The 5 Best Places to Get Lechon in Davao

Lechon is a Filipino dish with Spanish roots. In fact, lechon or roasted sucking pig a very popular way of cooking an entire pig in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Spanish-speaking countries. In the Philippines, it’s become a staple food in fiestas, birthdays, and other special occasions. TIME Magazine even declared Filipino lechon to be the “Best Pig” in its 2009 Best of Asia list. Thanks to the Filipino people’s rich culinary tradition, there are many variations in the way lechon is made here. Davao City is just is one of the many Filipino cities and provinces who take lechon very, very seriously.

Azon’s Boneless Lechon

This place takes lechon to the next level by offering the dish in an easy-to-eat, boneless roll. The fragrant and flavorful infusion of herbs perfectly complements the fact that you can just dig into this lechon without having to watch out for bones. Azon’s boneless lechon roll comes in both regular and spicy, and you can order it per kilo. Davao Base writes that they also offer other classic Filipino dishes like laing, a sweet and spicy mix of coconut milk, taro leaves, garlic, onion, and local chilies. You can find Azon’s on McArthur Highway, Matina, in front of NCCC Mall.

Beloy’s Boneless Lechon Belly

This brand actually originates from Cebu, another city that’s known for making quality lechon. They recently opened a branch at Davao City’s NCCC Mall. Beloy’s is known for keeping its boneless lechon roll consistently soft by using only the belly, the meatiest and fattest part of the pig. They also sell huge rolls that weigh around four to six kilos, enough to feed more than 10 people. Despite the mall setting, Davao City Guy reports that the taste of this particular lechon is well worth it.

Naty’s Lechon House

Grilling since the 1960s, Naty’sLechon House is known as the oldest lechon establishment in Davao. They specialize in the classic lechon – slow-roasted suckling pig over hot coal – although they also now serve lechon in roll form. To this day, old and young Dabawenyos swear by Naty’s as one of the best lechon places in the city. You can find them at 836 Chavez Street in the city’s Poblacion District.

San Roque Lechon House

Founded in 1986, San Roque is a little younger than Naty’s but is also known as a quality lechon establishment in the city. Apart from serving herb-infused soft meat covered by crunchy skin – which you can expect from any of the lechon places in this list – San Roque can cater to really large orders. Their 53-kilo party size order is enough for approximately 80 people. They also offer free delivery within downtown Davao, depending on the size of the order. You can find them at the Sammy Uy building on J.P. Laurel Avenue.

PatoksaManok

If you’ve had your fill of pork lechon, PatoksaManok specializes in lechonmanok or charcoal-grilled chicken. In 1985, they were the first establishment to offer lechonmanok in Davao City. Today, they also offer other Filipino delicacies like banana langkaturon and fresh squid with sambal. PatoksaManok’s Davao branches are located at: Lanang, Matina, Market Basket, Mamay Road, Bonifacio Street, and Cabantian Road.

If you’re tired of just reading about Davao’s lechon, why don’t you pay the city a visit? Philippine Airlines has daily flights that go to Davao directly from Metro Manila, and If you’re visiting the Philippines anytime soon, make sure to put Davao lechon on your to-do list. And if for some reason, you’re not that into slow-roasted, herb-infused pork, here’s a list of alternative places to dine in Davao City.

This is a contribution from one of our contributing writers.