Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna: Baguio City's First Authentic Greek Restaurant

I’m doing a Baguio City Food Trip 2022 series this month. Check out the installments so far: Chef’s Home | Farmer’s Daughter | GoodTaste Cafe and Restaurant

As I’ve mentioned in my Chef’s Home article (read it here), my wife and I celebrated our first anniversary in Baguio City. I thought that it would be best to celebrate at a cozy restaurant with a scenic view over a huge Greek meal. So we went to the first-ever Greek taverna in the City of Pines: Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna.

Lemon and Olives is located along Outlook Drive. It opened back in 2016 and has become a popular food destination. Its head chef, Chef Takis, is from Athens (Greece) so we know that the food is authentic.

As with other restaurants in Baguio, Lemon and Olives is housed in an old residential home converted into a restaurant. It has a cozy interior and a veranda with a view of the forest and the mountains. So ask for a table at there especially if you’re having a date or a special occasion. It’s worth the wait!

Let’s now talk about the food, beginning with the Starters. We got the Poikilia, dubbed as the “Parthenon of Greek appetizers”. It’s composed of other Lemon and Olives’ appetizers: Greek Village Sausage, Saganaki Cheese (pan-fried Greek cheese), Spicy Soutzouki Sausage, Tzatziki (yogurt dip), and pita bread. We love the cheese!

We also got the Grilled Octopus. While it tastes good, we think it’s frozen as opposed to what the menu claims—fresh.

Then for mains, we got the Souvlaki Mixed Plate of beef, chicken, and lamb. I was hoping for bigger cuts/portion of the meats.

*Souvlaki* Mixed Plate (Lamb, Chicken, Pork: PHP370)

Of course, we couldn’t skip the Moussaka. It’s the Greek version of the Italian Lasagna. But instead of pasta, it has layers of eggplant. Lemon and Olives’ version has a creamy bechamel and a nice tomato-based sauce. It also has a big chunk of potato, which is common in some Moussaka recipes.

But my favorite in Lemon and Olives is its Special Lamb Chops. It’s nicely grilled and tender. Next time, I’ll get the one good for 2 persons! LOL.

To end our anniversary meal, we had Greek desserts, which are all phenomenal. We tried their Classic Baklava (the staple Greek dessert made with layers of phyllo pastry and chopped nuts, all drenched in honey), Ekmek (another traditional Greek dessert made with a layer of shredded crispy phyllo pastry soaked in lemon honey syrup topped pita bread with milk custard and cream on top), and Greek Yogurt, which is drizzled with honey and topped with walnuts.

Background: Classic *Baklava* (PHP180); Left: *Ekmek* (PHP140); Right: Greek Yogurt (PHP180)

The desserts are best paired with coffee. Make sure to try the Greek Coffee. It’s really good!

Honestly, I had better Moussaka and Souvlaki elsewhere. But the lamb chops and the dessert (and coffee) made our visit to Lemon and Olives worth it. And you can’t beat the ambiance and view. I recommend this spot to you.

Address: 26 Outlook Drive, Baguio City, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-9PM | Contact No.: 0917-8906573 | Facebook | Instagram