What To Eat In The Philippines? 25 Typical Dishes And Drinks That You Will Love

Read on and discover all about Filipino cuisine so you can enjoy your Asian adventure even more.

How is Philippine cuisine? Philippine food characteristics

Before we start talking about typical dishes, we would like to make a brief summary of the features that define Philippine cuisine.

Like all of the world, the Filipino is a mixture of different influences and, unlike others in the region, it has a very important component of Spanish cuisine. The almost 4 centuries of colonization are not only noticeable in the churches that you will see on your trip or in many of the Tagalog or Bisaya words that you will hear, but also in many of its dishes. That is why you will notice that Filipino food has a lot of traditional Spanish stews or cozidos such as the often, the caldereta , the pocheroor even paella, which also has its Asian version. The vast majority of them begin to cook with a sauce, as we do in our homes, so you will notice that flavor that is so normal for us. In addition, Filipinos quickly included sausage preparations such as logganisa or morcon, which they don’t hesitate to grill almost every afternoon.

In addition, the Spanish and the corresponding trade with Latin America (the so-called Manila Galleon Route) also introduced ingredients and crops that were not previously used in these parts. Such is the case of chocolate, corn, potato, tomato, pineapple, pepper, avocado, or peanuts, which can now be seen normally in any Filipino kitchen.

On the other hand, trade with China also brought with its ingredients such as soy sauce, tofu, or fish sauce. Dishes such as pancit ( Filipino noodles ), lumpia (the Filipino version of spring rolls), or siopao ( meat-stuffed buns ) were also born.

Relations with other Southeast Asian countries are also appreciated in Filipino food. Such is the case of bagoong , a shrimp paste, or the use of tamarind in dishes such as siniggang , which came from Malaysia.

Ultimately, Americans popularized ice cream, fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, evaporated milk, and ultra-popular instant coffee. You’ll quickly see it in the number of American-style chains in almost every city.

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What do Filipinos eat?

Analyzed its influences, it can be said that the food in the Philippines is rich in oils, fats, and sauces . Its flavors are usually a combination of sweet, salty, and sour, and the ubiquitous component is rice, which is eaten at almost every meal and is the staple of any family’s diet. Chopsticks are not used here , but it is eaten with kutsara and tindor or directly with the hands, especially at parties .

In addition to rice, another of the bases of Philippine cuisine is meat. Mainly pork and chicken are used, although there are also dishes with beef and, of course, fish. It is common to find tilapia, mackerel, prawns, tuna, clams, and squid… Most of the stews contain carrot, cassava, sweet potato, or potato and many of them incorporate coconut milk and jackfruit . Ginger, soy sauce, and vinegar are also widely used, and many meat dishes are accompanied by chili, although, with a few exceptions, Filipino food is not spicy at all.

On the other hand, Filipinos usually eat 3 meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even so, they love to snack and it is not uncommon for them to have a snack or look for some pulutan , that is, something to eat with their hands between meals.

On special occasions, what is called a boodle fight is served, a huge and spectacular meal on banana leaves in which kamayan, the art of eating with the hands, is practiced. It does not lack rice in large quantities, all kinds of meat and fish, and some fruit arranged in a very showy way. If you want to live the experience, in some tourist areas such as El Nido or Bohol some restaurants organize boodle fights. Also, some island-hopping companies from Siargao, Coron, and El Nido do it.

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How much does food cost in the Philippines?

The price of food in the Philippines depends a lot on where you decide to sit down to eat, but in general, we can tell you that it is very cheap. If you go to local restaurants, carenderias, or eateries , you can get a hearty plate of food for 40-70 pesos, depending on what you decide to try that day.

If you order a la carte dishes, prices can go up to 150-200 pesos, even more, if you plan to order fish or seafood dishes.

As for the drink, many restaurants offer free drinking water. If you want a soft drink, it is usual to pay 15 or 20 pesos (40 or 50 if it is in a can). Beers are around 50-60 pesos and you can find cocktails for 120-150 pesos, even cheaper if you take advantage of the so-called “happy hour”.

On the other hand, in the Philippines, there are also a lot of restaurants of all qualities and prices. In tourist areas and the big cities, you will find gourmet cuisine, where the prices of the dishes can exceed 400 or 500 pesos. You decide what you want to spend.

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Where to eat in the Philippines?

We encourage you to try everything possible to eat in a carinderia or eatery . These are the traditional places to try Filipino food. In them, you will find a lot of pots or trays in which the food of the day is served. You just have to lift the lid or ask what is on the menu, and they will kindly tell you what it is. Ask for a portion of rice and the dishes you want to accompany.

The carinderias open first thing in the morning, since Filipinos usually eat rice with fried eggs, sausages, or even some stew or soup.

On the other hand, you will be surprised to see bakeries or bakeries in almost any corner of the country. Filipinos love sweets and these countless little buns are their downfall. For 2 or 3 pesos you can buy a pandesal , a kind of sweet roll with which you can have breakfast. It is not uncommon for them to also sell donuts, essaymadas , their version of “French bread” or “Spanish bread”, as well as other delicacies such as coconut bread, banana, or pineapple cakes. For just 20 pesos you can wear your boots at any time of the day.

Of course, in the Philippines, there are also Western food restaurants and other Asian cuisines. In addition, it is one of the countries with the largest number of fast-food chain restaurants. Rarely, even the most remote cities do not have their own McDonald’s or KFC, as well as other Philippine chains such as the famous Jollibee (hamburgers and fried chicken), Chowking (Chinese food), Mang Inasal (unlimited grilled meat and rice) or Greenwich (pizza). Many of them even open 24 hours.

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Can you drink tap water in the Philippines?

No, tap water is not drinkable, but Filipinos don’t drink it either. In almost any restaurant and hotel you will find huge bottles of drinking water, which is what they drink and, therefore, perfect for human consumption. In many cases it is free or you will have to pay a couple of pesos to refill your glass or bottle.

Of course, in the Philippines, there is also water in a plastic bottle, but we encourage you to be a responsible tourist and bring your bottle and refill it, thus avoiding the consumption of plastic. We have a stainless steel bottle like this one, which we fill and which keeps the water cold for almost 8 hours.

Basic dictionary when eating in the Philippines

You have already been reading some interesting words related to Filipino cuisine, but if you want to get a little better, here are some words that will help you:

• “Baso”: glass
• “Table table
• “Fork”: fork
• “Spoon”: spoon
• “Knife”: knife
• “Plate” and “small plate”: plate and small plate
• “Masarap”: it is great or delicious!
• “Merienda”: ​​is an appetizer that can be eaten in the afternoon or mid-morning
• “Walang carne”: without meat, very useful if you are a vegetarian
• “Kain tayo”: let’s eat!
• “Tagay”: cheers! It is used to toast
• “Stack? (in Visayas) or Magkano? (for Luzon and Palawan)”: how much?

If you use them, you will get more than one smile from a Filipino, you will see. Remember that Filipinos use the same words as us when counting (one, two, three…). So you can also check what the food costs are in Spanish.

Also, when asking for the bill, Filipinos have a different gesture. Unlike us, here a rectangle is made using both hands, which usually indicates a receipt or ticket.

Typical Philippine dishes

Now that we have entered the subject, you have to know what is the most interesting thing you can eat in the Philippines. For this reason, we have made a small selection of the typical dishes of the Philippines. Of course, they are not all there, but trying them will give you an idea of ​​Philippine cuisine.

1. Pancit canton or bihon

We begin our journey through the typical dishes of the Philippines with one of the simplest and most delicious: pancit . It is the Philippine version of noodles, introduced by the Chinese community back in the 7th century.

The pancit has multiple variants, but the best known are the canton and the bihon , which differ depending on the type of noodle used. Thus, canton is made with chubby noodles made from eggs, while bihon is cooked with thin rice noodles and usually has more sauce, hence it is sometimes called stewed pancit bihon .

The noodles are accompanied by vegetables (usually cabbage, carrot, peppers, onions, and green beans), garlic, soy sauce, a little meat, and sometimes patis , fish sauce. Of course, it can be made in a vegetarian version if you ask them not to put meat or fish sauce on it.

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2. Spring Rolls

As we mentioned above, the Filipinos adopted many cooking techniques and dishes during the years when the trade routes with China were at their peak. One of the clearest legacies of this is the lumpias , the pinoy version of spring rolls.

To make them, a thin crepe-style egg dough is used, which covers a filling that is usually made of vegetables. It is fried and the texture is usually crunchy, so it is normal for it to be dipped in sauces such as sweet agre (bittersweet), soy, or banana ketchup. In some places in the Philippines, it can also be served fresh, that is, without frying, and for this, a thinner rice dough is used.

If you have the chance, do not hesitate to try the sweet version of the lumpia, the turon. In this case, the filling is Saba banana, so it is usually eaten for dessert or a snack.

3. Adobo, an essential thing to eat in the Philippines

Descended from Spanish tradition, adobo is one of the most common dishes to eat in the Philippines. In colonial times, the Spanish exported this way of preserving meat and fish at a time when refrigerators did not exist.

Although it can be made with many slices of meat, the most popular stew is chicken adobo, in which chicken meat is marinated with soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, garlic, and bay leaves. Unlike the Spanish adobo, the Filipino is a mixture of sweet and salty and, of course, it is always accompanied by rice.

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4. Sinigang, the most typical soup to eat in the Philippines

Filipinos are very “soup” and the greatest exponent of this is the sinigang . This typical Philippine dish is usually fish, although it can also have seafood, pork, or chicken. Whatever it takes, the difference between sinigang and other soups is that it is acidic, as it is cooked with unripe tamarind, calamansi, guava, or green mango. Vegetables such as onion, turnip, tomato, kankong, aubergine, or pepper are added to the meat and fish, as well as a little chili.

5. Side

Philippine cuisine also has an interesting sea component: algae. The lato is one of the most common and is known as the “grape of the sea” since it is shaped like small green balls. The lato is super rich in iodine, magnesium, and calcium, but it is also very good and it is common to eat it in salads or as an accompaniment to fish or shellfish, such as kinilaw. It can also be eaten with tomato, onion, vinegar, and salt.

6. Darkness

Did you know that one of the typical dishes of the Philippines is very similar to ceviche ? It is believed that the kinilaw recipe was imported with the Manila Galleon route to Mexico and Peru and, therefore, that the origin of ceviche is Filipino.

Kinilaw is made with raw fish (usually mackerel, swordfish, tuna, or milkfish) marinated with vinegar (usually coconut vinegar), calamansi juice, tamarind, green mango, star fruit and other citrus fruits such as dayap or biasong . Onion, ginger, pepper, chili, coconut milk, and sugar are added to this sauce to reduce acidity.

There are different variants of kinilaw depending on the ingredient used. Thus, it is also common to find shellfish kinilaw, sea urchins, algae, or even worms ( tapilok ) and other critters. It can also be made from vegetables, usually aubergines. On the other hand, kilawin is the word used to designate the meat kinilaw, which is cooked a little before being marinated.

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7. Tortang Talong, you have to eat it in the Philippines

A must in any butcher shop and at any time of the day is the tortang talong . It is one of our favorite dishes to eat in the Philippines and it is also perfect if you are a vegetarian.

“Talong” means eggplant, so its literal translation is eggplant omelette or cake. To make it, elongated purple eggplants are used and grilled until they are soft and can be peeled. Then they are crushed with a fork and passed through beaten egg with salt and spices. It is fried until golden brown and is usually accompanied by rice and a sauce such as soy sauce or vinegar.

There are different variants known as rellenong talong , in which other vegetables and/or meat are added to the eggplant.

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8. BBQ and chicken salad

We always say that the smell of the Philippines is that of the grills that almost any house or restaurant takes out to the street as soon as the sun begins to go down. The adoration for pork bbq (barbecue pork skewers) is almost total, not only for its taste but also for how cheap it is. The meat is marinated with soy sauce, garlic, calamansi juice, sugar, chili, or even ketchup. When the flavor has taken hold, it is simply put on the barbecue until it is toasted and eaten!

Of course, any type of meat or part of the animal can be used. Thus, it is not uncommon to find skewers of the liver, intestines, and heart…

On the other hand, chicken inasal is another of the stars of Philippine cuisine. It is a traditional way of cooking chicken from Bacolod (Negros), but right now it can be found almost anywhere in the Philippines thanks to the Mang Inasal chain. The meat is marinated for at least an hour with soy sauce, calamansi, vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, and brown sugar, and then grilled. The best way to eat it is with garlic rice and sawsawan, a sauce that you can make yourself by putting vinegar, soy sauce, calamansi, and crushed chili in a small dish.

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9. Say

Sisig is one of the most typical dishes in the Philippines and therefore very easy to find throughout the country. Traditional from the Pampanga area, it is a “levantamuertos”, since it has a mixture of types of meat that is cooked and then put on the grill and served very hot and steaming on a griddle. The usual thing is that first a whole pig’s head is cooked (including EVERYTHING: ears, snout, brains…) and then it is chopped and roasted. It is common to add liver, soy sauce, vinegar, calamansi juice, bay leaf, pepper, chili, onion, ginger, and, finally, a raw egg that is cooked with the heat of the griddle.

As you can see, it is a battle dish, in which absolutely all the meat is used. There are many variations of sisig and it can also be made with other types of meat or fish. Sisig tofu is also served in vegan or vegetarian restaurants.

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10. Fried

Derived from the Spanish word “fritada,” this dish is first cooked by frying or sautéing meat (chicken, pork, or beef) with onions and garlic. Tomato sauce, carrot, potato, and pepper are then added to make a fairly rich stew.

Sometimes it is cooked in the hamonado style , that is, using pieces of pineapple and, therefore, with an even sweeter touch.

11. Caldereta

Surely its name has already given you a huge clue because yes, the caldereta is one of the most similar dishes to its Spanish counterpart. It is usually a beef stew (although it is common to use goat meat) that does not lack a sauce of onion and tomato, as well as potatoes, peppers and peas. Of course, in the Philippines it is always accompanied by rice, instead of bread for dipping.

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12.curries

Filipino food also has influences from India and its best example is kare-kare, a version of its curries . It is a stew cooked with vegetables, garlic, onions, calamansi, peanuts and meat, which is usually oxtail and some offal. In many cases, bagoong , prawn paste, is also added .

13. Silog

Ok, silog is not a dish as such, but it is a name for traditional Filipino breakfasts . The word “silog” comes from the union of sinangag (fried rice, although often only normal white rice is used) and itlog (fried egg), to which one or more ulam are added , that is, food or accompaniments. Depending on what you add to it, the silog gets different names like:

• Tapsilog : with a lid , which is meat cured with salt and spices and then fried or grilled. It usually carries atchara , a side dish of pickled papaya.
• Longsilog : with logganisa .
• Hamsilog – with “ham” or, more commonly, spam (canned pork steaks).
• Cornsilog : with corned beef , highly salt-cured beef that usually comes from a can.
• Hotsilog : with hot dog , sausage.
• Daingsilog – with daing , dried fish.

14. Bicol Express

This is one of our favorite typical Philippine dishes and it will be yours if you like it spicy. Traditional to the Bicol region, it is a stew made with coconut milk, shrimp paste, onion, garlic, pork, and large amounts of green chili. It is not very popular in carinderias, but it is in many restaurants where they serve à la carte dishes.

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15. Bonus track to eat in the Philippines: the balut

We end our tour of the typical dishes of the Philippines with a snack that you may not want to try. The balut is the pride of many Filipinos and many nourishing powers are attributed to it, including sexual energy. It is an already fertilized duck egg , that is, an embryo that is allowed to grow for 2 or 3 weeks and is then cooked. As you can guess, the duck is already a bit grown and it is even possible to notice a little bit of the bones when eating it…

It is usually sold in street stalls and the technique to eat it is simply to open a hole, sip the “broth” and then add the condiments. These are usually salt, vinegar, garlic, and chili. Let us know what you think…

Typical Philippine desserts

Let’s go with the sweet! In the Philippines, they love everything with sugar, so the variety of desserts is huge. Here is a selection of typical Philippine desserts to try during your trip:

1. hello hello

It may seem unappetizing, but halo halo is the Philippines’ signature dessert and we advise you to give it a try. As its name suggests, it is a crazy “mix” of ingredients that vary depending on who cooks it, but the usual thing is that they are shaved ice with evaporated or condensed milk, to which sweet red beans are added (yes!), corn, leche flan, nata de coco, ube (a purple tuber), tapioca, different ice creams, gulaman (jelly), pinipig rice (rice like toast), different fruits (such as jackfruit ) and sweet potato.

As you can see, it sounds regular, but the truth is that it has its “that” and it tastes better than it seems. Cheer up!

2. Leche flan, our favorite dessert to eat in the Philippines

This is our favorite Filipino dessert. It is a more forceful version than flan as we know it in Spain, since it incorporates condensed milk and is made with even more egg yolks. Only suitable for palates very addicted to sweets.

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3. Fucking

Although its name may surprise you, puto is one of the most common desserts in the Philippines. It is a steamed rice cake and you would dream of adding ube , pandan cheese, or coconut milk. In addition, there are many varieties of puto such as puto bumbong (made in bamboo), puto manapla (cooked in banana leaves), or puto mamón (which does not contain rice and combines egg yolks, salt, and sugar).

4. Banana or sweet potato cue

It is one of the most famous street foods in the Philippines. It is a banana or sweet potato skewer a la barbacue , hence the “cue”. The type of banana used is usually “Saba”, which is a little harder than the one we know. They are fried in brown sugar and softened, giving them a delicious consistency perfect for any time of day. Also, a cue rarely costs more than 5 pesos, a bargain!

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5. Report

Another of the essentials of the street markets of the Philippines or even the beaches, since it is not uncommon to find vendors carrying their two enormous aluminum buckets. In one of them, it has soft and fresh tofu, and in the other arnibal (syrup) and sago pearls (similar to tapioca).

The magtataho (taho seller) is served in plastic cups of 2 or 3 sizes. With a ladle, take slices of tofu and then add the sago and syrup. You are in charge of mixing it and taking it with a spoon or drinking it directly. In your adventure to discover what to eat in the Philippines, you cannot miss it. Massarap ! _

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6. Handle float

The second position of our favorite desserts to eat in the Philippines is taken by the mango float, a kind of cake that incorporates the delicious mangoes of this country. This one tends to have industrial amounts of condensed milk, Graham crackers (a kind of cookies) and cream, which are interspersed in layers. The mixture goes into the freezer, so it usually has the consistency of an ice cream cake.

Eating vegetarian in the Philippines, is it possible?

The Philippines has a very bad reputation among vegetarians and vegans, but is it fully deserved? Well, we, as vegetarians, can tell you that for the most part yes, but that things are not so bad (in our first trips to the Philippines we still ate meat and therefore we can speak to you with knowledge of the cause of its gastronomy). Although it is not the friendliest country for those of us who do not eat products of animal origin, surviving is not an impossible mission and we tell you this because we spend a large part of the year traveling here.

In tourist areas and iig cities, there are more and more vegetarian restaurants to eat in the Philippines. For example, those of the Shaka chain (El Nido, Moalboal, Siargao and Bohol), Green Bar (Manila), Planet Vegis (Cebu) or Ver De Plant-based Café (Puerto Princesa). But, in addition, it is possible to eat vegetarian in Philippine carinderias, as long as you ask and make sure what ingredients each dish has. There are many Filipino foods that are 100% vegetarian , but many also include small pieces of meat, bagoong (shrimp paste), or patis (fish sauce), so we recommend that you confirm several times. Many Filipinos also assume that vegetarians eat seafood or fish.

We do have to admit that eating vegan in the Philippines is much more difficult. Although dairy products (except for desserts) are not popular, quite a few dishes incorporate eggs. Still, you can always focus on salads and fruit and hit the shops for beans (chickpeas can be found just about anywhere) or soy milk (our beloved Vitamilk Energy doesn’t contain cow’s milk).

Here are some vegetarian dishes to eat in the Philippines : pancit bihon (the canton has eggs in its noodles), adobong kangkong (a kind of spinach), pinakbet (make sure it doesn’t have bagoong), monggo (Filipino lentils, make sure it’s they do not have meat), lumpia , latik (a stew with coconut milk and pumpkin), chopsuey , saladang talong (a kind of eggplant kinilaw ), tortang talong (pumpkin omelette), ampalaya (a very bitter vegetable, usually contains egg ), banana cue , tahoor kuchinita (a sweet made with yucca and rice).

In addition, you can use these phrases to make it known that you are vegetarian or vegan:

• “I am Vegan/Vegetarian”: I am vegan/vegetarian
• “No Animal Products”: No products of animal origin
• “Without meat/fish/eggs/milk/cheese”: Without meat/fish/eggs/milk/cheese

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Typical Philippine drinks

You have to throw the food down, right? These are the typical drinks of the Philippines :

1. Filipino beer

Filipinos are very beer lovers and it will not be uncommon for you to find them gathered at night drinking from liter bottles. We don’t know if it’s because it means we’re in the Philippines, but we like the beer from this country a lot. The two big brands in the country are San Miguel Pale Pilsen and Red Horse, both owned by San Miguel Brewery.

Both are blond, lager-type beers with a bitter taste. With the Red Horse you have to be especially careful because, in addition to being served mostly in half-liter bottles, it has an alcohol content of almost 7% and you hardly notice it. In addition, there are also other varieties such as the San Mig Light (which does not have less alcohol, simply fewer calories, and is lighter), the flavored San Mig (apple and lemon), the Black Beer, or the Gold Eagle Beer.

Of course, in big cities or in tourist places, there are more and more craft beers. In addition, in some places, you can also find the Brew Kettle, which we love and is Belgian style.

Beer prices are around 40-80 pesos, depending on where you consume it. In many stores and restaurants, you can also buy “liters” or liters of San Miguel and Red Horse, which are cheaper.

If you’re Spanish, surely this name reminds you of something, right? The current brewery is the descendant of La Fábrica de Cerveza San Miguel, founded in 1890 by Enrique María Barreto. The current Spanish San Miguel (now owned by Mahou) is the result of the expansion of the Philippine brewery, which decided to try its luck in the market in 1953. The so-called “Manila Agreement” was signed, by which San Miguel allowed the manufacture of its beer in Spain by the company La Segarra. However, in 2000 the company was bought by Mahou and the great Mahou-San Miguel group was formed, with almost no relationship with the current San Miguel in the Philippines.

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2. Buko juice or, simply, un buko

Buko is the word that Filipinos use to refer to the coconut, more specifically, the green, underripe coconut that has a lot of water inside. Drinking water, in addition to being super refreshing, has many nutritional properties, helps prevent dehydration, and improves digestion. When you finish it, don’t hesitate to ask the person who served it to open it for you so you can eat the white meat.

On the other hand, in many stalls, you will find buko juice . This is a typical drink from the Philippines that basically consists of coconut water with ice, although many times it is also served with a little coconut milk or condensed milk. The glass does not usually cost more than 15 pesos.

3. Shakes and juices

The Philippines is rich in fruit, so almost in any restaurant or grocery store you will be able to order a shake or, what is the same, a milkshake. As the mango from the Philippines is the best in the world, without question, our advice is to take the opportunity to drink as many mango shakes as you can. You will find it in its mature variety or also in the most acidic: green mango shake.

Most of these Filipino drinks contain sugar or condensed milk, so if you want it to be just fruit, you’ll have to say so.

On the other hand, you should not miss trying the calamansi juice. The juice of this small lime is essential to try on your way through the country and, in addition, it has a lot of vitamin C.

Are you afraid of ice in smoothies and juices? If you ask us for our opinion, the truth is that we have never had any problem drinking this type of drink in the Philippines. Filipinos also don’t drink tap water and the ice they use is made from purified water. Perhaps, without being used to its water, something could bother you in the belly, but it is not usual.

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4. Remember

We end our tour of typical Philippine drinks with the ubiquitous rum: Tanduay. Tasting sweeter than any rum you’ve ever tasted before, it’s so affordable it’s hard to resist. For less than 100 pesos a bottle, it is common to drink it with Coca-Cola and a slice of calamansi. Yes, be careful! Like Red Horse, it doesn’t seem to do anything, but it’s a strong liquor after all, and the next morning can be tricky…

If you want something more upscale, don’t hesitate to try Don Papa, the best brand of rum in the Philippines. Tagay! _

Did you like this article about gastronomy in the Philippines? Do you have any suggestions or questions? We’d love to hear in the comments!