Dos Mestizos: Boracay's Top Spanish-Filipino Restaurant (and Our Favorite Food Spot in the Island!)

Before my wife and I even started researching for our Boracay honeymoon/food-trip, I already know that we will visit Dos Mestizos, an institution in the island. Some of our friends have been saying positive things about it, and lifestyle bloggers write highly of it. So it’s a no-brainer that we will include it in our eat-inerary.

Dos Mestizos is a restaurant that serves Spanish-Filipino heritage food. It was started by two mestizos (of Spanish-Filipino descent), Jose Carlos “Binggoy” Remedios and Jose Ramon Nieto. Its menu consists of food that Binggoy grew up with—heirloom recipes from a Filipino-Castilian heritage. It originated in Station 3 (it’s now a deli) and, due to its success, moved to a bigger location along the Main Road in Station 1. Ramon has passed on but Binggoy remains at the helm of Dos Mestizos.

Dos Mestizos’ al fresco area. Hello, wifey!

We first tried Dos Mestizos when two of our godparents invited us for a dinner. The food was so good that we had to come back for a second time to try other dishes. Let me share what we have tried so far, starting with the appetizers and tapas.

We were given complimentary bread. It was served warm and has a crisp outside and soft insides. The balsamic vinegar and salsa make great dips:

We loved their Baked Oysters al Espagnola during our first visit so we ordered it again in our second visit. It has fresh oysters baked with creamy bechamel, jamon, and arugula. It also has a smoky taste. My wife isn’t a fan of oysters but she loves this one!

Because my wife loves potatoes, we tried their Croquettas de Jamon (ham and bechamel croquettes), which has creamy filling with a crisp exterior.

Of course, we got their Callos con Garbanzos (stewed ox tripe with chick peas), which has rich and tender tripe, and Salpicao de Vaca (USDA beef cubes in garlic marinade), which is salty and garlicky. While the Salpicao is perfect with the complimentary bread, I wished that it was more tender.

Salpicao de Vaca (left; P440) and Callos con Garbanzos (right; P450)

No Spanish restaurant visit would be complete without eating paella. Because we love squid, we had the Paella Negra (squid ink paella). They certainly didn’t skimp on the ingredients here. The squid is perfectly cooked and the squid ink flavor is nice. Overall, it’s a flavorful paella!

Paella Negra (Small: P1190; Medium P2060; Large: P3110)

We also tried their Ensalada de Cesar (Caesar salad), Lengua de Vaca (braised ox tongue in white mushroom sauce), Paella Valenciana (mixed meat and seafood paella), and Pollo al Ajillo (half chicken roasted in garlic). We’ll let you try them and judge for yourself. But come on! Is there anything not good in Dos Mestizos?

The food is definitely on the pricier side. But the quality and taste more than makes up for it. My wife and I will definitely be back in Dos Mestizos, our favorite restaurant in Boracay. I highly recommend it to you!

Other entries in the Boracay Food Trip series: Food Experiences to Try (Introduction) | Sea Breeze Cafe (Henann Regency Resort & Spa): The Best Buffet in Boracay? | The Sunny Side Cafe Group: The Leading F&B Group in Boracay