Sulyap Restaurant and Gallery Cafe : “A Taste of The Past”

In the middle of my hometown, San Pablo City, Laguna, comes a place that will transport you back in time. Sulyap: A Taste of the Past is a restaurant and gallery cafe that features a theme of the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. The restaurant offers a variety of traditional Filipino dishes and a gallery filled with a large collection of antiques that date back to 1800s. If you’re a lover of ancestral homes and antiques, then this place is definitely for you.

Located in Brgy. Del Remedio, the restaurant resides at the area where Southern Luzon Colleges and Cocoland Hotel where previously built. Today, the two-hectare land was transformed to Sulyap Restaurant and Gallery Cafe which caters to the San Pableños and visitors from other towns. I had heard about this restaurant from facebook and I became really curious about it. It was such a pity that I live here in San Pablo but I hadn’t seen the place yet. So one day I asked my best friend if she wanted to come with me to visit the restaurant. She agreed so we went to see the place. The first thing that we saw at the entrance was the large gate and the sign board of the restaurant.

After going in, we finally saw the restaurant which is a two-story Spanish colonial house. We were immediately greeted by the waiter but since we went there early, we were the first customers who arrived. We chose a table on the second floor and we made our orders. I really loved the ambiance of the restaurant. The windows, tables and chairs all go well with the theme of the restaurant. You can rarely see this type of houses nowadays that’s why I loved the traditional ambiance of the place. With the fresh air on the second floor and the trees surrounding the house, this place is just so serene and relaxing –the usual countryside atmosphere.

After waiting for a while, our order already arrived. We ordered grilled pork and pork barbecue.

Pork Barbecue (Php 250)

Grilled pork with gravy sauce (Php 250)

After eating, we explored the first floor of the house. I just love how the house was meticulously created. Every single piece speaks about history. I heard that the owner of the restaurant is a businessman who has a fondness for antiques. He actually bought the ancestral house from Quezon Province and he moved them piece by piece to San Pablo City.

We visited the gallery afterwards. Dining at the restaurant comes with a free tour inside their gallery.

My best friend

Upon entering the gallery, we were instantly amazed by the large collection of antiques. There is a wide variety of antique collections which I only used to see in old Filipino movies.  Watching these collections literally feels like being transported back in time.

They also have a function hall which you can rent for parties and conferences.

They also have a bed and breakfast where you can stay overnight. Please feel free to check the room rates on their website at http://www.sulyap.net Moreover, you can see the complete list of the menu (with the food prices) on their website.

Overall, my best friend and I had a good time at Sulyap Restaurant and Gallery Cafe.  I think the place is perfect for romantic dates, coffee with friends or dining with the family. So if you are heading to San Pablo City, aside from visiting our seven lakes you might as well drop by at this restaurant and have “a taste of the past.” 

Sulyap Gallery Cafe and Restaurant
Opens from Monday to Sunday ; 10:00am-10:00pm
Address: Brgy. Del Remedio, Cocoland Compound,
San Pablo City Laguna
Website: http://www.sulyap.net