Baguio’s Arca’s Yard: Rustic Elevated House With A Cafe, Museum & Library To Hole Up In

Baguio’s Arca’s Yard

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While Baguio is dotted with the most Instagrammable corners from parks to gardens, Arca’s Yard, a 15-minute drive from the city center, is a rustic, three-story elevated house nestled in the mountainous hills of Baguio that you shouldn’t miss. 

Surrounded by panoramic views of the City of Pines, Arca, which also stands for Activities & Renaissance for Culture & Arts, has a cafe, museum, and library. It’s the place to go whenever you want to enjoy a sumptuous meal while getting your culture fix.

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It’s a cozy space that will make you feel at home

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Image adapted from: @taitrinh28 and Tripadvisor 

The cozy interior with sloped roofs has plenty of low tables with cushions, artworks, historic metalware and totems, and even handmade masks that’ll make you feel as if you were in a welcoming collector’s own home.

Image credit: Malou B/Tripadvisor

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It houses several artworks from the Cordillera region

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Image credit: @ahdeediaries, @ashmsngcy

Lined with paintings, sculptures, Arca’s Yard houses several artworks sourced from the Cordillera region. You can see paintings on its walls by Baguio-based artists Michael Parsons, Roland Bay-an, and Roger “Rishab” Tibon, while sculptures such as wooden spoons, wooden bowls, and figures of rice gods (bulul) give you an idea of the way of life of Cordillera’s indigenous communities. 

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There’s a mini-library on the second floor

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Image credit: @aprilbrightbax 

On the house’s second level, you’ll find a mini-library where you can cozy up with books while lying down on the floor with pillows. The books on display are from the owner’s personal collection, and the titles range from fiction to coffee table books to hardbounds about the Cordilleras.

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The menu includes pasta, meat, seafood, coffee, and smoothies

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Image credit: @dave.nitro

The cafe’s menu includes a delectable selection of pastas, meat, seafood, coffee, and smoothies available for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For light meals, you can start with their pastas such as Pesto Carbonara (P220, ~USD4.58) and Spicy Tuna (P195, ~USD4.06). 

Image credit: @michael_delapaz

You can never go wrong with plates of Lechon Kawali (P240, ~USD4.99), Longganisa (P150, ~USD3.12), and Pork Steak (P295, ~USD6.14) whenever you’re craving for the familiar tastes of the beloved classics with rice. Pair them with a serving of Oriental Salad (P200, ~USD4.16), so you can balance your meat with a hearty amount of veggies.

Image adapted from: @pedroaldrinr

Once you’re done filling your belly with main dishes, you can relax on the balcony of the house to take in the panoramic view. And while relaxing, you should try their Benguet Coffee (P45, ~USD0.94), a single-origin coffee native to the region that even coffee experts at the 3rd Philippine Coffee Conference considered the best Arabica coffee in the Philippines.

Image credit: Addie Pobre

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Arca’s Yard is a must-visit in Baguio

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Nestled far from Baguio’s city center, Arca’s Yard is indeed a hidden gem, offering visitors a unique way to experience the region. 

The mini-cafe, mini-museum, and mini library in one house will welcome you with a delicious selection of food and the rich history of Cordillera’s indigenous communities. 

Arca’s Yard
Address: 777 Tiptop City Limit, Ambuklao Road, Baguio 2600
Opening hours: Thu–Tue 8AM-6PM (Closed on Wednesdays)
Telephone: (074) 442-9706, 0929 325 1868
Website

Also check out:

• Baguio policemen spotted in Bahag
• Purple 7 is a BTS-themed cafe in Quezon City
• Chukoohils is a new bamboo mansion cafe in Bukidnon

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Cover image adapted from: @anneydtrinidad, @ashmsngcy, @aprilbrightbax