Villa Marmarine

Boasting an exceptional location in the town of Siquijor, the Villa Marmarine restaurant is a haven for gourmets in search of a unique gastronomic experience. In a friendly atmosphere, the restaurant serves a variety of refined dishes, which are acclaimed by guests for their flavour and freshness.
The establishment was voted ‘our choice’ by Lonely Planet 2009 and aspires to combine friendly Filipino service with Japanese hospitality. This combination results in a variety of comfortable and exotic dishes, which are lovingly prepared and graciously served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

4.3/5 on 64 reviews for the restaurant, 4.5/5 on close to 400 for the resort. Villa Marmarine is a Japanese address on the north coast, and there is a story behind it.

The owner is Toshito Harada, known locally as Daman. A former schoolteacher from Hiratsuka in Kanagawa prefecture, he taught at the Japanese school in Beirut during the Lebanese civil war, then in the Netherlands. He has lived in Siquijor with his wife Marie since 2004. The restaurant is an open two-storey building with a sea-facing terrace and a rooftop. In the evening you eat to the sound of the waves and watch the fireflies come out.

What to order: the shoyu ramen and the soba noodles are the two most cited dishes. Then the sizzling squid, the ebi tempura, the katsudon, the chirashi, the futomaki and inari, the tuna sashimi. There is also a sea urchin spaghetti and a house buko dish. But what comes up most often in reviews, across ten years, is the free mango ice cream at the end of the meal. That is not a detail: it is what guests remember.

Cash only, with one unusual feature: the house accepts Japanese yen, US dollars and pesos. Bring notes.

Opening hours: the point to check. TripAdvisor lists 7.30am-7.30pm, but a 2024 review states the restaurant only opens at 4pm. What is corroborated across eight years, however, is last orders around 7 to 7.30pm. Do not plan a late dinner here.

The restaurant is open to non-residents, you can eat here without staying over.

Our honest take: some guests find the kitchen uneven, and a recent review reports that half the menu can be unavailable with a single chef on duty. The access road is poorly maintained and a scooter is recommended. The site would benefit from renovation. Expect 200 to 300 ₱ a main according to a 2016 report, to be checked on arrival. Free wifi and parking, tennis court.