Cebuanos love a good, hefty meal that’s affordable, delicious, and accessible. We all live busy lives these days, and thinking about the next meal can feel like one more thing on the list.
It’s easy to compromise nutritional value for something more indulgent, or reach for convenient, mostly fried options instead. Fortunately, there are places in Cebu where you can get healthy and satisfying meals without much effort.
LowCal Salads + Wraps is one of them. With a flagship bistro at Baseline Center and branches around the metro, getting something healthy and quick has become a lot more accessible.
Chingkay Floro, founder of LowCal Salads + Wraps, has always been passionate about cooking since she was ten years old. Before starting the brand, she was juggling corporate work and entrepreneurship, co-owning two bars in Mango while working in marketing and events. Her clients included big-name brands like Jägermeister and Jack Daniel’s, and the work gave her a sharp eye for creating experiences people actually remember.
That background, in the kitchen and in events, eventually led her to LowCal. Every dish on the menu was developed by Chingkay herself, from the sauces down to the pizza dough. When she created the recipes, such as the all-time favorite Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, she had the Filipino palate in mind. “I created dishes that are familiar to the Filipino palate while making them healthier. For us, healthy food isn’t about sacrificing taste. It’s about preparing and cooking it the right way,” she says.
It comes down to ingredients and cooking methods. A breaded, deep-fried chicken can climb to around 400 calories or more, while a pan-grilled chicken breast sits at about 250. “By using lean ingredients, healthier cooking methods, and house-made recipes, we’re able to serve food that’s both delicious and balanced without compromising flavor,” Chingkay explains.
Chingkay believed healthy food should be convenient, satisfying, and delicious, and the name “LowCal” came to her in the wee hours of the night at 2 AM a few years ago, as these things sometimes do. The brand started as “LowCal Diet Delivery” before growing into grab-and-go kiosks in Cebu’s major malls. In 2022, LowCal Market found its new home at the new wing of Baseline Center, where the flagship bistro now sits.
New guests tend to gravitate toward the salads first, then get pleasantly surprised by the rest of the menu. Beyond the well-loved Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Chingkay recommends the Honey Garlic Chicken, pizzas, pastas, and premium salads.
Visit LowCal Market at the New Wing of Baseline Center, or pick up a salad or wrap at their branches in Robinsons Cybergate, City Time Square, and Oakridge Pavillion. LowCal is also available for delivery through GrabFood and Foodpanda.
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram at @lowcalsaladpluswraps and @lowcal_market for their latest menu offerings, promos, and events.
Photography Kyrra Kho
