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Dumaguete is the capital city and main port of Negros Oriental, the province that occupies the south-eastern part of Negros Island, in the Philippines. It is sometimes called the "City of Gentle People". A laid-back university town with a charming sea-front boulevard and a good selection of tourist-oriented services, Dumaguete is a good place to relax for anything from a few days to a few decades. There are many tourists and a large contingent of resident foreigners. According to the Philippine government Dumaguete is the most popular destination in the country for retiring abroad.

Dumaguete is a major transport hub for reaching destinations anywhere on the large island of Negros which is split into two provinces, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. In particular, it often serves as an entry point for trips to the diving on Apo Island or dolphin chasing and whale watching near Bais City. The small island province of Siquijor, with its many beaches and legends of sorcery, is also often reached via Dumaguete; it is visible from the downtown seafront.

The economy is quite diverse and is doing well; a 2009 survey showed Dumaguete with the lowest incidence of poverty of all cities in the Visayas and Mindanao. The city has been a center of education for over a century, and the transport, market and administrative hub of its region for even longer. Tourism and hi-tech have become important; Dumaguete is among the top ten tourist destinations in the country and has quite a few call centers, business process outsourcing companies and other IT-related enterprises.

This article covers four towns that are administratively separate but effectively one city: Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral

Dumaguete City proper (131,377 in 2015 census)
Bacong, south along the coast (36,500)
Valencia, on higher ground inland to the southwest (34,850)
Dumaguete, Valencia and Bacong are connected by three roads, approximately an equilateral triangle 8 km (5 miles) on a side.
Sibulan, north along the coast; the two town centers are about 12 km apart (59,500)

Dumaguete is not a large city in population but is spread out over quite a wide area. All three suburbs mentioned above have experienced considerable residential development in the last few years; many people live in them but come into Dumaguete to work or shop, or for restaurants and nightlife.

Valencia is in a volcanic area, the volcanic soil is fertile, and there is plenty of rain. The area has long been known for agriculture, especially fruit and vegetable production. There is a large farmers' market in the center of Valencia, right where the jeepney from Dumaguete arrives.

The urban part of Valencia is over 200 m (660 ft) above sea level so the town is significantly cooler than Dumaguete on the coast. Partly because of this, it has several new upmarket real estate developments which attract both well-off Dumaguetinos and expatriates. Bacong and Dauin, the next coastal town south, also have a lot of upmarket housing development.

The climate is tropical with an average daily high of 30.6°C (87°F) and low of 24.8°C (77°F); this does not vary much from month to month. Precipitation does vary considerably with a dry season January to May and wet season June to December. Average annual rainfall is 807 mm (32 inches); for comparison, San Francisco and London each get about 600 mm while Metro Cebu gets about 1700 and Hong Kong 2400.

As anywhere in the Philippines, there is some risk of earthquakes and typhoons. However, compared to other areas in the country Dumaguete has relatively low risk of either. Sometimes it gets side effects of typhoons elsewhere; for example in October 2017, heavy rain associated with Typhoon Paolo caused some flooding in Dumaguete.

Dumaguete City proper (131,377 in 2015 census)

Bacong, south along the coast (36,500)

Valencia, on higher ground inland to the southwest (34,850)

Dumaguete, Valencia and Bacong are connected by three roads, approximately an equilateral triangle 8 km (5 miles) on a side.

Sibulan, north along the coast; the two town centers are about 12 km apart (59,500)

Dumaguete bell tower

Bell Tower. This is the oldest surviving structure in the city, a relic of the long Spanish occupation of Negros Island. It used to be a watchtower to warn the locals against marauding pirates from Mindanao. The first two storeys date from the mid-1700s with the structure above that added later. Its largest bell is engraved with a date of 1818.
Cathedral of Santa Catalina. A fine old Roman Catholic church, built under Spanish rule in the 1700s and consequently the oldest stone church in the whole of the province of Negros Oriental. It's dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria who is the patron saint of the city. Her festival is vigorously celebrated around the end of November each year since a Mass celebrating liberation from the Spanish took place in its grounds on the 24 November 1898. The entrance gates are supported by sculptures of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John on tall pedestals.

Dumaguete is a university town; there are four universities plus various colleges, and about a quarter of the population of the city proper are students.

Foremost of the city's educational institutions is Silliman University, the oldest American university in Asia and the first Protestant college to be founded in this predominantly Roman Catholic country. The main street running north-south through the campus is Hibbard Avenue, named for the missionary couple who founded it in 1901 as a high school. The street that borders the campus on the south is Silliman Avenue; like the university, it is named for the New England industrialist who financed the project. Silliman Hall

Silliman University Hall. Built in 1902-1903, this is the oldest U.S. structure in the Philippines still standing. Its architecture is reminiscent of the Stick Style or Victorian type of architecture that characterized U.S. buildings in the 19th century. On the east or ocean side of the hall is a bronze bust of Horace Silliman.
Silliman University Anthropology Museum, Rizal Boulevard (in Silliman Hall. The Anthropology Museum houses some Philippine artifacts that were excavated from many parts of the country dating back hundreds or thousands of years. A good example of how to make interesting stuff intensely boring. A smart move was to forbid any photographic record of the mediocre displays. Base rate for locals, for others, with discounts for children and seniors. Rates double on weekends or holidays..
Luce Auditorium. Considered the cultural center of the South. Named for the American Luce family, media magnates who owned Time, Life and other magazines. The tin ceiling was salvaged from an old theater in New York.
Marine Laboratory Museum. Houses the second-largest whale bone collection in the world.
Silliman University Church. A Protestant church on the university grounds, with some fine stained glass windows. Like the university, it was set up by American Presbyterian missionaries, but its outlook today is very ecumenical; it describes itself as "a church ministering to all Sillimanians, regardless of their denomination and religious affiliations".
Silliman Zoo, near Silliman Medical Center (signs opposite Silliman medical centre. 9AM-4PM. It conserves endangered Philippine native animals which are rarely seen; eg, spotted deer, warty pigs and crocodiles. Well worth the entry fee. They also need financial support. It's a 15-min walk from the city center or a pedicab ride. .

Inland (west) of Dumaguete are a range of volcanic mountains running from well south of the city to well north of it. None of the volcanoes are active but several of them are not extinct either; experts say they have the potential to erupt again. Travel services in Dumaguete or local guides closer to the sites can arrange trips. Some of the main sites are:

Mt. Talinis. The second-highest mountain in Negros Oriental at 1903 m, one of a group called the Cuernos de Negros (Horns of Negros). It has lakes, waterfalls and a mossy forest as well as a stream with sulfur vents. Local mountaineering groups frequent the mountain.
Palinpinon Geothermal Plant. This geothermal plant provides electric power for all of Negros Island, Panay, and Guimaras, plus parts of Cebu Province. The power station plaza is closed to visitors at the guard house.
Volcanic Road. Get up close and personal with some sulphur vents along the roadside
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park. A large protected forest area centered on two volcanic crater lakes. The flora and fauna have been considerably degraded, but it's still an interesting daytrip. Each of the suburbs we include in this article — Valencia, Sibulan and Bacong — is administered as a separate town and all have been towns since the era of Spanish rule. They all have some buildings going back to that era, clustered around a central plaza; the ones in Bacong include the oldest church in the province.

Bell Tower. This is the oldest surviving structure in the city, a relic of the long Spanish occupation of Negros Island. It used to be a watchtower to warn the locals against marauding pirates from [[Mindanao]]. The first two storeys date from the mid-1700s with the structure above that added later. Its largest bell is engraved with a date of 1818.

Cathedral of Santa Catalina. A fine old Roman Catholic church, built under Spanish rule in the 1700s and consequently the oldest stone church in the whole of the province of Negros Oriental. It's dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria who is the patron saint of the city. Her festival is vigorously celebrated around the end of November each year since a Mass celebrating liberation from the Spanish took place in its grounds on the 24 November 1898. The entrance gates are supported by sculptures of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John on tall pedestals.

Silliman University Hall. Built in 1902-1903, this is the oldest U.S. structure in the Philippines still standing. Its architecture is reminiscent of the Stick Style or Victorian type of architecture that characterized U.S. buildings in the 19th century. On the east or ocean side of the hall is a bronze bust of Horace Silliman.

Silliman University Anthropology Museum, Rizal Boulevard (in Silliman Hall. The Anthropology Museum houses some Philippine artifacts that were excavated from many parts of the country dating back hundreds or thousands of years. A good example of how to make interesting stuff intensely boring. A smart move was to forbid any photographic record of the mediocre displays. Base rate for locals, for others, with discounts for children and seniors. Rates double on weekends or holidays..

Luce Auditorium. Considered the cultural center of the South. Named for the American Luce family, media magnates who owned Time, Life and other magazines. The tin ceiling was salvaged from an old theater in New York.

Marine Laboratory Museum. Houses the second-largest whale bone collection in the world.

Silliman University Church. A Protestant church on the university grounds, with some fine stained glass windows. Like the university, it was set up by American Presbyterian missionaries, but its outlook today is very ecumenical; it describes itself as "a church ministering to all Sillimanians, regardless of their denomination and religious affiliations".

Silliman Zoo, near Silliman Medical Center (signs opposite Silliman medical centre. 9AM-4PM. It conserves endangered Philippine native animals which are rarely seen; eg, spotted deer, warty pigs and crocodiles. Well worth the entry fee. They also need financial support. It's a 15-min walk from the city center or a pedicab ride. .

Mt. Talinis. The second-highest mountain in Negros Oriental at 1903 m, one of a group called the Cuernos de Negros (Horns of Negros). It has lakes, waterfalls and a mossy forest as well as a stream with sulfur vents. Local mountaineering groups frequent the mountain.

Palinpinon Geothermal Plant. This geothermal plant provides electric power for all of [[Negros Island]], [[Panay]], and [[Guimaras]], plus parts of [[Cebu Province]]. The power station plaza is closed to visitors at the guard house.

Volcanic Road. Get up close and personal with some sulphur vents along the roadside

Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park. A large protected forest area centered on two volcanic crater lakes. The flora and fauna have been considerably degraded, but it's still an interesting daytrip.

There are several popular seaside resort areas nearby and it is common for travellers to use Dumaguete as a base for visiting one or more of them, since the beaches in town are often highly polluted. Many hotels and all travel agencies in Dumaguete can arrange trips to any of them.

Apo Island - a small island somewhat south of Dumaguete with excellent diving
Bais City - a city on the coast to the north, known for dolphin and whale watching
Siquijor - an island province with good beaches and many tales of witches and sorcerers, visible from the Dumaguete boulevard and accessible via frequent ferries.

There are many dive shops in Dumaguete. Some of them are:

Adventure Diving, +63 35 422-1781.
Harold's Dive Center, +63 35 522-0144. Has its own dive boats
SCUBA Ventures, +63 35 225 7716. PADI instruction and other services.

See also Diving in the Philippines.

There are also some golf courses:

Bravo Golf Course, San Antonio Barangay Rd, Pancil, Looc, Sibulan, +63 35 400-3504. Beautifully kept 18-hole course with plenty of shade trees and Zebu cattle has a view of the sea and an air-conditioned club room. Quarterly green fees are while 'walk-ins' pay for 9 holes, for 18 holes M-Th rising to & at weekends. Caddy fees are or, golf cart rental or, an umbrella girl or and golf set rental or for 9 or 18 holes respectively.
There is a hotel on-site with rooms from . The restaurant has a large, brick pizza oven and some other Italian dishes on the menu.
Ang Tay Golf Course, East Rovira Dr, +63 35 225 2109. A 9-hole course close to downtown, before the airport. Several of the resorts have swimming pools, but the public pool downtown is cheaper:
Aqua Swimming pool Largest swimming pool in Dumaguete (Capital area) behind Freedom Park. per person.

There are decorated horse-drawn carts offering scenic rides around town.

There are sometimes dragon boat races in the harbor, with a large crowd watching from the boulevard. The traditional date for the dragon boat festival is the 5th day of the 5th Chinese lunar month, which usually falls in June of the Gregorian calendar. However, Dumaguete often has races somewhat earlier (perhaps regional events to qualify for later national events?); for example in 2017 and 2018 there were races in early April.

Adventure Diving, +63 35 422-1781.

Harold's Dive Center, +63 35 522-0144. Has its own dive boats

SCUBA Ventures, +63 35 225 7716. PADI instruction and other services.

Bravo Golf Course, San Antonio Barangay Rd, Pancil, Looc, Sibulan, +63 35 400-3504. Beautifully kept 18-hole course with plenty of shade trees and Zebu cattle has a view of the sea and an air-conditioned club room. Quarterly green fees are while 'walk-ins' pay for 9 holes, for 18 holes M-Th rising to & at weekends. Caddy fees are or, golf cart rental or, an umbrella girl or and golf set rental or for 9 or 18 holes respectively.
There is a hotel on-site with rooms from . The restaurant has a large, brick pizza oven and some other Italian dishes on the menu.

Ang Tay Golf Course, East Rovira Dr, +63 35 225 2109. A 9-hole course close to downtown, before the airport.

Aqua Swimming pool Largest swimming pool in Dumaguete (Capital area) behind Freedom Park. per person.

The main shopping area downtown is Perdices Street from around the Bell Tower to the edge of Silliman University. The street continues north into the university, but the name changes to Hibbard Avenue.

Cang's Department Store, East Rovira Dr. M-Sa 9AM-7:30PM, Su 10AM-7:30PM. Moderate prices with UnionPay, Visa, JCB and MasterCards accepted, this is a good option for a weekly grocery shop on the ground floor since the basement car park is both free and underutilised. There is a food court on the second floor and the Filomena Cafe 2 (of Bethel Guest House fame) accepts cards too. Purified and cooled water is available free of charge from a self-service drinking fountain with glasses. On the first floor above the ground, small Philippines flags at each make good value and lightweight souvenirs if you are flying from nearby Dumaguete airport.
Cang's downtown, San Jose, corner of Maria Christina. Newer and smaller second location, with no cafe.
Lee Plaza & Supermarket, Perdices St (near the middle of the town's main commercial street. 9AM-8PM. Main department store in the city centre with a large supermarket in the basement; accepts Visa, JCB and MasterCard. Two bakeries, ground floor and basement; the basement one may be the only place in town with bagels.
Robinson's. 8AM-9PM. Supermarket, bakery (with seating & coffee) and drugstore on ground floor. Appliances and hardware store in basement.
AAC Tech, RHD Building, Ma. Cristina St, +63 35 226-2830. Computers, Apple products from laptops to i-Pods, other gadgets.
Unitop Department Store, Percides Street Cor Locsin street (Park bldg., +63 35-4228223. 9AM-8PM. Generally cheaper than Lee or Robinson, popular with locals. On the boulevard, Why Not? and Bogarts have imported (mainly European) groceries, including some things you cannot find elsewhere. Prices tend to be high but are sometimes better than in the imported foods section of a supermarket.

Cang's Department Store, East Rovira Dr. M-Sa 9AM-7:30PM, Su 10AM-7:30PM. Moderate prices with UnionPay, Visa, JCB and MasterCards accepted, this is a good option for a weekly grocery shop on the ground floor since the basement car park is both free and underutilised. There is a food court on the second floor and the Filomena Cafe 2 (of Bethel Guest House fame) accepts cards too. Purified and cooled water is available free of charge from a self-service drinking fountain with glasses. On the first floor above the ground, small Philippines flags at each make good value and lightweight souvenirs if you are flying from nearby Dumaguete airport.

Cang's downtown, San Jose, corner of Maria Christina. Newer and smaller second location, with no cafe.

Lee Plaza & Supermarket, Perdices St (near the middle of the town's main commercial street. 9AM-8PM. Main department store in the city centre with a large supermarket in the basement; accepts Visa, JCB and MasterCard. Two bakeries, ground floor and basement; the basement one may be the only place in town with bagels.

Robinson's. 8AM-9PM. Supermarket, bakery (with seating & coffee) and drugstore on ground floor. Appliances and hardware store in basement.

AAC Tech, RHD Building, Ma. Cristina St, +63 35 226-2830. Computers, Apple products from laptops to i-Pods, other gadgets.

Unitop Department Store, Percides Street Cor Locsin street (Park bldg., +63 35-4228223. 9AM-8PM. Generally cheaper than Lee or Robinson, popular with locals.

Lee Plaza Hypermart, Valencia Rd. 9AM-7PM. One large store, plus a food court.
Robinson's Place Mall, Dumaguete Business Park. This is a large, air-conditioned suburban mall. Expensive, but there is no surcharge for Visa or MasterCards in its supermarket, although none of the chain eateries take plastic.
Silliman Farm. A 24-hectare (60-acre) farm run by the university's College of Agriculture. High-quality milk and eggs, sometimes other products including turkeys.
Citi Mall, Dumaguete North Road (On the highway, just before the airport. 9AM-9PM. Has a Savemore supermarket. Watsons, Ace hardware, and many fast food outlets. Coffee shop. If you want a lot of stuff, for example if you are setting up housekeeping, then the Hypermart may be preferable to Robinson's Place. Robinson's have four separate stores in their mall — supermarket, department store, TV & appliances, and other hardware — with separate delivery systems for each, and they refuse to combine purchases from multiple stores into one delivery. At the Hypermart you can get groceries, appliances, bedding and furniture in one store, get them all delivered in one load, and pay only one delivery fee.

Lee Plaza Hypermart, Valencia Rd. 9AM-7PM. One large store, plus a food court.

Robinson's Place Mall, Dumaguete Business Park. This is a large, air-conditioned suburban mall. Expensive, but there is no surcharge for Visa or MasterCards in its supermarket, although none of the chain eateries take plastic.

Silliman Farm. A 24-hectare (60-acre) farm run by the university's College of Agriculture. High-quality milk and eggs, sometimes other products including turkeys.

Citi Mall, Dumaguete North Road (On the highway, just before the airport. 9AM-9PM. Has a Savemore supermarket. Watsons, Ace hardware, and many fast food outlets. Coffee shop.

There are farmers' markets near the center of every town; all are very good for fruit and vegetables and have other things as well. All these markets except Valencia are all right on the main north-south coastal highway through the region. The one in Dumaguete is just west of the cathedral and the one in Valencia is where the jeepneys deliver you if you arrive that way.

Dumaguete market. Around this market is the best place in town to look for small services: key cutting, shoe or bicycle repair, tailors, manicure.
Valencia market. Has several restaurants.
Sibulan market.
Bacong market.

Zamboanguita, south of Dumaguete, also has a market. Every Wednesday, the village of Malatapay there has a large market; the specialties are handicrafts and seafood.

Kev the butcher is an Australian based in Dumaguete. He makes several types of sausage, smokes bacon, and has other products. He has refrigerators with his products in several bars including Bogarts and Flip-Flops.

Robinson's Place has two bookstores, both part of nationwide chains and both with a reasonable selection of books in English. National Bookstore on the ground floor has new books while Book Sale, upstairs, sells used books. There is also a book store downtown on Perdices a little north of Lee Plaza; it has a lot of children's books and textbooks, but almost nothing for general adult readers. On the hallway leading to the immigration office (listed under #Cope) is a book rental place which seems to be the only establishment in town with a good selection of sci-fi and fantasy; they also have a large collection of romances. The second floor of that building also has a bookstore.

Dumaguete market. Around this market is the best place in town to look for small services: key cutting, shoe or bicycle repair, tailors, manicure.

Valencia market. Has several restaurants.

Sibulan market.

Bacong market.

There are restaurants all over Dumaguete and some of the plainer ones with Filipino customers away from the central strip may be the best places to search for low prices or local color. In particular, places catering to the student market near any of the universities (especially along Hibbard Avenue near Silliman University or the North Highway near Negros Oriental U) are often cheap and lively.

All the places listed under #Drink below also serve food, though not all have a large menu.

Most of these places — at least Chow King, Filomena, Food Net and Scooby's — offer free filtered and chilled water from a self-service fountain with a supply of glasses. Most also have soft drinks around, and some have tea, coffee or juices. None serve alcohol.

Albertos Pizza, Real Street, +63 35-4226392. 9AM-11PM. Free home delivery. from.
Chow King. A chain offering moderately-priced Chinese (mainly Cantonese) food. Pork or beef fried rice, with four shui mai (small noodle-wrapped pork items) and a soft drink, .
Filomena Cafe. A very hygienic, air-conditioned cafeteria-style place with a good selection of reasonably priced dishes. Their vegetable fried rice is particularly tasty. All-you-can-eat buffet on Friday evenings for . Visa and MasterCard are accepted. They give a 20% discount on most things for seniors with Philippine ID, such as the government ACR card which many longer-term visitors have.
Food Net, corner of Noblefranca & Santa Catalina (a block inland from the boulevard. Food Net are a chain with several locations around town. They have cafeteria-style service, Filipino food, moderate prices and a largely student crowd. A basic meal — meat dish, veggie dish, rice, soft drink — is about .
Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.
Food Net, Hibbard Ave (across the street from the Coco Grande hotel.
Food Net, South end of Perdices (close to bus station.
Gyro Monsters. M-Sa 10AM to 9PM. Cheap and tasty shawarma; the best seller is beef or chicken shawarma wrapped in pita at, or 35 with cheese. The most expensive thing on the menu is shawarma rice for ; two of the sandwiches are a better buy.If you expect shawarma as you would find it in the Middle East, you will be disappointed here. For that, at slightly higher prices, walk a block north to Mediterranean Food or half a block west to Kapitan's Kebab (both Turkish, listed at #Other downtown places) or go to Tarbush (Lebanese, #North of the center).
Scooby's, San Jose St (a bit east of Lee Plaza. 7:30AM-10PM. Scooby's is a chain with various locations around town. Their brewed coffee at is both a larger serving and (at least for some tastes) better quality than most coffee offered on Rizal Boulevard at . They also have all the usual variations on espresso, several types of herbal tea, a range of mostly western-style baked goods, and moderately-priced mostly Filipino hot foods. The meatballs ( each) are tasty. There is a seniors' discount if you have a Philippine senior ID. ACR card not accepted.For Western tastes, most Filipino spaghetti sauces are appallingly sweet, and many will find the spaghetti here downright ghastly. Order the lasagna here or go to Filomena for a much better cheap spaghetti. For excellent pasta at prices around, try Bogart's or Pasta King.
Scooby's, Silliman Ave (In the university's Portal West building. 8AM-midnight. Another location.
Wah Crepe, Ever Mall, Perdices St. (ground floor, back right hand corner. 9AM-6:30PM. A small stand selling coffee, crepes, waffles & fruit shakes. All are freshly made and good quality; plum crepes and avocado shakes are remarkable. Best buy is a combo, shake plus waffle.The place is popular with the town's resident foreigners; it gets more younger ones and fewer drunks than their other hangouts. for most items. There are also two small cheap burger places on the Boulevard, next to Bogart's. See #Along the boulevard.

Albertos Pizza, Real Street, +63 35-4226392. 9AM-11PM. Free home delivery. from.

Chow King. A chain offering moderately-priced Chinese (mainly Cantonese) food. Pork or beef fried rice, with four shui mai (small noodle-wrapped pork items) and a soft drink, .

Filomena Cafe. A very hygienic, air-conditioned cafeteria-style place with a good selection of reasonably priced dishes. Their vegetable fried rice is particularly tasty. All-you-can-eat buffet on Friday evenings for . Visa and MasterCard are accepted. They give a 20% discount on most things for seniors with Philippine ID, such as the government ACR card which many longer-term visitors have.

Food Net, corner of Noblefranca & Santa Catalina (a block inland from the boulevard. Food Net are a chain with several locations around town. They have cafeteria-style service, Filipino food, moderate prices and a largely student crowd. A basic meal — meat dish, veggie dish, rice, soft drink — is about .

Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.

Food Net, Hibbard Ave (across the street from the Coco Grande hotel.

Food Net, South end of Perdices (close to bus station.

Gyro Monsters. M-Sa 10AM to 9PM. Cheap and tasty shawarma; the best seller is beef or chicken shawarma wrapped in pita at, or 35 with cheese. The most expensive thing on the menu is shawarma rice for ; two of the sandwiches are a better buy.If you expect shawarma as you would find it in the Middle East, you will be disappointed here. For that, at slightly higher prices, walk a block north to Mediterranean Food or half a block west to Kapitan's Kebab (both Turkish, listed at [[#Other downtown places]]) or go to Tarbush (Lebanese, [[#North of the center]]).

Scooby's, San Jose St (a bit east of Lee Plaza. 7:30AM-10PM. Scooby's is a chain with various locations around town. Their brewed coffee at is both a larger serving and (at least for some tastes) better quality than most coffee offered on Rizal Boulevard at . They also have all the usual variations on espresso, several types of herbal tea, a range of mostly western-style baked goods, and moderately-priced mostly Filipino hot foods. The meatballs ( each) are tasty. There is a seniors' discount if you have a Philippine senior ID. ACR card not accepted.For Western tastes, most Filipino spaghetti sauces are appallingly sweet, and many will find the spaghetti here downright ghastly. Order the lasagna here or go to Filomena for a much better cheap spaghetti. For excellent pasta at prices around, try Bogart's or Pasta King.

Scooby's, Silliman Ave (In the university's Portal West building. 8AM-midnight. Another location.

Wah Crepe, Ever Mall, Perdices St. (ground floor, back right hand corner. 9AM-6:30PM. A small stand selling coffee, crepes, waffles & fruit shakes. All are freshly made and good quality; plum crepes and avocado shakes are remarkable. Best buy is a combo, shake plus waffle.The place is popular with the town's resident foreigners; it gets more younger ones and fewer drunks than their other hangouts. for most items.

A major area for restaurants and bars is the scenic seafront strip along Rizal Boulevard, plus the streets just behind it up to or a bit beyond Perdices. The cheapest food in this area is from street vendors who appear along the sea front, mainly near the north end, in the evenings selling tempura and corn-on-the-cob.

The restaurants are generally mid-range in pricing, with main courses in the range, though an imported steak can be up to . The food is generally quite good and the range of choices is large, but prices are often somewhat higher than in other areas of town. Quality of the coffee varies rather widely but they more-or-less all have cold beer and many serve good milkshakes . Tea, juices, wine and mixed drinks are also on offer in many places. Many offer calamansi juice, from a local fruit similar to a lime; this is worth trying if you like citrus drinks.

Nearly all these places have patios with a view of the sea; this is a mixed blessing. The view is lovely and there is often a welcome sea breeze, but there is no air conditioning, the traffic noise can be distinctly unpleasant, during storms the rain blows in, and people on the patios will be bothered by beggars and vendors of various things.

We list the boulevard restaurants here in north-to-south order:

The Blue Monkey Grill, on the corner of Rizal and Silliman, closed in early 2018. As of October, their building has been demolished but nothing new built. Their location at the other end of the boulevard, listed below, is still open.
The Bricks Hotel has a restaurant and bar.
Tom 'n Tom's Coffee. New in 2018, part of a chain, large with nice decor. Has good air conditioning, free Wifi, and a good selection of both baked goods and variations on the theme of espresso. Prices might be considered good by tourists but are high by local standards.
Just Do Eat. Large, with much seafood on the menu. Popular with Asian tourists. The city's resident foreigners more often go to Lantaw, listed at #North of the center.
Bo's Coffee. A chain with several locations in Dumaguete, serving mainly coffee & baked goods. Prices are high by local standards.
La Residencia Almar. (listed under #Sleep) has four restaurants.
- Don Atilano. Upmarket, Spanish decor & menu, steaks a specialty. All-you-can eat lunch buffet Friday & Saturday, .
- Wakagi. Japanese food.
- The Filipino. Upmarket Filipino food.
- Das Bürgery. Small, clean & modern. Menu is limited — only burgers, fries and soft drinks — but quality is good & prices are quite reasonable for what you get. No beer and not much seating, so do not plan an evening here; just grab a burger then go elsewhere for the beer. burgers, fries, drinks.
Hamburg joints. Two small cheap places, one with BBQ chicken as well as burgers. The burgers are not nearly as good as in the tourist restaurants on the Boulevard, and they are smaller as well, but then they are about a quarter the price. The waitress who brings you the expensive burger elsewhere quite likely eats here on her breaks. .
Bogart's Bar, 48 Rizal Blvd, +63 917 622 0700. M-Sa 8AM-2AM, Su 4PM-2AM. Small and plain compared to other places, with no a/c but many fans. Owners are an Austrian/Filipina couple, and the menu is mostly European. There are many expatriate customers, including a lot of German speakers and Scandinavians. Food is excellent and they have some good European beers as well as the usual Filipino fare. Their coffee and milkshakes are OK, but nothing special. Free fast WiFi. Off to the right as you face the bar is a hallway leading to a lounge area out back, open from about 7PM on most evenings, but not Sundays. This has nicer decor than the main bar and a big screen TV usually showing pop music videos. Customers can choose the music.
Sans Rival. One of the oldest cake shops in the city. They occupy a pair of buildings on a corner with the cake shop in the smaller one on the side street and "Sans Rival Bistro" on Rizal.
- Sans Rival cake shop. Offers baked goods (surprise!), drinks, and some pasta and salad dishes.
- Sans Rival Bistro. The bistro offers a broader range including a half dozen breakfast options at -odd. All-you-can-eat breakfast buffet on Sunday 7:30-10AM for .
Chin Loong, +63 35 422-6933. Good Chinese (Cantonese) food, with reasonable service and prices
Casablanca, +63 35 422-4080. open for breakfast at 6:30AM. European food (the owner/chef is Austrian), elegant décor, and a good wine list. There are several breakfast options starting at and all including unlimited coffee and a glass of juice, The American breakfast at is bacon, two eggs, bread, and some fried tomatoes and onions.
7-Eleven. Chain convenience store with a few tables; the best-selling item is a large soft ice cream cone for . It also sells soft drinks, snacks and cigarettes; for any of those it is more expensive than supermarkets but cheaper than the bars. The chain is expanding; there are several other locations around town and more coming.
Paseo Perdices. A building with two floors, built on the location of the Perdices family home; one family member was the provincial governor and has one of the town's main streets named for him. There are two levels, and the lower level has a large shaded central courtyard.
- Yellow Cab Pizza, +63 35 421 1111. Part of a chain. Delivery available; they use yellow scooters.
- Max's Restaurant, +63 35 421 0615. Part of a chain. Their specialty is fried chicken. Breakfast from 7:30AM.
- Infini Tea, +63 35 522 2991. Their specialty is milk tea.
- Gabby's Bistro. Second location; the first one is an in-house restaurant at Hotel Florentina.
- Thai Massage.
Why Not?. One-stop shopping? Restaurant, deli, disco, karaoke, cyber cafe, billiard room, and travel agent under one roof. Beer here is sometimes among the cheapest in town, at in the restaurants in the afternoon, but higher at other times and at the disco.
- Le Chalet. Salads, pasta, other types of European and American food, with decent quality and prices. Inside with a/c or patio. The current chef is from Milan but the menu emphasizes German and Swiss specialities. There are also a few Thai dishes, competently done, for those who prefer something spicier. All-you-can eat breakfast buffet on Sundays, .
- Chiccos Deli. open until 1AM weekends. Selling meats, wines, cheese & chocolate, with many imported European items. Has a bakery with good croissants and pretzels. There are few tables inside and a small patio in front. Both offer the same menu as Le Chalet, but many customers just come for coffee or beer.
- Why Not? disco. 9PM until wee hours. A popular place for male travellers looking to meet local women, and vice versa. Attitudes to the place among resident foreigners vary widely; some absolutely refuse to set foot in it while others visit it quite often. Hazards include painfully loud music, the chance of getting a ladyboy instead of a woman, and the occasional drunken brawl. There are some prostitutes, many lasses who just want to dance and flirt, and many who are interested in acquiring a prosperous boyfriend. A typical salary for a waitress or sales clerk here is well under (~US$200) a month, so to them most foreign men seem rich.
Honeycomb Tourist Inn. (listed under #Sleep) has a restaurant with a large patio area out front, sometimes with live music. Around the side is a small Japanese restaurant, and inside the building a disco.
Allegre. A large restaurant offering mainly Italian and Filipino dishes.Pool table downstairs, table is in better shape than at the one at Why Not? and there are usually fewer players competing for it.
Blue Monkey. Filipino food and live music. Acoustic evenings Tuesday & Friday.
Bethel Guest House (listed under #Sleep) has Filomena Cafe (listed under #Budget).
Gerry's Bar and Grill. A fine old house renovated in 2018 to become a large restaurant. Part of a large chain with reasonable quality but some unreasonable prices. Parents bringing kids to the boulevard fairly often get them either hot dogs at the cheap burger places or ice cream cones at 7-Eleven.

The Bricks Hotel has a restaurant and bar.

Tom 'n Tom's Coffee. New in 2018, part of a chain, large with nice decor. Has good air conditioning, free Wifi, and a good selection of both baked goods and variations on the theme of espresso. Prices might be considered good by tourists but are high by local standards.

Just Do Eat. Large, with much seafood on the menu. Popular with Asian tourists. The city's resident foreigners more often go to Lantaw, listed at [[#North of the center]].

Bo's Coffee. A chain with several locations in Dumaguete, serving mainly coffee & baked goods. Prices are high by local standards.