Azucarera Bacolod embraces its own personality beyond traditional Spanish cuisine

From its beginnings in 2017 as an extension of Dos Mestizos Boracay in Bacolod City, Azucarera has grown into a restaurant with its own personality. Over the past nine years, it has become one of the few places in Bacolod where you can feel transported beyond the provincial, stepping into a space that blends city sophistication with local warmth. The Magalonas have added their own updates as they see fit, keeping up with the times and trends in the restaurant scene. “As a foodie, I enjoy choosing from a curated menu paired with carefully selected wines and cocktails—the kind of experience you usually find in bustling urban hubs,” Magalona confesses. “Dining at Azucarera isn’t just about a meal; it’s shaped by our guests, our menu, and our service. Casual yet refined, relaxed yet elevated, it allows people to enjoy food, drinks, and conversation at their own pace.”

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At the heart of Azucarera is Magalona’s brother, Miguel, who is the head chef. His culinary journey began during the pandemic when he taught himself the recipes in all their family’s restaurants. This led him to take up formal training at Le Cordon Bleu in Madrid, followed by spending some time working in Spain, including an apprenticeship at the Mandarin Ritz Hotel. After, he returned to Bacolod, got married, and took over the kitchen at Azucarera. “Since then, he has refined and elevated the menu,” discloses Magalona, “reworking familiar dishes and introducing new ones. While staying true to the spirit of what we’ve always been about.”

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It is in this constant fine-tuning that Azucarera finds its balance—keeping the restaurant true to its Spanish concept while also adjusting to its unique space in the local dining scene. Having found their loyal following among locals and established their reputation as a must-visit in a town saturated with destination dining spots, getting to that point was not without its challenges. “Bacolod is a relatively small city with a very particular market—customers tend to remain loyal to familiar establishments, and only certain areas naturally develop into hubs where restaurants, cafés, and bars thrive,” explains Magalona. “Azucarera is not located within one of these high-traffic areas, making it more challenging to attract consistent foot traffic, particularly in its early years. Another major challenge was the concept itself. A curated or themed menu was not something the local market was initially accustomed to, especially in a city known for its strong food identity centred around dishes like chicken inasal, sisig, lumpia, cansi, and other familiar local favourites.”

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Still, the Magalonas stayed the course and allowed the market to get to know them better, and then eventually, appreciate them. “Over time, however, the market became more open to diverse dining experiences. Social media played a significant role in this shift, helping introduce and normalise more curated concepts. Around three to four years ago, the restaurant began to gain stronger traction, with more guests appreciating its intentionally curated menu—something that distinguishes it from the more typical, wide-range offerings that are common in Bacolod.” This became Azucarera’s key strength—intentional dining best suited for dates and celebrations. The locals tend to use it as a focal point in demonstrating the diversity and sophistication of their dining scene, going beyond the beloved inasal.

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Many valuable lessons were learned along the way, but what it taught the Magalonas is how to traverse the fine line between traditional Spanish cooking and adapting to local tastes. “Knowing what we know now, one of the things we would have done differently is to stay closer to traditional methods in preparing dishes such as, for example, our arroz or paella, following the practices of regions like Valencia or Catalonia,” Magalona candidly confesses. “However, we also recognise the importance of adapting to the local context, particularly in Bacolod, where diners are already accustomed to a distinct flavour profile shaped by Filipino—and especially Ilonggo—preferences.” She views this through a neutral perspective, not much different from the lens of their diners. “This is not intended as a comparison of better or worse, but rather as a reflection of adaptation versus strict authenticity. Ultimately, since Azucarera does not position itself as a strictly Spanish restaurant, this flexibility allows us to respectfully interpret these dishes while maintaining their essence, and at the same time making them more approachable and familiar to our guests.”

For now, the Magalonas are focused on expanding Azucarera internally to better accommodate their growing fan base. They intend to increase their seating capacity, add more private rooms, and expand and improve their kitchen through better equipment and a more efficient workflow design. They also plan to do carefully selected collaborations and explore catering opportunities to widen their reach. Magalona adds: “The goal is to bring our style and cuisine into settings that align with our identity, while building meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals and partners in the industry. In doing so, we also hope to contribute to further elevating the dining scene in Bacolod.”

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