In the previous blog post, I shared about walking around Liliw. Here, I’ll highlight two must-try restaurants for dining in Liliw—Arabela and Umpay’s. Both restaurants offer unique sets of dishes that are both delicious and reasonably priced.

Dining in Liliw: Arabela

Arabela is a popular Italian restaurant located at Rizal street in Liliw, Laguna. They have been serving food since late 2000’s and over time they have grown so popular that by the early 2010’s they have become one of the reasons people from neighboring towns and provinces, including some from Manila, visit Liliw.

Arabela does not offer any spacious or aesthetic space; it is built in a small but cozy basement of an old house, tucked in a narrow street in downtown Liliw. Their charm, I think, is in serving good-tasting Italian dishes, reasonably priced, with a serving size enough for 1 to 2 persons. Our family’s personal favorites are their pasta dishes, cakes, and fresh fruit shakes— all served appetizingly.

Pasta - Arabela, Liliw, Laguna — Pasta – Arabela, Liliw, Laguna

Due to its growing popularity, the restaurant has received permission from the Local Government of Liliw to extend its space along the tiny street beside them. Plastic tables, chairs, and tents have been set-up there. Now, diners can choose to eat either outside at the tiny street or in the fully air-conditioned basement of Arabela. If you’re going to ask me about which area it is best to seated in, I would say, just take any available table offered by the servers. Arabela fills up quickly, and the wait list is often long, so it’s best to grab whatever seat is available. The wait may be discouraging but it is worth the wait.

Check Arabela’s official Facebook page for more information.

Dining in Liliw: Umpay’s

Umpay’s is a restaurant-cafe that has been serving food since late 2010’s. They were originally located in a small subdivision a few minutes by drive away from Liliw’s town center. Their restaurant had always had been spacious with a relaxed and airy ambiance, making dining at their restaurant enjoyable. They offer fusion dishes of mostly Italian, Middle Eastern, and Filipino foods. Their menu is probably the most diverse among all the restaurants around Liliw, with prices that are still reasonable for a serving size that is good for 1 to 2 persons. Their colorful and tasty desserts and drinks are definitely the must-tries.

Check Umpay’s official Instagram page for more information.