Pension Ivatan

A restaurant concocted from the islands’ unique flavors. Tess brought her entrepreneur skills and natural flair for cooking to Batanes as the couple lived (part of their lives) most months of the year on the island. In 2006, Pension Ivatan was born with the vision to offer the best of Ivatan Cuisine in Batanes. Tess researched and learned from the elders on the ways of Ivatan cooking. She later added delightful twists to the recipes, slightly refining the flavors, using premium ingredients sourced outside the island while still retaining the essence of Ivatan Cuisine. Wanting guests to get a delicious introduction to the flavors of the islands, Tess created the signature Ivatan Platter, a dish sampling of native Ivatan favorites all in one platter. Today, the offering is synonymous to Pension Ivatan.

A hometel built on love. The three-bedroom Pension Ivatan Hometel was originally Tess’s first home in Batanes. When the restaurant moved to another location, they converted the house into a hometel. The foundation and walls were reconstructed, finding inspiration from the iconic stone houses on the island.