A local's guide to SM City Cebu — the original SM supermall in the North Reclamation Area, its cinemas and Food Hall, the North Bus Terminal inside its own compound, and how it stacks up against SM Seaside.
TL;DR: SM City Cebu, in the North Reclamation Area, was SM Prime’s first mall outside Metro Manila when it opened on November 27, 1993 — and after its 2025 Northwing Expansion, it’s now the largest mall in Cebu and the Visayas by floor area, edging out SM Seaside. It has an IMAX screen, a 2024 Food Hall, a National University campus, and — the detail most travelers actually need — the Cebu North Bus Terminal operates from inside its compound, so it’s the jump-off point for buses to Bantayan, Malapascua, and Bogo. MyBus from the airport runs about ₱25 (US$0.45); mall hours are 10 AM-9/10 PM daily. Verified July 2026.
If you’ve read anything about catching a bus north out of Cebu, you’ve already run into SM City Cebu — the Cebu North Bus Terminal operates out of its compound, which makes this the one SM mall most travelers end up at whether they planned to shop or not. It’s also the original SM supermall, built in 1993 in the North Reclamation Area near Cebu’s port, and it’s aged into something different from its flashier sibling on the South Road Properties: less a destination in itself, more the central, practical mall that everything else in the city routes through. This guide covers what’s actually inside — the cinemas, the new Food Hall, the North Wing — plus how it connects to the bus terminal and the Radisson Blu next door, and how to decide between this mall and SM Seaside City Cebu if you only have time for one.
SM City Cebu at a Glance
| Highlight | Area | Note |
|---|---|---|
| IMAX & Director’s Club cinemas | Main Mall, upper floor | 6 screens total: 3 regular, 2 Director’s Club, 1 IMAX |
| SM Food Hall | 3rd Floor, Main Mall | Opened 2024, 16+ local and international stalls |
| North Wing dining | North Wing, Upper Ground | Din Tai Fung, Manam, Ooma, 8Cuts Burgers — Moment Group’s Visayas debut |
| Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) | Inside the mall compound | Buses to Danao, Bogo, Hagnaya (Bantayan), Maya (Malapascua) |
| SM Bowling | North Wing | Standard bowling lanes, no ice rink here (that’s SM Seaside) |
| Radisson Blu Cebu | Next door | Linked by covered walkway, about a 5-minute walk |
| SM Supermarket & department store | Main Mall, multiple floors | Groceries, pasalubong, everyday retail |
| Parking | ~3,400 slots | Roughly ₱30-50 for the first few hours; confirm the current rate at entry |
Verified July 2026.
What Is SM City Cebu, and Why Does It Still Matter?
It’s the mall that started SM’s expansion outside Metro Manila, and today it’s the largest by floor area in Cebu and the Visayas. SM City Cebu opened on November 27, 1993, on reclaimed land near Cebu’s port — SM Prime’s fourth mall overall and its first anywhere outside Manila. Construction ran through the early 1990s, and the site has been expanded repeatedly since, most recently with the Northwing Expansion that added a 20-story tower housing a National University campus, BPO office space, and more retail.
After that latest expansion, SM City Cebu’s gross floor area runs to roughly 495,000 square meters across an 18-hectare site — narrowly overtaking SM Seaside City as the biggest mall in the province. It’s a coincidence worth knowing: SM Seaside opened on the exact same calendar date, November 27, but 22 years later, in 2015. With more than 800 stores and 3,400 parking slots, SM City Cebu draws an estimated 150,000 visitors on an average day, climbing to 180,000-200,000 on weekends — helped along by its location next to Cebu’s port, which brings in transient shoppers from across the Visayas and Mindanao, not just city locals.
What’s Inside: Main Mall, North Wing, and the Food Hall
The complex is really three connected sections: the original Main Mall, the North Wing, and the newer Northwing Expansion tower. The Main Mall has four retail floors, running from Lower Ground up to the 3rd Floor, and covers the bulk of the department store, supermarket, and Cyberzone electronics section. The North Wing adds six more floors, largely dining and specialty retail. The Northwing Expansion, finished in the 2020s, is where the National University campus and BPO offices sit, stacked above more shop space.
The most useful recent addition for visitors is the SM Food Hall, which opened on the 3rd floor of the Main Mall in 2024 after part of that floor was cleared out for it — more than a dozen local and international food stalls in one space, distinct from the older, more basic SM Foodcourt still operating elsewhere in the mall. Separately, the North Wing’s Upper Ground Level brought in Manila’s Moment Group restaurant lineup — Din Tai Fung, Manam, Ooma, 8Cuts Burgers, and MO’ Cookies — marking their first branches in the Visayas. Between the Food Hall and the North Wing sit-downs, this mall’s dining has moved noticeably upmarket in the past two years.
Are the Cinemas Worth It?
Yes, if you want an IMAX screen without traveling out to the SRP. SM City Cebu runs six cinemas: three standard digital screens, two Director’s Club cinemas with recliner seating for a premium experience, and one IMAX screen. That’s a smaller lineup than SM Seaside’s cinema complex, which adds a large-format Super Screen with laser projection and Dolby Atmos on top of its own IMAX and Director’s Club rooms — so if picture and sound quality is the deciding factor and you don’t mind the trip to the SRP, Seaside edges it out. But for anyone based downtown, near the port, or staying at the Radisson Blu next door, SM City Cebu’s cinemas are the closer, easier option.
Is SM City Cebu the Same Place as the North Bus Terminal?
They share a property, and it trips up a lot of travelers. The Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) is not a separate building across town — it operates from inside the SM City Cebu compound, in the North Reclamation Area, after moving here permanently in October 2020 following the closure of its old Mandaue site. If your itinerary has you heading north to Bantayan Island, Malapascua, or Bogo, you’ll be catching that bus from the same grounds as this mall — meaning you can grab lunch at the Food Hall, pick up last-minute supplies at the supermarket, or kill an hour before departure without leaving the complex. Full fares, schedules, and route details are in our Cebu North Bus Terminal guide; this one covers the mall itself.
The compound also houses jeepney, UV Express, and MyBus terminals, so SM City Cebu functions as a genuine transit hub as much as a shopping mall — a role SM Seaside doesn’t really share, since the SRP is a newer, more standalone reclamation district.
How Do You Get to SM City Cebu?
It’s in the North Reclamation Area, Barangay Mabolo, right where Cebu City meets Mandaue City, and it’s one of the more central malls to reach from almost anywhere in the metro.
- From Mactan-Cebu Airport: MyBus runs roughly every 20 minutes for about ₱25 (US$0.45), taking 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. A Grab or taxi runs about ₱200-300 (US$3.45-5) and is quicker if you’ve got bags to manage.
- From downtown Cebu City or Ayala Center: Jeepneys marked 03Q or 04L connect Ayala Center to SM City Cebu directly, for the standard minimum jeepney fare (around ₱13-15). Grab or taxi from downtown typically runs a short 10-15 minute hop, traffic depending.
- On foot: If you’re staying at the Radisson Blu Cebu next door, a covered walkway connects the hotel directly to the mall — about a 5-minute walk, no need for a car at all.
If you’d rather sort transport before you land, book an airport transfer to your Cebu City hotel on Klook so you’re not negotiating a fare with a bag in one hand right after arrival.
SM City Cebu vs. SM Seaside City Cebu: Which One Should You Visit?
Pick SM City Cebu if you want central, practical, and connected to transport; pick SM Seaside if you want a half-day destination. SM City Cebu is the mall locals actually run errands at — it’s closer to downtown and the port, it’s where the North Bus Terminal lives, and it now edges out Seaside as the largest mall in the province by floor area following its Northwing Expansion. But it doesn’t have Seaside’s headline attractions: no rooftop Sky Park, no ice skating rink, no Super Screen cinema. For those, see our SM Seaside City Cebu guide.
A reasonable rule: if you’re catching a bus north, staying at the Radisson Blu, or just need a mall that’s on the way rather than a special trip, come here. If you’ve set aside half a day specifically for “the big mall experience” — rooftop garden, ice rink, IMAX and a movie — SM Seaside is the better use of that time, even with the longer ride out to the SRP.
The Honest Take
SM City Cebu doesn’t try to be a tourist attraction, and that’s honestly its appeal — it’s a working mall for a working city, and it does the job well: solid cinemas, a genuinely improved food scene since the 2024 Food Hall and the North Wing’s Manila-import restaurants, and a location that puts it within walking distance of a major hotel and a regional bus terminal. If you came to Cebu expecting SM Seaside’s rooftop park and ice rink, you won’t find them here, and the older sections of the mall show their age next to the newer North Wing.
Where it earns a visit on its own merits: anyone flying north to Bantayan or Malapascua will pass through anyway, so there’s no reason not to grab a meal or pick up supplies while you’re there. And if your hotel is the Radisson Blu or anywhere else in the North Reclamation Area, this is your default mall, full stop — no need to trek out to the SRP for groceries or a movie.
Plan Your Visit
SM City Cebu works best as a practical stop — before or after a bus north, a supermarket run, or a movie near your hotel — rather than a dedicated half-day outing. Pair it with a stroll through Cebu City’s older heritage core at the Heritage of Cebu Monument, compare it against the rest of the city’s malls in our best malls in Cebu roundup, or browse local souvenirs and pasalubong options in our shopping in Cebu guide. If you want to stay within walking distance of it, check rates for hotels in Cebu City on Agoda, including the Radisson Blu right next door.
Sources
- SM Supermalls — SM City Cebu mall directory (hours, address, stores)
- SM City Cebu — Wikipedia (opening date, floor area, structure, parking, visitor numbers, transport terminals)
- Cebu Daily News — SM City Cebu Food Hall and North Wing dining (Food Hall, Moment Group restaurants)
- Cebu North Bus Terminal — Wikipedia (relocation to SM City Cebu, October 2020)
- Radisson Blu Cebu hotel listings (location, covered walkway to SM City Cebu) cross-checked across Traveloka and Expedia
- Jeepney route codes (03Q, 04L) verified against Cebu jeepney route guides
- Mall size, parking, and terminal details verified against 2025-2026 reporting; confirm current parking rates and cinema schedules locally. Verified July 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are SM City Cebu's mall hours?
Standard hours are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Thursday, and 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Friday through Sunday. Individual restaurants and the Food Hall can stay open a bit later, and holiday schedules shift, so check SM Supermalls' site if you're planning a late visit.
Does SM City Cebu have an IMAX theater?
Yes. SM City Cebu runs six cinemas in total — three regular digital screens, two Director's Club premium cinemas with recliner seating, and one IMAX screen. It's a smaller cinema setup than SM Seaside's, which also has a Super Screen, but the IMAX and Director's Club options put it well above a standard mall multiplex.
Is SM City Cebu the same place as the Cebu North Bus Terminal?
They're on the same property but not the same thing. The Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) operates from inside the SM City Cebu compound in the North Reclamation Area — it moved here permanently in October 2020 after its old Mandaue site closed. So if you're catching a bus north to Bantayan, Malapascua, or Bogo, you'll be doing it from the mall grounds, not a separate terminal building across town.
How do you get to SM City Cebu from Mactan-Cebu Airport?
MyBus is the cheapest option, running roughly every 20 minutes for about ₱25 (around US$0.45), taking 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. A Grab or taxi costs roughly ₱200-300 (US$3.45-5) and is faster with luggage. The mall sits in the North Reclamation Area, on the Cebu City side of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge from Mandaue.
What's the difference between SM City Cebu and SM Seaside City Cebu?
SM City Cebu is the older, more central mall in the North Reclamation Area, tied directly into the city's transport network — it sits inside the same compound as the North Bus Terminal, with jeepney, UV Express, and MyBus terminals attached. SM Seaside, on the South Road Properties, is the newer 'destination' mall with a free rooftop Sky Park, an ice skating rink, and an IMAX-plus-Super-Screen cinema complex. After its 2025 Northwing Expansion, SM City Cebu is technically the larger of the two by gross floor area, but SM Seaside is still the bigger draw for a half-day outing built around its rooftop and rink.
Is the Radisson Blu Cebu connected to SM City Cebu?
Yes. The Radisson Blu sits right next door in the North Reclamation Area and is linked to the mall by a covered walkway, about a 5-minute walk. It's a convenient base if you want to be within stumbling distance of a supermarket, cinema, and food court without needing a car.
Where do you eat at SM City Cebu?
The SM Food Hall on the 3rd floor of the main building opened in 2024 with more than a dozen stalls covering local and international food. Separately, the North Wing's Upper Ground Level brought in The Moment Group's Manila-based restaurant names — Din Tai Fung, Manam, Ooma, and 8Cuts Burgers among them — for their first Visayas branches. Between the two, it's a noticeably more upscale dining lineup than the mall's older food court.
