Eating Lechon is central to your Cebu experience! Dubbed as the “Lechon Capital” of the Philippines, Cebu prides itself in having perfected the art of roasting pigs, and in the tastiness and crispiness its lechon is known for.
We asked locals where we could find the best lechon and they all pointed us to Rico’s Lechon, pioneer of the famous Spicy Lechon. Owner Enrico Dionson likes to keep things simple–his roasted lechon is only seasoned with traditional herbs and spices and has always been since he opened the business in 1997.
Their slogan, “Da Best Gyud”, lives up to our expectations. Indeed, it’s a lechon worthy of being called the best in Cebu. The restaurant also likes to stay ahead by adding Pinoy favorites to the menu other than lechon.
Here’s what we liked at Rico’s…
Rico’s Lechon – Mabolo Branch
F. Cabahug St, Cebu City, Cebu
Telephone: (032) 260-2443
Mobile: +63927-352-2078
Restaurant Hours:
• Monday- Sunday 10:00am-10:00pm
Facebook: @RicosLechonOFFICIAL
Instagram: @RicosLechonOfficial
Twitter: @dabestgyud
Email: mabolo@ricoslechon.com
Website: http://ricoslechon.com/
The word “lechon” came from the Spanish term meaning roasted suckling pig. The difference between a Cebu lechon and the ones we’re used to in Manila is in the flavorful meat, which doesn’t need any sarsa (liver sauce).
The original Rico’s started as a commissary that sold lechon by the whole at Highway 77, Talamban, Cebu City, and has been in business for almost 14 years.
The lechon is cooked every morning and delivered to two of its branches and other restaurants, or shipped to Manila.
The price of a whole lechon varies from P3000-P6500, depending on the size.
There are two branches: the Mabolo branch, located in the city, and the Mactan Promenade branch, near the airport.
The Mabolo branch is quite simple, unlike the Mactan branch that has the fancier ambiance.
Rico’s Menu: Lechon, Specials, Pulutan, Soup, Seafood | Meat, Vegetable, Rice, Desserts
Rico’s prides itself in using native pigs (organic) stuffed with leeks, lemongrass, tomato, vinegar, ginger, calamansi (Philippine lemon), and other spices, then roasted whole over a charcoal pit.
The secret to their scrumptious lechon lies in the addition of spring onions and garlic in the stuffing.
We love how you can watch the lechon being chopped as you wait in line to get your order.
Check out their Lechon Price List.
Original Lechon (1/4 kg- P190, 1/2kg- P310, P3.4kg- P450, 1kg- P595)
What we loved about Rico’s lechon is the golden-brown crunchy skin and the bursting aroma and taste from the garlic and leeks infused in the meat. The lechon is just freaking good! I don’t mind ordering extra rice to go with it.
We also noticed that Rico’s lechon has less fat because they only use organic and native pigs.
Their lechon is best eaten as is to better savor its flavorful, tender meat. But we prefer to have it with their homemade Suka Cebu (vinegar) and calamansi.
Spicy Lechon (1/4 kg- P210, 1/2kg- P340, P3.4kg- P495, 1kg- P640)
Eating at Rico’s isn’t complete without trying their famous spicy lechon. Spicy lovers would rave about the spicy lechon once they taste the perfectly in sync flavors. The spiciness from the chili brings out the garlicky and tangy flavors, making us want to dig in for more!
The spiciness is infused in the meat but not the skin, so for those who aren’t fans of spicy food, they could still enjoy its crispy skin instead.
Garlicky Squid Balls (P140)
For appetizers, order the garlicky squid balls. We liked this fun take on the classic Pinoy streetfood. The sweet special sauce and garlicky taste just go so well together.
Crispy Feetson (P260)
One of our favorites is their regular lechon feet deep fried to a perfect crisp! Munching on its crispy skin is quite addicting and kind of reminds me of chicharon.
The meat inside is surprisingly still tender and juicy. Best paired with their vinegar mix.
Lechon Paksiw (P220)
Pieces of lechon simmered in vinegar, garlic, onions, and soy, giving it that extra tangy and sweet taste.
Plus, the scallions from the roasted lechon adds that extra strong flavor.
Pinaku na Manok (P180)
For those looking for a healthier option, the pinakuluan na manok is Enrico’s dad’s personal favorite. Soft native chicken simmered in vinegar, garlic, chili, and scallions.
The tangy taste and flavors remind us of adobong puti.
Calamansi Quencher (P70)
For drinks, order their refreshing calamansi and cucumber quencher to flush away the guilt. 🙂
After having tried Rico’s, we could definitely say “Da Best Gyud”! There’s no doubt Rico has perfected what Lechon Cebu is and should be all about.
Rico’s Lechon – Mabolo Branch
F. Cabahug St, Cebu City, Cebu
Telephone: (032) 260-2443
Mobile: +63927-352-2078
Restaurant Hours:
• Monday- Sunday 10:00am-10:00pm
Facebook: @RicosLechonOFFICIAL
Instagram: @RicosLechonOfficial
Twitter: @dabestgyud
Email: mabolo@ricoslechon.com
Website: http://ricoslechon.com/
Live an Awesome Life,
ABI of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of Rico’s as part of our Next Stop: Cebu shoot. We wrote this article with our biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Rico’s delivers their roast lechon nationwide with an additional fee of P900, plus the shipping charges for airport to airport orders.
Amazing experience and 100% agree, Rico’s lechon is indeed the best 🙂 We had a similar opportunity to visit the Commissary and meet Enrico. A very inspiring start up story.
May i know your pricelist please. I am interested to get lechon de leche worth 3000 pesos.