Tribu Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Cebu

“A Hidden Gem Worth Discovering – A Surprising Culinary Find in Santa Fe”

We were on the hunt for a “very nice” place to have lunch—something cozy, satisfying, and hopefully memorable. After browsing through a few online reviews, we stumbled upon this place, which had consistently good feedback. Curious (and hungry), we decided to check it out.

At first glance, though, we almost missed it completely. From the outside, it looked more like a small shop than a restaurant. There was nothing flashy to indicate what was waiting upstairs. In fact, walking up the stairs to the actual dining area made me hesitate—we genuinely considered turning around. The space felt a little unkempt and could definitely use better organization. Things didn’t improve much when we sat down either. The tables, chairs—pretty much everything—were noticeably dusty, and it didn’t exactly set the tone we were hoping for.

But with no other options nearby and a light drizzle beginning to fall, we decided to stay put. And I’m so glad we did.

A few minutes later, out came (what was clearly) the owner—a friendly, passionate Italian gentleman. He introduced himself, took our orders personally, and even started telling us about how he’s open to franchising the place! Bold, yes, but he had the charm and sincerity to back it up.

Now, the food… took a while. A long while, in fact. And just to top it off, he served the oil-based pasta last. 😄 But the moment we took our first bite, everything made sense.

Everything was freshly made—from scratch. The pizza dough, the sauces, the pasta—every single dish we ordered had that unmistakable “made with care” quality. Even the tiramisu tasted like it had just been whipped up in the back, not defrosted from a box. The flavors were rich and authentic, the portions generous, and the satisfaction? Absolutely worth the wait.

We had four different pasta dishes and a pizza, and every plate hit the spot. It was hearty, homey, and surprisingly elevated for such a humble-looking place.

If we lived in Santa Fe, this would easily be one of our go-to spots. Despite the rough first impression, Tribu is one of those rare finds where the food completely redeems the setting. I don’t often say this, but this is a place I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Bantayan Island—especially if you’re craving something genuinely comforting and flavorful.

Just a tip: come with a bit of patience and a big appetite. You’ll leave full, happy, and maybe even planning...

Too bad that we discovered this gem on our last night on the island. The restaurant is upstairs. You'll be greeted by the owner, Chef Alex and his wife. Don't be misled by its name. This is an Authentic Italian Restaurant.

We've been given a complimentary bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil upon seating. We ordered Aglio e Olio and Pasta Bolognese. The pasta are hand made and cooked al dente. Bolognese sauce is meaty with the sweetness of fresh tomatoes and some herb kick into it. Can't help but to taste what my partner ordered and it taste great as well, the Aglio e Olio is rich, garlicky and perfectly salted. Easily one of the best pastas we had in our life. And I personally worked in an Italian Restaurant for years. Too bad the Pizza is sold out for the day so we missed it. But we saved some room for Tiramisu and you don't wanna miss it when you visit this restaurant.

Their prices are reasonable and their servings are generous.

This is a must visit place to eat when you are in Bantayan.

Grazie,...

After living in Philippines for around 5 years this is definitely one of the best Italian places I visited. The pizza is just amazing, the crust is crispy, the sauce and toppings are rich and ingredients are well chosen and not the cheap ones you get at the local stores.

Alex and his wife are very friendly, helpful with any questions and making your visit a memorable experience. For myself, the genuine contact matters a lot and I believe I am not alone with this thinking.

I started to visit the place regularly, tried the pizza, pasta, their salads as well as tiramisu - delicious. I was also able to visit a different Italian place here in Sta Fe, but the reviews seemed not to be authentic and I am very happy that I found Tribu restaurant. In fact, I am really amazed.

Heady up..currently operating the upper floor, meaning, its above the shop you will see when arriving at the location. Give it a try, you will not regret!

P.S Its actually not easy to find really good food places...