Philippines
Filipino Food Guide for Travelers
Filipino food is bold, sour, sweet, and deeply comforting: a blend of Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and American influences. Adobo, lechon, sinigang, and halo-halo represent a cuisine that's finally getting global recognition.
Kamayan and Boodle Fights
Eating with bare hands from banana leaves. A boodle fight is communal feast on long banana-leaf tables. Messy, social, and the most fun.
The Role of Rice
Rice IS the meal. Everything else (ulam) flavours the rice. Garlic fried rice at breakfast with egg and meat is how the day starts.
Street Food
Balut, isaw, fish balls. Jollibee is a cultural institution worth visiting.
Merienda Culture
Snack time happens twice daily. Halo-halo, turon, bibingka, and puto are typical merienda foods.
Must-Try Dishes
Adobo
$Meat braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves. The national dish.
Contains meat, soy
Lechon
$$Whole roast pig with crispy skin and juicy meat.
Contains meat; gluten-free
Sinigang
$Sour tamarind soup with pork, shrimp, or fish and vegetables.
Contains meat/fish; gluten-free
Kare-Kare
$$Oxtail stew in peanut sauce with vegetables. Served with bagoong.
Contains meat, peanuts, shellfish (bagoong)
Halo-Halo
$Shaved ice with sweet beans, jellies, leche flan, ube, and evaporated milk.
Contains dairy; gluten-free
Lumpia
$Spring rolls: fresh or fried.
Contains gluten, meat
Sisig
$Chopped pig face sizzled on a hot plate with onions, chillies, egg.
Contains meat, eggs
Pancit
$Stir-fried noodles: many varieties.
Contains gluten or rice, soy
Menu Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Ulam | Main dish/viand with rice | Courses |
| Kanin | Rice | Staples |
| Sawsawan | Dipping sauce | Sauces |
| Inihaw | Grilled | Cooking Methods |
| Prito | Fried | Cooking Methods |
| Baboy | Pork | Proteins |
| Manok | Chicken | Proteins |
| Palengke | Wet market | Dining |
| Magkano | How much | Dining |
Dietary Restriction Guide
Vegetarian
Meat-centric but vegetable dishes exist: pinakbet, chopsuey, vegetable lumpia, tofu sisig. Say 'walang karne'.
Vegan
Vegetable lumpia, pinakbet, tofu dishes, rice, fruit. Fish sauce and shrimp paste pervasive. Say 'walang karne, walang isda, walang itlog'.
Gluten-Free
Rice, grilled meats, sinigang, and stews are gluten-free. Soy sauce common. Lumpia wrappers contain wheat. Bihon (rice noodles) are safe.
Common Allergies
Shrimp paste (bagoong) in many dishes. Peanuts in kare-kare. Soy in adobo. Say 'may allergy ako sa...'.
Ordering Tips
- •Filipino meals always include rice. 'Unli rice' (unlimited) is common.
- •Kamayan (eating with hands from banana leaves) is the most authentic experience.
- •Filipinos eat frequently: breakfast, merienda, lunch, merienda, dinner, midnight snack.
- •Tipping 10% is standard at restaurants.