The three of us decided to hit up Sonya's Garden because we wanted to try healthy organic food and to spend some time in nature. The place is tucked away off the main road and nestled in a quiet neighborhood. If you're a first-timer, it's a little difficult to find but this hidden place near Tagaytay is worth the hunt if you want something different from the usual smorgasbord buffet offering.

We had the so-called Classic Buffet of Sonya's Country Fare which is available daily (lunch and dinner) for P683 per person at one of their greenhouse-restaurants that looks like under translucent white canopies with chandeliers.


We started with freshly baked whole wheat sesame bread with an array of homemade dips like basil pesto, bruschetta, tomato toppings, mushroom pate, anchovies, black olive tapenade, and white cheese. They also served us bottomless freshly-squeezed dalandan juice (green mandarin).


Followed with the garden salad greens, which is the highlight of our lunch. Consisting of freshly harvested lettuce, arugula and a little bit of colorful edible flowers, which comes with plentiful assorted kinds of toppings such as mango, broad beans, eggs, cucumber, jack fruit, pineapple, and white corn. Drizzled with Sonya's Secret Salad Dressing.



Next was Pasta served with two choices of sauce; sundried tomatoes, and chicken cream with mangoes. You can top it off with salmon belly, shiitake mushrooms, ratatouille, black olives, capers, and grated Parmesan cheese.


Later on, we enjoyed the desserts like sweet potatoes, banana rolls with sesame and jack fruit, and a tiny slice of homemade dark moist chocolate cake. But soon we washed it all down with a cup of hot tarragon tea.


The food was healthy and the service was efficient. We were so full that we didn't have room for their optional dishes like Braised Chicken with potatoes (P728) and Roast Chicken (P554), so I can't attest to that.

Sonya's Garden is a lovely place for a stroll. There are a variety of flowers, herbs, and trees on either side of the walkways. There are benches and canopy chairs to sit on and this way you could get some fresh air. But we just walked around and took photographs to our heart's content.





There is plenty of choices for you to pop in some stores like The Apothecary and Country Store selling handmade wares, hand-embroidered linens, various goodies and trinkets, sweet-smelling soaps, ointments, scented sprays, massage oils, shampoos, balms, candles, body scrubs and etc.

The Apothecary

Country Store

Surprisingly some of the plants you see in Sonya's Garden are for sale. We stumbled upon a small hut selling ashitaba and tarragon plants (P50), organic basil and tarragon leaves (P50), organic mesclun salad (P150), dried danggit (P100), dried tawilis (P100), dried biya (P100) and fruits.






They also have a bakery named Panaderia selling freshly baked bread and traditional Filipino pastries.




Overall, we had a great walk and a nice healthy light buffet meal. Sonya's Garden also offers wedding packages, spa, and B& B accommodation. It is located at Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite (near the vicinity of Tagaytay City).