Davao City is known throughout the country in so many titles, such as ‘Durian Capital of the Philippines’, ‘Crown Jewel of Mindanao’, ‘King City of the South’, and one of the safest cities in the Philippines. Davao even secures a spot as one of the safest cities in the world.
But, did you know that in 2020, the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines officially hailed Davao as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines?
Five years later, Davao cacao culture has flourished not only due to its cacao production volume and its yield for high-quality and internationally acclaimed chocolate brands, but also because of the community’s dedication to preserving its heritage. This includes the continual support for small shops that pioneered cacao products, the local government’s initiative to promote the city’s products, and the efforts of budding entrepreneurs who continually showcase cacao products in their own innovative ways.
The local government and the business giants in the cacao industry continue to uphold and advocate sustainable cacao farming practices and empower farmers. At the same time, food establishments across the city continue to embrace cacao by incorporating it into their menus and product offerings. Consumers, too, proudly support and enjoy these local products, further strengthening Davao’s thriving cacao culture.
In Davao, everyone plays a crucial role in the city’s growth.
In June 2025, as part of Duaw Davao’s line of activities, they launched the Tsokolate Crawl. The Tsokolate Crawl showcases ten different cafes and stores that promote the flavors and cacao products. The crawl started from June 5 to June 29.
Participating shops in the tsokolate crawl include: Del Mar Painitan, Cacao City, Cacao de Davao, Twelve Coffee, Rekado, Habi at Kape Abreeza, Café Gervacios, Home Avenue Cake Galerie, 6th Republic Café, and Malagos Homegrown.
The following are the dishes, drinks, and products tried at each participating shop.
Cafes & Restaurants
Central Part of Davao
Habi at Kape Abreeza
Habi at Kape Abreeza is an underrated gem of a cafe tucked away along the halls of Abreeza Mall. Unlike the big coffee chains inside the mall, Habi at Kape is situated on Abreeza’s third floor and is easily missable unless you seek it out. It is one of the cafes in Davao that is solely Filipino-themed. Its food and drink offerings are a comfort to those who crave Filipino snacks and desserts. It is also a cafe that is affordable and perfect for people who enjoy traditional flavors and prefer less gimmick with their food.
Their Sikwate Drink is a perfect afternoon delight. It’s prepared in a very traditional and Filipino flavor that is soothing and familiar. Its sikwate drink is bitter with a thick consistency. It doesn’t try to impress but captivates you with its warmth of tradition. It is a very nostalgic drink. It is best paired with a warm bibingka.
Cafe Gervacios is a new generation cafe from the same team behind the beloved bakery in Davao – Gervacios Bakery. It opened in 2024 and has been the new favorite go-to when looking for the best pastries in the City. As part of the Tsokolate Crawl, they showcase their Gervacios Hot chocolate drink and their Torta Caprese, or their Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake.
Gervacios Hot Chocolate Drink is an earthy and bitter chocolate drink. It has enough hint of sweetness that doesn’t overpower the native cacao flavors. It’s a good alternative to black coffee. It also has a tinge of salt, which highlights the aroma and brings depth to the richness of the chocolate flavor.
Torta Caprese is one of the most beautiful slices of cake I have ever seen from this crawl. The cake is not overly sweet, light, and has a similar texture to a crumbly brownie. The dark chocolate has a dark roasted flavor to it. Sweet and had a good kind of bitterness. It’s drizzled with strawberry syrup that perfectly cuts the richness of the cake. It’s sweet and fruity but not overpowering and provides a great balance. The good thing about this is that it is flourless, so it is a guiltless treat.
Rekado
While Davao has a long list of Filipino restaurants, Rekado is among those that are highly unique and renowned in Davao. It is a restaurant that is bold with its take on traditional favorites. It’s one of the few Filipino restaurants here in Davao that is not afraid to experiment and elevate classic Filipino flavors. They continually serve Filipino food fusions that redefine the limits of what Filipino food should be. While they generally offer comfort food with their own spin, they also don’t shy away from their innovative take on Filipino dishes. One of these dishes is their Tsokolate Crawl feature – Durian Turon with Tableya Dip.
It’s a unique version of the Filipino turon, replacing the typical saba ng saging and langka with durian jam. The durian jam had a very custardy consistency, filling the turon wrap and fried to a perfect crisp. It is then paired with a dark tableya dip that offers a brand new experience to the dish. This dessert has a very strong Durian flavor and can be an acquired taste to those not familiar with the pungency of durian fruit. It’s a good tribute to Davao as it is both the Durian Capital and Cacao Capital of the Philippines. A well-curated and thought-out dish to feature.
Del Mar Painitan
Del Mar Painitan is not just a quaint food shop in Bankerohan; this place is an institution. Del Mar Painitan has warmed the bellies of many Davaoenos since 1972. This place has been beloved by people in Davao from all walks of life. It is among the first few who offered a place to serve warm sikwate drink for the good and honest working people of Davao from dawn to dusk. It has been frequented and featured by many famous people all over the years that despite its humble location and space, people will seek out the busy alleys of Bankerohan market just to have a cup of warm sikwate.
With less than P100, you can enjoy a cup of sikwate and a puto maya to pair. It’s not extravagant, but it brings comfort and familiarity. It’s years of tradition and stories in a cup.
South of Davao
Twelve Coffee
Twelve Coffee is part of the new wave of cafés in Davao City, which originally started in Kidapawan. Their store in Davao is located on the south side. They offer specialty coffee with innovative flavors that go beyond the classic mixes. While known for their standout coffee drinks, they also serve non-coffee beverages that are sure to surprise your palate and earn a spot among your favorites.
They will open their second store in Davao. Their first store is located in Ecoland, and their new store is in F. Torres. Outside Davao, they have their main store in Kidapawan and a store in Midsayap and Digos. Their entry for the Tsokolate Crawl is Malagos Iced Chocolate and Malagos Hot Chocolate.
This is an instant hit and an absolute favorite. Its flavor profile leans more toward rich chocolate than the raw, earthy notes of pure cacao. It’s sweeter and less intense, yet still manages to retain the depth and richness of a standard sikwate drink.
The iced version adds an extra layer of indulgence: melted Malagos chocolate is drizzled along the sides, while a subtle cream topping enhances the overall experience. This version offers a unique twist while still capturing the essence of traditional sikwate.
6th Republic Cafe
Established in 2019, 6th Republic Cafe is a cozy space that extends its warm welcome to everyone who steps through its doors. Originally built as an old house, the space has been transformed into a café. It is more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee. It was envisioned as a haven or a community space where local artists, creatives, and friends can come together, catch up, and feel at home. Its inviting atmosphere and strong sense of purpose make it a unique gem in the neighborhood of Juna. This humble cafe joins in to offer their Cacao Drink (Iced) as their entry for the Tsokolate Crawl, along with other cacao-based drinks and dishes on their menu.
Their Cacao Drink (Iced) is a welcome refreshment to beat the heat of Davao’s sun. It’s a good mix of milky goodness with a swirl of rich chocolate. This version stands out for its malty flavor and milkier profile compared to similar entries from the other cafes. It’s an enjoyable drink reminiscent of childhood days, waiting for that free chocolate drink at school, served from a mobile cart with cold tanks in the 90s.
If you are an anime fan, and especially a Studio Ghibli enthusiast, then this cafe deserves a spot in your itinerary. Home Avenue Cake Galerie not only serves delicious and affordable food, but it is also a haven for Studio Ghibli lovers. It’s one of the few cafes in Davao that is anime-themed. They offer Studio Ghibli character-inspired beverages and desserts. Apart from its lovely charm, this is a budget-friendly cafe for students.
Their Tableya Cream Puffs are soft pastries filled with thick, tableya-flavored cream. It had an amazing exterior, providing a crunch on each bite. This is due to the caramelized sugar covering the top of the cream puff. The flavor is light and doesn’t overload your senses with sweetness. The subtlety of flavor is a nice break.
The Tableya Fudge Cake is a delight. The inner layer of the cake is made out of moist chocolate cake. It melts in your mouth and is quite nice served frozen. Then its exterior is lathered with a simple whipped cream topped with a chocolate leaf. It’s one of the most well-balanced cakes wherein the tableya richness is not overwhelming, and the sweetness is subtle. It’s only served in a small cup which is the perfect size to enjoy a simple treat.
Malagos Homegrown Cafe
Malagos Homegrown Café is an escape from the city right within the city. This garden-inspired cafe gives you a taste of Malagos Garden Resort minus the travel time. Located in Matina Aplaya, Malagos Homegrown cafe provides an alfresco dining experience showcasing lush greenery while allowing you to enjoy the calming breeze from nearby Davao Gulf.
Their signature desserts are made out of their award-winning Malagos chocolate. Their Malagos Chocolate Freeze is an ice-blended drink that has a really fruity aftertaste compared to the other chocolate drinks. It has a more distinct cacao fruit note, which is unusual but surely is an experience.
Their Tableya Cake is worth every penny. It’s a generously portioned slice of cake that can ultimately be shared in spoonfuls by two to three people. It has a moist chocolate sponge cake, layered with a thick, dark yet sweet chocolate filling. It’s lusciously layered with a dark chocolate cream coating about half an inch thick. It is best served chilled because the flavor and texture change and intensify the experience. It’s one of the chocolate cakes that strikes a satisfying balance between depth and sweetness. It’s an indulgent with a bittersweet profile perfect for dark chocolate enjoyers.
Chocolate Stores
Cacao City
Cacao City, located at the new DCIPC Building, near People’s Park, is Davao’s one-stop shop for cacao and chocolate products. It is a store providing small and medium entrepreneurs an avenue to showcase their products for local consumers and tourists.
Tried two different chocolate bars from a brand called Rosario’s and one from Hao Cacao. They have 60% Dark Chocolate, 75% Dark Chocolate with Organic Coconut Sugar, and Hao Cacao’s Sugar Free Dark Orange sweetened with Monkfruit 70% Dark Chocolate. These selections are PCOS and diabetic friendly.
The higher the %, the bitter the chocolate is rather than sweet. The Hao Cacao’s chocolate had a weird fruity aftertaste similar to that of a soursop or ‘guyabano’, which takes an acquired taste to fully enjoy, but those who are familiar with OMAD, low-carb, low-calorie diets that are used to monkfruit sweeteners would definitely find this a guiltless treat.
Cacao De Davao
What began as a small store in Davao City selling tablea to local consumers has grown into a well-loved kiosk brand found in malls across the city. From starting out offering tablea to expanding with over 50 chocolate products, steadily gaining popularity. Cacao De Davao dreams of earning global recognition as a producer of world-class chocolate, and at the forefront is a 24-year-old, Ethan Kyle Lim, who is continuing the legacy of his grandfather’s business that started out in 2013.
Cacao De Davao did not shy away from its eccentric flavor combinations, like their calamansi, chili, garlic, and ginger chocolate, to name a few. With such innovative flavors, one begs the question? Is it good?
Among the wackiest new flavors is the Garlic 70% dark chocolate with coconut sugar. It’s interesting, requires some getting used to, but definitely has a specific niche market. It’s like eating fried peanuts without the peanuts and only fried garlic chips.
Following the newest generation’s favorite, Matcha chocolate green tea. It is quite nice and uses white chocolate, unlike the other selection. Has a subtle matcha flavor and can be enjoyed by people who are partial to matcha-flavored food.
Also, another flavor that somehow divides the people is mint chocolate. Cacao De Davao’s Mint 70% dark chocolate w/ organic coconut sugar is enjoyable and very fresh. It exudes a refreshing feeling on the mouth, and yet the flavors are paired well together.
Peanut Butter 70% dark chocolate w/ organic coconut sugar is a flavor Reese’s cup enjoyer would like to pick up the next time they see a Cacao De Davao’s kiosk.
Completing the task of gathering all ten stamps from the participating shop allows you to receive the prize of a Duaw Davao shirt, cap, and fridge magnet. Despite the simplicity of the prize, the real prize is offering yourself a unique tour all over Davao City, learning new things, and adding flavors to your palate dictionary while being a part of the growth of a thriving culture.
Eats Me, Jax! 