As mentioned in my previous blog, the highly-anticipated Colon Night Market in Colon Street, Cebu City, Philippines, has finally opened. One of the main attractions of the market is its food selection. Join me as I give you a sneak peek of the food section of the Night Market on the highways of Colon St. Cebu City. The market operates at night starting at 6:00 PM every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. While the market offers a wide range of products including clothing lines, sandals, shoes, and more, the food section is located at the last lane of the market. To get there, head towards the lane closest to Super Metro Colon, Downtown Cebu City, then make your way towards Cebu Business Hotel until you reach the food section at the end of the market. After a long day of shopping or exploring the area, it's always best to treat yourself to mouth-watering yet affordable food options.
CHIBUGAN SA KAMAGAYAN (Right Signage)
THIS WAY TO FOOD COURT > (Left Signage)
Finding the food stalls at the night market is a breeze. Simply enter through the Super Metro Colon Night Market entrance and follow the stalls until you reach the food court area. Two signages will greet you upon arrival - one on the left that points to the food court and another on the right that says Chibugan Sa Kamagayan. Head towards the latter, enter the gate, and you'll find yourself in the Colon Night Market food court.
At the event, there were vendors selling fried chicken and hanging rice. The fried chicken was priced at 30 pesos per piece, while the hanging rice was sold for five pesos. Based on the photos, it was clear that many customers were enjoying their food. While it's true that consuming these types of foods can be unhealthy, it's okay to indulge in moderation and treat ourselves once in a while. It's important to remember to hydrate with water after eating oily foods and to balance our diets with fruits and vegetables.
The grilled food section is one of my favorite areas in this place. They offer a wide range of grilled dishes, such as pork meat, chicken, fish, squid, and more. In the Philippines, grilled foods are often paired with hanging rice, which is why we decided to eat here because we craved for grilled foods. We ordered one chicken backbone, two sticks of pork belly meat, and one grilled tuna panga, along with hanging rice. While waiting for our food, we explored the night market food court and checked out other food stalls. It was an enjoyable experience indeed.
We saw this man selling sliced seashells in sticks for five pesos. We bought some of these, and we dipped it into the vinegar. This is perfect for people who love to eat seashells. I'm not sure what type of seashells these are, but it indeed tastes good.
As I strolled towards the food court, a particular stall grabbed my attention. This vendor sells corn dogs and buchi or rice cake in different flavors . Admittedly, I have seen plenty of corn dog sellers around Cebu City during my walks and visits to food markets. Despite their ubiquity, I never really had the urge to try them until now. So, I decided to give it a shot and bought one for 40 pesos. Unfortunately, it didn't quite meet my expectations. The bread was dry, and the hot dog inside was small. If I were to rate it, I'd give it a three out of ten.
Another stall sells puto bumbong or purple rice cake, this is one of the best Filipino delicacies you’ll ever try. Mostly, it has been eaten after Christmas masses during Simbang Gabi or Misa De Gallo but now you will see it sold daily in the streets of Cebu City or here in the Colon Night Market which is open on Fridays-Sundays each week. This is a solid ten out of ten.
The Colon Night Market Food Court offers a wide range of food and drink options to choose from, including an impressive variety of drinks. Personally, I really enjoyed the fresh fruit mix sold for just 50 pesos per cup. I opted for the mix with milk, which made for a perfect drink and snack combination. For those looking for healthier options, there are plenty of fresh fruit shakes available as well, such as the mango fruit shake and so much more. However, it's worth noting that trying a lot of the food options at the market may require a larger budget. Nonetheless, it's worth it to indulge in all the delicious offerings available at the food stalls at the Colon Night Market Food Court.
This stall sells pater - a Filipino Muslim traditional food. There are a lot of varieties such as chicken, tuna, beef and crab meat. This is unusual because they did not wrapped there pater in banana leaves. There are a lot of stalls selling pater and I was not able to take photos of all the stalls but there are indeed a lot of options to choose from if you are a fan of pater.
This particular stall at the night market is definitely one of the best ones around. They offer fresh mango, guava, and papaya paired with shrimp paste that looks and tastes delicious. Although I didn't purchase anything today, I stopped by and took some pictures. The line for the fresh mangoes and shrimp paste was quite long as many people seemed to be enjoying it. This would be an ideal dessert after a meal if you're looking to indulge in some fresh fruit. I personally enjoy the combination of mangoes and shrimp paste, but just wasn't in the mood for it today. Nonetheless, it's definitely worth a visit for the next time I'm craving it.
While waiting for our order to be cooked, I had a pleasant time strolling around the food market. After 10 to 15 minutes, we headed back to the grill station to check if our order was ready. As we walked past numerous food stalls, we spotted many vendors selling tuslob buwa , a popular dish in Cebu City. I couldn't take any pictures, but if you're a fan of the dish, you should definitely try it out. There are a lot of Tuslob Buwa stations here at the Food Court of the Colon Night Market. Sadly, I wasn’t able to take photos of it but if you’re a fan, if you know it, you know it.
Arriving at the grilling station, we were thrilled to see that our food was already prepared. The anticipation of indulging in the dishes we had ordered only added to our excitement. The dining experience was overall fantastic, and I personally would rate the tuna panga a nine out of ten, the chicken backbone an eight out of ten, and the pork belly meat an eight out of ten as well. The price we paid for the meal was definitely worth it.
While we were eating, two boys serenaded us with Christmas songs. Whenever I see people like them, I can't help but feel petty. I don't know their story, but every time I see them, I realize how fortunate I am and how grateful I am not to be in their shoes. Their music added to the atmosphere, and it was pleasant to the ears of everyone in the area. With Christmas fast approaching, it's expected that carolers will be everywhere. If you have spare coins, might as well share a little to them, a small act of kindness won't hurt.
After our meal, we retraced our steps to the night market and made our way to Super Metro Colon, where the jeepney stopover is located. Along the way, it started raining, so we sought shelter at Starbucks Downtown Metro until the rain subsided.
STARBUCKS DOWNTOWN CEBU - SUPER METRO COLON BRANCH
Upon entering Starbucks, my eyes were drawn to their Christmas collection of mugs and tumblers. There's something about Christmas that just fills my heart with happiness. We arrived at 8:45 pm, just before closing time, so I ordered my go-to favorite Starbucks pink drink. Although we had a few minutes to spare, we didn't want to overstay our welcome and left shortly after. This particular Starbucks is located in Downtown Cebu, right next to Super Metro Colon and just beside the Colon Night Market. It's the perfect spot to unwind after a long day of shopping or eating. The branch is well-maintained and clean, with plenty of comfortable chairs, making it an ideal spot for studying or meetings.
I had a great time at the food court in the Night Market of Colon, Cebu City, Philippines. It was an enjoyable experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. After grabbing a quick drink at Starbucks, we headed over to the jeepney stopover and then headed back to my apartment. All in all, it was a fun day, and I hope you have the chance to check out Colon Night Market too. Ciao!☺︎♡