On April 14, 2026, the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) unveiled its Davao Food Crawl Familiarization Tour, a flavorful journey that invites food enthusiasts, tourists and Dabawenyos to explore the city’s heart through its heirloom recipes and homegrown establishments that have fed the city for decades.
“The Davao Food Crawl features yung homegrown restaurants, yung lokal ng Davao na since 1960’s pa, 1970’s yan ang ating fini-feature sa tour na ito. So, we are developing tours in Davao city so that there are more reasons for tourist to visit Davao (The Davao Food Crawl features homegrown restaurants, the local ones in Davao that have been around since the 1960s and 1970s, which we are highlighting in this tour. So, we are developing tours in Davao City so that there are more reasons for tourists to visit Davao),” Gracie Plata, Tourism Relations Specialist of CTOO said.
The tour traces a path across the city’s most iconic food stops. At Dencia’s Restaurant, a renowned dining institution since the 1950’s, Filipino-Chinese dishes that have become comfort food of Dabawenyos for generations continue to be served.
Cafés like Yellow Hauz, one of the city’s pioneering cafes and bakeshops such as Cecil’s Snack Inn & Bakeshop and D’ Bread Maker, have become a landmark of the city, offering coffee, bread and snacks enjoyed by Dabawenyos from all walks of life.
Stops at Kusina Dabaw known for its salted egg siopao, Jaltan Food as a premier destination for Filipino kakanin, and Yong’s Satti for its signature satti, highlight the diversity of flavors from homestyle meals to fiery specialties that make the city’s food culture distinctive. By night, the city’s pulse shifts to Roxas Night Market, where smoky grills, sizzling skewers, and the charcoal ice cream capture the vibrancy of Davao evenings.
Leah Yu, owner of Kusina Dabaw shared that their food are more than dishes, they carry the flavors that families grew up with and continue to cherish until today.
“Importante ang feedback sa customers gyud namo always. Among customers man gud from families-to-families siya. So, it goes from one generation to another so they would know kung unsa ang lasa sa una, kung unsa ang lasa karon. So, we listen to their feedback to maintain it (Customer feedback is always really important. Our customers, it’s from families to families so they know what the taste was like before, what the taste is like now. So, we listen to their feedback to maintain it),” she added.
The city’s food scene also reflects its diversity through restaurants like Yong’s Satti, where halal cuisine proudly stands alongside other local favorites.
“When we talk about Davao City, it’s very different. When we talk about halal market medyo dako siya nga percentage sa Davao City. There’s a niche for us nga ma cater namo tung mga muslim brothers and sister as well as promoting it to also Christian and Muslim brothers about this kind of food (When we talk about Davao City, it’s very different. When we talk about halal market there’s a big percentage here in Davao City. There’s a niche for us that we can cater our muslim brothers and sister as well as promoting it to also Christian and Muslim brothers about this kind of food),” Jerome Montejar, owner of Yong’s Satti, said.
Through initiatives like the Davao Food Crawl Familiarization Tour, the City Government of Davao continues to honor the flavors that shape the Dabawenyo heritage while sustaining the local businesses that have nurtured families and sustained livelihoods throughout the decades. CIO