TLDR;
- Skip to House of Lechon Review
- Skip to Lechon Review at the Carcar Public Market
- Skip to comparison of both & our favourite!
One of our favourite parts of traveling to a new country is sampling the local cuisine and immediately trying the best national dish. For the Philippines that had to be the famous Lechon.
We were so excited to try the crispy, delicious, perfectly juicy pork – so much so that Julie, usually a vegetarian, but determined not to miss out even tried it!
Before arriving in Cebu City, we had already heard that Cebu-style lechon was considered by many to be the best in the Philippines, so naturally it became one of our top priorities.
In this post, we’re comparing two very different lechon experiences:
- eating at the Michelin Guide-featured House of Lechon
- and visiting the legendary New Carcar City Public Market
If you’re wondering where to eat the best lechon in Cebu, hopefully this helps you decide whether to try one, the other, or both like we did!
What makes Cebu Lechon special?
Cebu lechon is famous for being the crispiest, juiciest, most succulent, and flavour-packed with perfectly crispy skin! So much so that Anthony Bourdain once called it the “best pig ever”.
Unlike lechon in other parts of the Philippines, Cebu-style lechon is heavily seasoned on the inside with garlic, onions, lemongrass, herbs, and spices that flavour the meat during the slow roasting process. Locals are extremely proud of the fact that Cebu lechon supposedly does not even need sauce.
When we asked locals where to find the best lechon in Cebu, almost everyone said the Carcar Public Market.
The market has an entire section dedicated purely to lechon vendors, and the experience alone makes it worth visiting. Prices are also incredibly cheap compared to restaurants, and the traditional cooking process is part of what makes it so special.
The pigs are stuffed with garlic, onions, lemongrass, and local herbs before being slowly roasted over charcoal for hours. Vendors also baste the skin during cooking using mixtures that can include soy sauce, pineapple juice, and sometimes even Sprite!!
House of Lechon Cebu City Review
Since our first stop was Cebu City, we decided to begin our lechon journey at House of Lechon after having it recommended by locals and spotting that it was featured in the Michelin Guide (always a good sign!)
We arrived at the restaurant at around 3:30pm stomachs empty and ready to feast!
The first thing we noticed was how friendly the staff were. Everyone greeted us warmly, helped us get seated quickly, answered all of our questions, and made the whole experience feel welcoming immediately.
Also, the kitchen is a central feature as you walk in as it’s surrounded by a wall of glass so that you can peak the chefs cooking and chopping the Lechon right in front of you. It was a nice addition to the “cultural experience” part of the visit.
As budget backpackers we usually tend to stay away from restaurants with the vibe at House of Lechon, that is – AC, large, clean booths and tables, and a fully stocked bar – because it normally translates to “you are about to spend your daily budget on lunch.”
Our usual vibe is – plastic chairs, one fan fighting for its life, and questionable menu translations – but it often means unbeaten prices and deliciousness.
Nevertheless we were excited to treat ourselves!
What we ordered
- A 1/4kg of the “Carcar special” lechon
- A 1/4kg of the spicy lechon
- Garlic rice
- Puso rice (hanging rice)
- Baked scallops (another best seller)
- The local beer – two Red Horse!
At a first glance, the menu had either spicy lechon or, non spicy “Carcar special”.
You could order anywhere from 1/4 right through to 1 kg. We liked how they specified on the menu that 1/4kg would be good for 1 person, 1/2kg good for 1-2 people etc..
We also noticed the menu is not limited to just lechon and there are other Filipino favourites available.
Shoutout to our server Kim, who was incredibly kind and helpful throughout the meal.
The Review of the Lechon at the House of Lechon
The food arrived quickly, and the staff showed us how to mix the condiments properly — mainly combining sinamak vinegar, soy sauce, calamansi, and chilli to create a dipping sauce for the pork. The pork also came with a side of the baste, but it was salty so we were advised to add sinamak to cut the saltiness.
Our fav was the baste and the Sinimak!
💡 Fun Fact: Sinamak is a traditional Filipino spiced vinegar often infused with garlic and chilli.
Now for the important part: the first bite.
It was perfect! The skin was crispy, the meat was juicy and salty, and the vinegar-baste dipping sauce balanced everything out perfectly.
Between the two versions, we slightly preferred the spicy lechon because it had an extra kick, but both were excellent.
The garlic rice was also delicious and I LOVE how it comes in the little aluminum pot.
The puso (hanging rice) was pretty mid in our opinion – essentially just boiled rice wrapped in woven coconut leaves – but still fun to try.
The baked scallops were also delicious but the lechon was the main event.
All in all the bill came to $35.22 which is certainly expensive relative to what we usually pay and in Southeast Asia, but good value for the quality of the food, service, and ambiance of the entire restaurant.
I repeat, we have yet to come across a nicer team of staff that seem actually genuinely delighted to serve you and be at work. It was so refreshing!
Carcar Market Experience
The Carcar market experience is a different kettle of fish altogether! This might be peak authentic look into Filipino life and cuisine. And we loved it!
The market itself is a huge local trading hub where vendors sell everything from fresh seafood and vegetables to local delicacies and household goods. But for most visitors, there is really one reason to stop here: the lechon section.
💡Tip: When we typed in Carcar Public Market to Google Maps we noticed that there’s a “new” one and an “old” one. Make sure to navigate to the new one.
We visited on a Sunday, which meant the market was packed with locals shopping for produce and grabbing lunch after church.
The second we walked in, people immediately pointed us towards the lechon section. Apparently we looked exactly like two tourists searching for roasted pig.. which is fair enough 🤣
The lechon section is not hard to find – walk straight down the middle and keep walking until you see the sign “Lechon section” on the left.
Walking in was an experience before we had even tasted anything. The smell of charcoal and roasted pork hit immediately, followed by the sound of the knives chopping through crispy skin on thick wooden blocks and the roars of the friendly vendors bursting with personality excited for you to try their lechon!
The entire section is basically one long corridor lined with stalls and every stall has its own golden-brown pig on display. We had been told by locals that it’s ok to try everyone’s lechon and then make a decision on the one to buy so that’s exactly what we did!
We chatted with vendors, sampled different lechon, complimented everyone because honestly they were all delicious, and eventually chose our favourite. This was hard at first because we felt bad picking but then the vendors put our minds at ease saying “we’re all friends” which I thought was a lovely touch.
How to Get to Carcar Market
Carcar is located around 90 minutes south of Cebu City depending on traffic.
We stopped there while driving by scooter down to Moalboal, which made it the perfect lunch stop on the journey south.
If you’re doing the same, you can also combine it with:
- Our guide to Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls
- Our guide to hiking Osmeña peak
- Our guide to snorkeling the Sardine Run at Panagsama beach
If not, the visit to the market will be likely 3 hours of driving total plus 45min-1 hour at the market itself so block at least half a day.
If you don’t have a scooter, you could get the bus, or rent a private driver.
Fact check me beforehand but to get the bus, I believe you head to the south terminal station in Cebu city, get on a bus heading south to Moalboal and tell the driver you want to get off at Carcar market. To get back, you likely have to head back to the highway and hail a northern bound bus back to Cebu city. They are frequent by the sounds of it but make sure to give yourself ample time so you’re not returning too late. This is definitely the backpacker way to do it!
Our Choice of Lechon
In the end we went with “Rutchelle Lechon” which was the first stand on the right as you enter.
We felt this was the most delicious because the skin was the crispiest and the meat was succulent and still warm.
The going rate was about 400 PHP per kg (~$6.50) and we bought a 1 kg for both of us to share. We also bought some of their Sinimak at 50 PHP (~$0.80).
Grand total: $7.30 (are you kidding me??!!)
Once we said goodbye to all of our new friends, and bought some puso to go with the pork, we headed outside to a shaded bench to enjoy our lunch.
The Carcar Market Lechon Review
The skin was what stood out first. It was perfectly golden, blistered, and unbelievably crispy. The pork and the baste itself was much saltier and richer than House of Lechon, but packed with flavour from the herbs and spices stuffed inside during roasting.
💡Tip: The lechon is usually served in plastic bags with the meat and juices piled together inside. It gets messy very quickly and there are basically no napkins or utensils around. We recommend either bringing your own or at least bringing napkins and sanitizer so that you can wipe all that beautiful pork juice after you have indulged!
Which Was Better: House of Lechon vs Carcar Market?
Ok now for the main event…the comparison!
If we are talking purely about the quality of the lechon itself, we actually preferred House of Lechon.
The meat was consistently juicy, the skin was perfectly crispy throughout, and we loved being able to control the sauces and condiments ourselves.
In Carcar, while the meat was also juicy and the baste was delicious, there was a lot more fat and less crispy skin. Also when we asked for crispy skin they said they couldn’t give us more because that would mean that the rest of the pig wouldn’t sell…completely understandable, but mildly heartbreaking.
Also the Sinimak in the House of Lechon, mixed with the baste was just better than the Sinimak that we bought at the market.
That said, the overall experience at Carcar was unforgettable. Eating lechon out of a plastic bag with your hands while surrounded by market chaos, stray dogs hoping for leftovers, smoke, noise, and locals chatting around you is of course just something you HAVE to do!
However the House of Lechon gave us – a table with napkins, AC, ice cold red horse, garlic fried rice, and our own condiments and despite being budget backpackers we do love a boujee meal now and then 🤣
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, these were two completely different experiences, and we loved both for different reasons.
If you’re on a wicked tight budget and have been for a while – you’re probably going to have one of the best meals in your life at the Carcar public market.
And even if you are not on a budget, it is still one of the most authentic food experiences you can have in Cebu.
But if you can stretch your budget and value great service, comfort, and consistently incredible lechon, then House of Lechon is absolutely worth visiting.
Or if have the time and budget, try both like us!
Either way, just make sure you try Cebu lechon while you are here!
FAQ
What is lechon?
Lechon is a traditional Filipino dish made by slowly roasting a whole pig over charcoal until the skin becomes crispy and the meat inside stays juicy and tender. It is one of the most famous foods in the Philippines and is commonly served during celebrations, fiestas, birthdays, and holidays.
Where can you eat the best lechon in Cebu?
Some of the most famous places to eat lechon in Cebu are:
- Carcar Public Market
- Talisay
- House of Lechon Cebu City
- Rico’s Lechon Cebu City
Many locals consider Carcar-style lechon to be the best because of its crispy skin and heavily seasoned meat.
Is Carcar Market worth visiting?
Yes — especially if you want an authentic Cebu food experience.
The lechon section at Carcar Public Market is one of the most famous food stops in Cebu and gives visitors a chance to try freshly roasted lechon at local prices while experiencing the atmosphere of a traditional Filipino market.
Is House of Lechon touristy?
I would say yes but not in a tacky over-tourist way.
House of Lechon is one of the easiest places for tourists to comfortably try Cebu lechon thanks to its:
- English-speaking staff
- clean restaurant environment
- central Cebu City location
- easy-to-order menu
- excellent service
It is more expensive than eating at Carcar Market, but still reasonably priced compared to Western countries.
Thank you for reading and for being here! We’re grateful you’ve gotten this far and hope it helps you experience authentic Lechon on your journey in the Philippines.
Cheers and Safe Travels,
Julie & Harry
If you’re headed to the Philippines, you might also find our other guides helpful:
Read our guide on getting a visa for the Philippines here
Read our guide to Kawasan Falls Canyoneering here
Read our guide to snorkeling the Sardine Run in Moalboal here
Read our guide to hiking Osmeña peak here
Read our guide to finding the best Lechon in Cebu here
Read our ideal 2-week Siargao itinerary here