Lemon & Olives: a cozy Greek restaurant in Baguio City

There’s no shortage of comfort food in Baguio City, much less cozy restaurants. That’s exactly why we flock to Baguio — to cuddle up in our sweaters and enjoy quality time over a hot beverage and some form of warm food. Lemon & Olives definitely falls into this cozy category.

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This Greek restaurant has been around since 2016. Not sure why I haven’t heard more of this place, but I wish I had gone earlier. The inside of the restaurant is just lovely. It has a spacious dining hall surrounded by big, big windows, bathing the room with ample natural light. And as if that’s not warm enough, yellow drop lights illuminate the whole place, with several bohemian decor that make it all the more inviting.

There’s a huge veranda at the far end of the restaurant that serves as its al-fresco dining area. And my oh my does it have a view! These are the coveted seats in the house. What could be more delightful than stuffing your face with fresh food while overlooking verdant trees and a mountain scenery.

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Since we were a party of five, it was great to know that the restaurant served dishes that were meant for sharing. We couldn’t get enough of the ambiance to be honest, fidgeting with our phone cameras while taking in the beautiful countryside atmosphere that Lemon & Olives has so perfectly captured. Imagine a vacation cottage in the highlands, but instead of cakes and chocolates, you’re treated to authentic Greek food and then some.

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We started off with a classic Greek salad (300php) made of fresh (and very crunchy) cucumbers, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. I actually make and eat this kind of salad at home. I drizzle it with olive oil and red wine vinegar and pair it with pan-seared prawns. This one from Lemon & Olives felt more like a side dish than a complete meal though. It was purely fresh vegetables, which may be what a classic Greek salad should be, and even the yoghurt dressing was a little too healthy for my taste.

The second appetizer was basically a cut-up pita bread with a side of hummus (160php). This one was my personal favorite. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted hummus before, and so when I saw it on the menu, there was no question we were having it. And turns out, I love hummus. I love its creamy texture with subtle hints of flavor that remind me of a healthy garlic butter spread. It was the perfect dip for their pita bread (which I could totally eat all on its own). We ate this like nacho chips and salsa — perfect for dipping, perfect for waiting.

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We also ordered a side of stuffed green bell pepper and tomatoes (270php). The stuffing includes seasoned ground pork, some rice, and tomato sauce. A bite of this dish felt like eating a deconstructed version of a red pasta sauce, oozing on all sides and also a perfect dip for the potato wedges that come with it.

Next up was a no-fuss Mediterranean pasta (490php) with an olive oil base, chunks of seafood, and a gazillion of black olives. It could use some major toss to ensure all the oil and sauce coat the angel-hair pasta. What I love about it though is how simple the sauce was. Most Mediterranean cuisine relies on the natural flavors of its ingredients, that and a whole lot of olive oil and some cheese.

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For the mains, we ordered a Souvlaki Plate (320php). What is that you ask? Apparently, it’s a popular term for Greek street food made of skewered meats and vegetables. This one from Lemon & Olives includes chicken, pork, and beef, served with pita bread and fries on the side. The dips were the true star of this dish, especially the orange spicy one. The other two dips were garlic and tzatziki sauce.

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And finally, the unanimous favorite among all of us was the Mediterranean lamb stew (535php), or as we will fondly call it “kalderetang baka.” It tastes exactly the same but, of course, it’s lamb not beef. Like kaldereta, the sauce was made of a tomato base with the usual trio of orange-sauce vegetables namely carrots, green peas, and potatoes. Our only complaint was that we wish we had more of it.

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Without a doubt, I recommend Lemon & Olives. It ticks off all the things I want in a restaurant — good (shareable) food, cozy dining area, fantastic view (and veranda), and a reasonable price range. I would love to try their other dishes for sure, especially their hard-to-pronounce selection of Greek appetizers (which all sound appetizing btw), Moussaka, Special Lamb Chops, and desserts.

Since we were on a jam-packed day tour for that particular Saturday, I truly appreciated the al fresco dining we had at Lemon & Olives. The natural lighting made me even happier as I took a lot of photos of my food. We had a great meal, a raucous conversation about what we were eating, and a relaxing time inhaling the fresh air and eating Greek comfort food. No complaints here.

Lemon & Olives Baguio
3.5/5 (1 visit)

Greek cuisine
26 Outlook Drive, Baguio City
11am to 10pm, Mon to Sun
(074) 442 4079
₱300-500 per person
FB: LemonandOlivesPH