This pandemic brought about a new way of dining. Nowadays, eating out literally means eating outside the restaurant. Smart customers now do their research on safety and health protocols before they go out to dine. 

If you are in search of an ideal outdoor dining setup, then head to the south toward the Cavite area and enjoy good food with great company in a cool climate. Hop on your car and do some traveling and dining safely as traveling outside the metro is now possible with the lower alert status. 

Japanese vibe in the highlands

“Aozora” in Japanese means blue sky. That definitely is what you’ll see once you dine here. 

Serving traditional Japanese cuisine, Aozora has five branches in Tagaytay. You’ll get that Japan vibe once you arrive here because of how the place was designed and built. 

The place is never crowded and, of course, al fresco here also means savoring good food in a comfortable cooler setting, especially now that we’re getting close to December. This location also offers overnight accommodations -- what a great way to maximize your trip to Tagaytay! 

Grill beside a lake

Chef Paul Huang’s restaurant offers a wonderful al fresco view of Taal Lake. But the reason why customers keep coming back is the food.

Fire Lake Grill’s steaks are cooked using lava rocks from Taal, a method perfected by Chef Paul through the years. I recommend ordering its rare to medium-rare rib-eye steak. It is definitely tasty and juicy. That dish, coupled with the views, makes your heart (and tummy) smile. 

Table at a farm

Definitely an escape to the countryside, Farmer’s Table offers farm-to-table delectable food and more. 
You definitely have a choice of eating lots of greens or combining veggies with Filipino favorites such as lechon kawali, beef kare-kare, or its flavorful chargrilled US beef cheeseburger.

It also has plans of opening a spa soon, which makes it all the more appealing to customers coming from Manila and nearby locations. 

Vietnamese inspiration in the kitchen

Owned by husband and wife team, Ver and My Tatlonghari, Bawai offers authentic Vietnamese food perfected by My, fondly called “Bawai Dung," from her years living in Vietnam. 

“Bawai” means grandmother and that in itself gives you that warm fuzzy feeling once you are here. This place in Silang, Cavite is so close to nature so you immediately feel the family vibe once you sit down and taste the delectable food on the table. 

The menu is simple and features Vietnamese favorites such as Pho and Cha Gio, all highly recommended. The restaurant sources its main ingredients from Vietnam, which is not an easy process considering the limitations brought about by the pandemic. 

Diners have to contact the restaurant first to make reservations and schedule their visit. This is to avoid multiple customers crowding the restaurant so that social distancing can be strictly observed.