Ask us where the best place to eat in Dumaguete is, and one of our first answers is “Why Not?” automatically. Every one of our families and friends who has been to Dumaguete has eaten at Why Not? We would take them there to eat at least once. And even when they are repeat visitors to the city, we still dine there with them.
There is a simple reason for that. The food at Why Not? Dumaguete is hands-down delicious and proper. Their menu has a wide range of European foods, from pizzas and kinds of pasta to steaks and classic schnitzels. They have Filipino, Thai, and even Vietnamese dishes if you want to mix western and eastern cuisines. You will also be spoiled for choice when it comes to drinks, with a long list of alcoholic beverages, strong coffee, and sweet-tooth-friendly juices and smoothies.
But before we delve further into the foods and drinks at Why Not?, let us talk a little about its background.
A little backgrounder on Why Not?
Why Not? is actually not just a restaurant, it is a bar, a deli, a restaurant, and a business center and travel agency rolled into one. Specifically, Why Not? refers to the disco/bar portion of the place. The deli is called Chicco’s and that is where we always like to sit. Meanwhile, Le Chalet is the restaurant. Nevertheless, they all share the same menu. Although, from our experience, there are certain local beers that you will only find in the nightclub. Then, you have the Cyberbox Business Center and Why Not? Travel.
Used to be that Why Not? would raise eyebrows when mentioned to locals or those in the know. The nightclub is notorious and is one of the places to be for fun. I have never been inside, but my partner and his friends have, to drink and dance. It seems to have largely shed its reputation, though, as people now know it mostly for the food!
What makes Why Not? one of the best restaurants in Dumaguete?
Food
I love, love pizzas and different kinds of pasta. I would gobble those up anytime. And every time we visit Why Not? (Chicco’s, really), we would order at least one pizza. Our go-to, as a couple and now as a family, is the Diavola! It is a spicy, peppery pizza with generous toppings of Salsiccia, mozzarella, and tomato-based sauce. This pizza is so delicious that there is never a slice left behind.
Another Chicco’s favorite of ours is the cold cuts platter. You get to sample different kinds of sausages like Lyoner. Eat them as they are or make open-faced sandwiches with pickles, olives, and slices of onion, tomato, and cucumber. We usually have this for breakfast or a light dinner. But really, you can eat it any time of the day or treat it as an appetizer.
Of course, we can’t forget the pasta! If we are ordering pasta, it is either the gnocchi in 4-cheese sauce (heavenly!) or the spaghetti Bolognese (delish!). If you are ordering spaghetti Bolognese, you will be asked whether you prefer it Italian or Filipino style. Your choice but, you know, it’s spaghetti Bolognese and there is only one proper “style”.
Before we forget, Why Not? Dumaguete has a breakfast menu that is available daily. Sometimes, we go there early like 8 in the morning so we would still get the breakfast menu. From that, I would almost always choose the banana-mango pancake. It is a huge serving and good enough for one hungry mama and a sleepy/hungry toddler. Meanwhile, dad would pick something hearty and savory like bacon and sausage.
Drinks
As mentioned earlier, Why Not? offers a long list of drinks. They have a whole drinks list crammed with a variety of drinks, from alcoholic and coffee to juices and smoothies. You can pair your lunch or dinner with a house wine, which changes every now and then. A glass is less than Php 200 and filled almost liberally, too. If you prefer something hoppy, the restaurant offers its own draft beer, too.
The fruit smoothies are made from actual fruit and none of that sugary, powder stuff. They have seasonal selections like avocado and if you are lucky enough to try it, you will know they did not hold back on using avocado because of how thick it is. Smoothies are usually topped off with small slices of banana, mango, or cherry with a tiny umbrella, making it adorable!
If you would rather have juices, you can choose either canned or real fruit juice. Of course, the latter would be pricier but well worth it!
They also offer coffee and that could wake anyone up. I once made the mistake (yes) of ordering brewed coffee and it was so strong and bitter that my partner had to finish it for me. I prefer lattes and similar drinks! Here, I go for the cappuccino. It is not sweet, despite the chocolate drizzle on top. You can add more sugar to it, which they provide when they serve your coffee.
Service
The servers have such lovely personalities. We have been frequent visitors to Why Not? Dumaguete since 2016 so we are somewhat familiar with some of them. They are friendly and are courteous. We have never had a problem with them. Several times we have left items, such as our daughter’s pair of slippers. We went back to look for them to find that they had already gathered the slippers and packed them for pick up. One time, one of our friends left their phone on a table in the Le Chalet section. When we went to retrieve it, the servers had already secured them. Of course, to verify that it belonged to our friend, we had to tell them what the screensaver was (the person who went to get it went beet red because...).
Location
Why Not? Dumaguete is conveniently located across what is known as the Rizal Boulevard. If the weather is nice, you can enjoy a cool breeze coming from the sea just across the restaurant. It is very accessible from most hotels, the airport, and most especially the seaport. You can go for a walk after a hearty meal at the Boulevard or sit down for food and drinks after walking the stretch.