produced from carabao's milk), as well as other treats.

Pancit, putong kapit, and bibingkang nasi are also available, as are many other regional dishes.

On top of that, the second floor of Betty's RestoBar seems to be ideal for a photo shoot. It's like being in a bookstore and a café at once!

Betty's Native Cakes began as a humble beginning for the baker. After selling these cakes on street corners in 1972, their business has expanded to 50 locations throughout Luzon thanks to the hard work of its founders.

Eat their local pastries and pancit, and you'll never want rice again. For its loyal patrons, one of the best things about Betty's Native Cakes is how they're always experimenting with new flavors and textures. Going to a restaurant that serves local cakes and pancit is pretty common these days, however, finding one that does it in the finest possible way is a lot more difficult to come across and Betty's Native Cakes in Tarlac is one of those establishments. They have various branches around the city including one in SM City Tarlac as well as in San Roque.

Where to find it: Zamora St, Tarlac City, 2300 Tarlac, Philippines (Around 13 minutes travel time from Lumina Tarlac)

Having pizza with friends or dinner with family are good for mental health.

2. La Boneteria & Bonnette's BBQ Grille

La Boneteria & Bonnette's BBQ Grille will show you that a couple of hot malunggay pandesal (called bonete in Tarlac) and a barbecue stick straight from the grill will take your breath away away!

Check them out if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary while on a food trip in Tarlac City. The best way to end your Tarlac vacation is with a chilled bottle of beer and a plate of malunggay pandesal and barbecue stick-- whether it's pork or chicken, this restaurant have it all!

La Boneteria, a bakery, and Bonnette's BBQ Grille, that sells different kinds of grilled meat, are both owned by the same business partners and are located next to each other. Your pandesal pulutan is served with handmade homemade vinegar that was prepared especially for this dish.

Their malunggay pandesal is made with REAL malunggay flakes and has no preservatives and lard-free. Residents of Lumina Tarlac can easily enjoy their healthy pastries and bread every single morning with its great proximity to the community.

Where to find it: Villa Zarraga Subdivision, San Vicente Tarlac City, Tarlac, Philippines (Around 14 minutes travel time from Lumina Tarlac)

3. Kape Agape

While there are many dining options in Tarlac, none are quite like Kape Agape.

It is a community coffeehouse where bright young Tarlaqueno artists are mentored and promoted in the skill of expressing themselves via the medium of music.

In 1992, Anao's first and oldest preschool, St. John Nepomucene Learning Center, was renamed the Kids' Center in 2006. Kape Agape was renamed to better serve the needs of children after its transformation in December 2015. The restaurant is also a God-centered café that serves delicious cuisine and drinks while also promoting spiritual growth.

For a low-cost meal in Tarlac, go no further than Kape Agape. Some of their best-sellers and customers' favorite are their Hana Penne and Beefy Penne which cost Php 59 each. These are cylinder-shaped pasta stuffed with Spanish sardines and beef. On top of that, the restaurant also serves Pancit Anao for Php 120, Barangay fiesta Nachos that costs Php 99, and French Toast for Php 60, as well as a variety of other dishes.

Filipino coffee shop in Tarlac, Philippines.

Any of their iced coffee drinks, such as iced choco matcha that costs Php 40 or their French vanilla ice for Php 45, would be ideal for coffee junkies, as would a Cappuccino (Php 45) or a chocolate-caramel frappe (Php 75).

Where to find it: Heroes Lane, Anao, 2310 Tarlac. (Around 39 minutes travel time from Lumina Tarlac)

4. Rustica Restaurant

Tarlac's Rustica Restaurant caters to people who like a fine-dining experience while dining in the city. If you're searching for a venue to have a wedding, debut, baptism, or any other significant event, this is a great choice. You may get the greatest catering service and good food in central Luzon from Rustica Restaurant, according to its avid clients.

Where to find it: Villa Zarraga Subdivision, San Vicente Tarlac City, Tarlac, Philippines (Around 13 minutes travel time from Lumina Tarlac)

5. Tatun's Kambingan Restaurant

Tatun's Kambingan Restaurant is the place to go if you want to eat Tarlac and Filipino cuisine that tastes just how it should. Even though you are not a fan of exotic food like goat meat, you could be pleasantly surprised by how much you would like this restaurant's goat dishes. We suggest for you to order their Kalderetang Kambing, Kampukan Kambu, or their Spicy Goat Adobo. This restaurant cooks some of our favorite Pinoy dishes using goat meat instead of pork making it a unique twist.

Also, their avid customers are a huge fan of kare-kare, which has a rich, flavorful peanut sauce and tender beef. Another must try from this restaurant is their binuro or binurong isda (fried fish served with fermented rice, fish, or shrimp, and boiling vegetable leaves), which will surely charm your taste buds.

According to some of their customers, Tatun's Bulanglang Liempo and Angus beef are two of the restaurant's most highly recommended meals. Lumina Tarlac residences like you will surely be fond of their dishes once you visit here.

Where to find it: 7051 E Fairlane Rd, Brgy. San Vicente, Tarlac City, 2300 Tarlac, Philippines (Around 14 minutes travel time from Lumina Tarlac)

Filipino family loves eating in a good place where they can take photos nearby their own home.

About Lumina Tarlac

This 10-hectare development has a total of 1,354 units, making it one of the largest residential projects in Tarlac. Located in Brgy. Maliwalo, Tarlac, Tarlac City, the subdisvion does not just have proximity to various restaurants and cafes in the city but asl well to hospitals such as the Jecsons, CLDH, and TPH.

In addition to this, SM City Tarlac is also about a 10-minute drive away. Even more, the subdivision's location is convenient to schools and universities, as well as a number of supermarkets.

Make sure to get your home reservations as early as now as it is one of the fast-selling communities from Lumina Homes because of its great proximity to various establishments and facilities in Tarlac City.

Be practical. Be smart. And enjoy the sumptuous food in Tarlac City with Lumina Tarlac.