1. Belmar Ecopark and Beach Resort
Buko Halo-Halo. Photo by author
One of the most popular pitstop restaurants along the highway from General Santos City to Glan is Belmar Eco Park, a beach resort with a restaurant that offers a view overlooking Sarangani Bay and Mt. Matutum.
For those who want heavy meals, try the Manok Tinubuok (whole chicken soup based dish cooked with lemongrass and pepper) and Manok Pinahapa (grilled whole native chicken), both costing P440 a kilo. If you just want something light, be sure to try their specialty Buko Halo-Halo, a tasty dessert served in a coconut shell (P90) served with Buko Salvaro, a biscuit-like wafer made from coconut meat.
Belmar Eco-Park & Beach Resort. Barangay Kapatan, Glan, Sarangani
2. Ka Jose Beach Resort
Tuna Kilawin. Photo by author
Ka Jose Beach Resort is a cozy family-run resort overlooking a black sand beach that’s a popular swimming spot for locals. They offer several cottages you can rent for small events and parties. They also have a billiard table, games and a videoke for entertainment, making it a chill hangout for barkadas and families who just want to enjoy the sea breeze.
Ka Jose serves appetizers and light snacks like nachos, fries, wings (P175 a platter), tuna kilawin, sisig as well as refreshing drinks and beer.
Ka Jose Beach Resort. Sitio Nacolil, Barangay Lago, Glan, Sarangani
3. Chef Nico’s Choco Puro & Sweets Bank
Sikwate and puto maya. Photo by author
Chef Nico’s Choco Puro is a local cafe along the national highway specializing in sikwate (hot chocolate), puto maya (rice cooked in coco milk and ginger) and pan Bisaya, a type of bread baked in the traditional way.
The cafe serves daily merienda like Hot Cheezy Saging and Steamed Potato served with hot beverages and coolers, as well as comfort food like pasta (carbonara, marinara) and pancit (bihon, canton, sotanghon) either to go or dine in, platters (sizzling tuna bagaybay, sashimi) and rice meals (pastil).
Right next to the cafe is Sweets Bank, a souvenir shop and art gallery where you can buy frozen tuna products and other local delicacies like Sox Tablea.
Chef Nico’s Choco Puro & Sweets Bank. Curbada Menor Prk. Nangka Ilaya, Glan, Sarangani
4. Babes Chow
Humba. Photo by author
If you’re looking for a good place to eat in the poblacion area, Babes Chow is a friendly al fresco restaurant in the Baywalk area right behind the town's Colono marker. It’s one of the restaurants that serves humba, a braised pork dish that is a town specialty, as well as Filipino staples like sinigang na hipon (P120, good for 3), calamares (P150, good for 3), tuna sisig (P100 a serving), and kinilaw (P150, good for 3). They also serve lumpia rolls filled with coconut meat, halo-halo and fresh fruit shakes.
Babes Chow. Baywalk. Clemente Lapaz St. Poblacion, Glan, Sarangani
5. Ginanggang
Ginanggang. Photo by author
If you’re in the mood for some street food, look out for vendors selling ginanggang, skewered bananas grilled over charcoal. The name is a Cebuano term that literally means “grilled.” When the outer surface of the banana is lightly charred, it is taken off the grill, brushed with margarine, and sprinkled with sugar. This local snack is different from banana cue because the banana is actually grilled on the stick. The sugar used on it is also white table sugar and is not caramelized (being applied after cooking).
6. Freddo’s
Freddo's is a local favorite. Photo by author
The local night life is pretty laidback. Along the videoke bars near Plaza Rizal at the heart of town, you can find several ancestral houses that double as streetside eateries. One of the local favorites is Freddo’s, which specializes in Litson Manok Bukid, mouthwatering lechon chicken served the local (Binisaya) way. Make sure to ask for sambal, a special Indonesian spicy sauce to go with your chicken.
Freddo’s. Clemente La Paz st Poblacion Glan, Sarangani
7. Oro BBQ
Pork barbecue. Photo by author
Oro BBQ right next to Clinica Ruiz in the poblacion area facing the plaza serves delicious and budget-friendly pork and chicken barbecue (P8 a stick) that you can pair with puso or rice wrapped and cooked in coco leaves. This local spot is a great place to just hang out at night. They don’t serve beer, but you can buy 1 litro bottles of Red Horse and Gold Eagle Beer from sari-sari stores nearby.
Oro BBQ. Poblacion, Glan, Sarangani
8. Isla Jardin del Mar
The restaurant at Isla Jardin del Mar. Photo by author
Various resorts along Gumasa Beach have their own in-house restaurants serving complimentary breakfast and a few short orders. But if you’re looking for a good meal, Isla Jardin del Mar, the only resort hotel in the Gumasa area accredited by the Department of Tourism, has the largest restaurant serving Filipino fare.
Day trippers usually bring their own food for picnics, but guests can also order beach favorites, seafood specialties and beer and affordable solo budget meals from their native restaurant.
Isla Jardin del Mar. Manando, Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani