Part bed and breakfast, part restaurant, part deli, and part events venue, Chateau Hestia has been one of the go-to places in Tagaytay for almost 10 years now. Chateau Hestia started as a passion project of Johaness Zehethofer, a native of Vienna, Austria. It was once a small house, which has expanded to what it is now.
The place lives up to its name. Similar to the Greek goddess Hestia, Chateau Hestia is truly a goddess of hearth, concerned about the people being well fed. Serving their very own home recipes using the traditional slow-cooking process is one of the many things the restaurant takes pride of since they opened their gates back in 2007. On top of that, they use only quality ingredients such as meats from grass-fed cows, locally grown herbs and vegetables, and fine-quality ingredients from all over Europe. They also bake their own breads and make their own dips and salad dressings without extenders and emulsifiers; you can enjoy all of these at the restaurant or take them home from their Deli and enjoy at your own home. Their fruit juices are made from real fruits and their iced tea variations are brewed in-house.
During our visit, we were lucky to have a quick chat with Chef Natalia Moran who had us try several mouth-watering dishes.
For starters, we had Hestia Garden Salad (P285/petite, P360/grand). It is an assortment of fresh lettuce, micro greens, edible flowers from their neighboring farms, nuts and seeds, mangoes, Greek yoghurt, and Palawan honey vinaigrette.
Of all the dishes served, their Beef Polenta Lasagna (P450) has got to be my favorite. Now I understand people who say they would travel just for food–I'd do exactly that for this dish! The Beef Polenta Lasagna has hearty layers of fried polenta, beef ragu, white sauce with taleggio, and parmesan cheese.
Chef Natalia wanted us to try two pizza flavors, so she served us two flavors in one Pizza (P590/8-inch, P790/12-inch): one half in Say Cheese and the other half in Reale. Say Cheese has Mozzarella, pecorino, scamorza, asiago, taleggio, gorgonzola; while Reale has prosciutto, pancetta, salame, bresaola, pepperoni, speck, trancio, and ground sirloin.
For entrée, we had Osso Buco Milanese (P680), a traditional dish from Italy made of beef shanks slowly braised in a rich tomato sauce, with risotto Milanese and green beans.
Alongside our Osso Buco Milanese, we were served Fried Pumpkin Chicken (P555). A pumpkin butter-filled chicken, fried to golden brown, is served with mushroom sauce and scallop potatoes.
For dessert, Chef Natalia handed us a plate of three of their best-selling sweets – mousse au chocolat, panna cotta, and mango napoleon. They call this trio A Love Triangle (P445).
Aside from Chatea Hestia's flavorsome food, you may choose from their wide selection of wine for a better dining experience.
After having lunch, we decided to take a quick stroll to explore the area.
Chateau Hestia’s hanging bridge is nothing short of beautiful. Make sure to check this spot out when you visit! The great news is, you can actually wake up to this view by booking one of their casitas.
Chateau Hestia has seven casitas namely Loft Cottage, Suite Cottage, Bamboo Casita, Capiz Casita, Sampaguita Casita, Casa Carmen, and Garden Cottage. Each casita is distinct and unique from one another. The price range for an overnight stay is P3,500 to P8,000.
Here are fun facts about their casitas: they have a casita decorated with pieces of furniture from the Biedermeier era of the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy, another casita where you can dip in a jacuzzi while you surround yourself with nature, and one casita that is patterned after a Filipino heritage house. Take your pick!
For special events, they have a function hall that could accommodate up to 120 persons. With their refreshing ambiance and delicious food, there’s no surprise Chateau Hestia is a favorite place for romantic dates and weddings.
Chateau Hestia Garden Restaurant & Deli Shop is located at J. Hernandez St. Purok 5, Barangay Bukal, Silang, Cavite. The restaurant is open daily from 9am to 10pm. Visit www.chateauhestia.com, like on Facebook (/chateauhestia) and follow on Instagram (@chateau.hestia).
Getting There:
- Driving Routes: Tagaytay-Calamba Highway; Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road via Lagusan Drive; or Aguinaldo Highway, Silang Cavite
- Commuting Route: from Makati take a ride in a Bus, Van, or Jeepney going to Alabang; From Alabang, take a ride in Jeepney with Balibago, Sta. Rosa Laguna; Get down in Balibago, and take a ride with a Van or Jeepney going to Tagaytay; Get down when you reach Tagaytay Market with tricycle terminal of Bucal, Apiad, Paligawan. Down to Chateau Hestia Garden Restaurant.
