El Nido wakes up early. By 6 AM, tour boats on the main beach are loading coolers, guides are double-checking manifests, and guests on their way to El Nido island-hopping waters are already out the door. A. Cliff Kitchen, our rooftop restaurant at Amari by Vivere, opens at the same hour — for one specific reason. If you’re sailing out to the lagoons and hidden beaches, we want breakfast ready before you are.
Why the rooftop
A. Cliff Kitchen sits on the top floor of Amari, on Rizal Street in the middle of El Nido town. From the tables, you look straight up at the limestone cliffs of Taraw — the signature scene of El Nido, 250 to 300 million years old, catching early light before the town below has started moving. The rooftop pool is open from 8 AM if you want a swim before a tour; the bar picks up later in the day.
This isn’t a buffet. A. Cliff Kitchen is an à-la-carte kitchen — plates come out fresh, cooked to order. On a tour morning, you can be in and out in 25 minutes; on a slow day, you can linger with coffee for two hours.
What breakfast looks like
The menu runs in two directions — Filipino and international — so whether you want adobo-fried rice or eggs Benedict, both are on the card. A few of the plates we’re known for:
- Filipino tapsilog / tocilog / longsilog — cured beef, sweet pork, or local longganisa with garlic rice and a sunny egg. A classic Filipino breakfast, cooked properly.
- Grilled tuna belly breakfast — El Nido island-hopping waters tuna caught that morning, grilled, with garlic rice, eggs, and tomato-onion salsa.
- Eggs Benedict and avocado toast — for the international side of the menu, with locally baked sourdough.
- Tropical fruit plate — mango, papaya, pineapple, banana — Palawan produce, always in season.
- Pour-over coffee and Filipino hot chocolate (tablea) — proper dark chocolate, the way it’s served in old Manila.
Breakfast is included when you book direct
If you book your room on amarielnido.com or through our reservations team, breakfast at A. Cliff Kitchen is included for the length of your stay. Third-party bookings (Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia) may not include breakfast — check your rate plan, or just book direct and get it.
This is one of two direct-book perks. The other is a complimentary shuttle from Lio Airport (17-minute drive) for in-house guests who share their flight details 24 hours ahead.
When to come up
- 6:00–7:00 AM — quiet. Best if you’re on an early tour and want to eat without rushing. The light is at its best here — the cliffs turn gold as the sun clears the ridge.
- 7:30–9:00 AM — the busier window. Most guests come up here. Still a calm room — just livelier.
- 9:00–10:00 AM — slow mornings. Late breakfast, multiple coffees, maybe a swim in the rooftop pool after. Breakfast service closes at 10:00 AM sharp.
After 10:00 AM the kitchen switches to the all-day menu — light plates, salads, rice bowls, grilled seafood — which runs until the bar closes at 10:00 PM.
If you’re not staying at Amari
A. Cliff Kitchen is open to walk-ins — the rooftop is a public restaurant, not a members-only space. Breakfast service for non-guests is available from 7:00 AM (in-house guests get first seating at 6:00 AM). Reservations aren’t required for breakfast, but if you’re a group of four or more, call ahead: +63 917 553 9696.
FAQ
Is breakfast really complimentary for direct bookings? Yes. Book on amarielnido.com or through our reservations team and breakfast is included at no extra charge for every night of your stay. This applies to all room types.
What time does the kitchen open? 6:00 AM for in-house guests (to suit early tour departures). 7:00 AM for walk-ins. Breakfast service runs until 10:00 AM; the all-day menu takes over after.
Is the rooftop pool included with breakfast? If you’re staying at Amari, yes — the rooftop pool is complimentary for in-house guests, open 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The pool isn’t open to non-guests.
Can I bring kids to breakfast? Absolutely. We welcome children at A. Cliff Kitchen — the kitchen can make simpler plates on request (plain rice, omelettes, fruit) if little ones are fussy.
Are there vegetarian or vegan options? Yes. Several plates are naturally vegetarian, and the kitchen can adjust most dishes for plant-based diets — just ask on ordering.