Lilong and Lilang Restaurant (Vigan City): An Ilocano Restaurant Inside Hidden Garden

I’m doing a 4-part series on our Vigan City Food Trip last August. Check out the installments so far: Food Experiences to Try at Ilocos Sur’s Historic City (Introduction) | The Search for the Best Vigan Empanada

Located outside Vigan City proper, Hidden Garden is a popular tourist destination. It was a personal venture of its owner, Francis Flores, a retired engineer, before it opened to the public in 1991. (When you see Mr. Flores, do strike a conversation with him; he’s really friendly.)

It’s so popular that celebrities, politicians, and other famous personalities have visited this place:

Hidden Garden’s Celebrity and Guest Corner

Aside from the sprawling garden, there is a restaurant inside called Lilong and Lilang Restaurant. Literally “grandfather and grandmother” in Ilocano, the restaurant serves Ilocano and other Filipino dishes. So after you roam around the garden, you can conveniently dine in the restaurant, which is considered one of the top in Vigan.

Lilong and Lilang Restaurant at Hidden Garden

We ordered their Crispy Bagnet, the ever popular Ilocano deep-fried pork belly, which is fatty and crisp as expected. We also got their Dinendeng, which is an Ilocano vegetable soup with grilled/fried fish and my favorite dish ever. Lilong and Lilang’s version has fresh and crisp vegetables, and a touch of sliminess (yes, you read that right) due to the saluyot (jute) leaves (this dish is not for the okra hater, I must say). It’s not the best version that I had but it’s good and comforting still.

*Dinengdeng* (upper left; PHP280) and Crispy *Bagnet* (lower right; PHP350)

Unfortunately, those were the only dishes we tried at Lilong and Lilang Restaurant. We weren’t that hungry when we arrived. So I guess I have a reason to return; I’ll just update this article if that happens. Anyway, let me show what else we saw in Hidden Garden.

If you want to have coffee after a heavy meal at the restaurant, then you can head to the The Coffee Corner:

There are different sections of the garden. There is a bamboo grove where visitors can also dine:

If you’re a plantito/plantita, then this is the place for you. Some plants are even for sale (we got a couple).

My favorite section is the Bonsai Garden. I enjoyed looking at the dwarfed trees!

This article is really about Hidden Garden more than Lilong and Lilang Restaurant! LOL. But seriously, if I return, I will try more of their food, especially the Ilocano dishes, and update this article.

Whether you’re a plantito/plantita or not, Hidden Garden is must-visit when you’re in Vigan. And while you’re there, have an Ilocano feast at the Lilong and Lilang Restaurant. I recommend this place to you.

Address: Hidden Garden, Bulala Centro, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 6AM-6:30PM | Contact No.: 0967-4426514 | Facebook