Ili-Likha Artist Village - A Hidden Food Park in Baguio City
If you are looking for a rare gem in Baguio, Ili-Likha Artist Village is a must-visit for you. Not only will it satisfy your soulful cravings thru appreciation of artistry. It will also quench your palatable thirst for a great yet relatively affordable dishes. Plus, you'll get a bit sense of altruism by supporting less-known businesses here in Ili-Likha.
Hidden Paradise, a retreat from the noise and crowd
Ili-Likha is very much underrated up to this day, despite being established way back in 2014. I'm guessing that this is slightly attributable to its location, as it is several walks away from the crowd-plagued Session Road (where you'll find the clusters of more common restaurants). I see this, however, as a strong advantage as it gives the area more serenity and isolation. With this, Ili-Likha has become a pocket of paradise tucked within the busy streets of Baguio. This in itself, I find beauty in.
This beauty elaborates further as you draw closer to the venue. The façade gives you this retro-abandoned treehouse vibe that is smothering in a positive way. Walking inside reveals more of its intriguing charm. You will be greeted by woodwork, sculptures, stained glass arts, and other art medium. It is as if you are touring a museum when you walk around here in Ili-Likha Village.
Picturesque structures and corners
It took me roughly 15 minutes to walk around the area. Some parts felt like a labyrinth with stairs spiraling down to a different room, and other passages leading you back to where you've been to. Considering that there are still a large part of the village that is under construction, Ili-Likha already provides a great thrill to explore.
Below you'd see one of the artists in action as he transform the wood into art.
Of course, if you are feeling the vibe, you can strike some pose to get your dramatic shots taken. The look and feel add a different layer of emotions into your photos.
Alright, enough with the visuals of the place, we can now jump onto the variety of cuisines offered by the restaurants housed in this village. Approximately, there is no less than 6 restaurants housed here in Ili-Likha. For this particular visit, we were able to try 4: Yomichee (for cheese and yogurt), Leandro's (for pasta and sandwiches), Cafe Cueva (for pasta and coffee) and Little Milkyway (for vegan and kombucha)
Little Milkyway
This specialty café offers vegan dishes and a range of interesting beverages, including kombucha which we ordered during our visit. Kombucha (P99 for 220 ml, P120 for 330 ml) are effervescent, fermented black tea that is naturally flavored with fruits through second fermentation. They have mango and grape, both have a slightly different appeal. The grape of course has this berry richness and pulpy texture, while the mango has a cleaner sweeter finish.
Leandro's
Leandoro's menu is very lean, focusing on pasta, sandwiches and a few rice meals. Two of what we ordered were stellar. The Pomodoro Pasta (P180) was simply exploding with zesty tomato goodness that wraps on to the buds.
The Grilled Cheese (P180) was another scene-stealer. It might have appeared to be ordinary given its look, but when we took a bite, the gooey-yummy cheese gushed out of the bread. Great to be paired with the pasta!
Cafe Cueva
Cafe Cueva, on the other hand, focuses on crepe, chao fan, and smoothies. They also serve pasta, which my sister ordered. She ordered the Grilled Chicken Pesto (P150), which was another fascinating choice. The basil was freshly chopped giving the dish immaculately tender flavors. Also, given the price, this is truly gold!
Yomichee
This restaurant offers dairy-centric dishes such as yogurt bowls and steamed/baked cheese. For this visit, we ordered the steamed White Cheese Dumpling (P65 for 3 pcs) and another order of baked.
Between the two, I prefer the steamed one due to the more delicate wrapping which allows you to focus on the cheese. It comes with this creamy-herby dip which further enchants the white cheese goodness.
Ili-Likha Artist Village - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: The ratings reflect my collective personal experiences on the times I dine here.
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 1 || Date of latest visit - July 10, 2022
Ili-Likha Artist Village is truly a hidden gem that needs to be discovered. It's very frustrating how places like this are not getting the popularity they deserve, but trust me, you will not regret visiting Ili-Likha. You are going to hit two birds with one stone as you get a refreshing sight from its structure and interior, and also have your buds explore with variety of cuisines offered here in the village. Definitely something you should add as part of your list!
Note: The ratings reflect my collective personal experiences on the times I dine here.
| Ambiance: | ★★★★★ |
| Taste: | ★★★★ |
| Service: | N/A since it is self-service |
| Price/Value: | ★★★★★ |
| Budget: | approx. P250 each for a personal dish along with a drink |
Ili-Likha Artist Village is truly a hidden gem that needs to be discovered. It's very frustrating how places like this are not getting the popularity they deserve, but trust me, you will not regret visiting Ili-Likha. You are going to hit two birds with one stone as you get a refreshing sight from its structure and interior, and also have your buds explore with variety of cuisines offered here in the village. Definitely something you should add as part of your list!
Ili-Likha Artist Village
Location: 32 Assumption Road 2600 Baguio City, Philippines
Service Charge: None
