What to Eat in the Philippines: A First-Timer's Food Guide

Filipino food is the most underrated cuisine in Southeast Asia — a delicious mash-up of Spanish, Chinese and indigenous cooking, built around pork, rice, vinegar and the world's best mangoes. Here's what to order.

The essentials

Adobo

The national dish: chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Simple, savoury and deeply comforting — every family has its own version.

Lechon

Whole spit-roasted pig with crackling skin. The centrepiece of every celebration, and the reason the island of Cebu is a food pilgrimage site. Anthony Bourdain called Cebu lechon the best pig he'd ever had.

Sinigang

A sour tamarind soup with pork or prawns and vegetables. Bracingly tart and utterly refreshing — the dish Filipinos miss most when away.

Street food and snacks

Halo-halo

The dessert of a thousand textures — shaved ice, sweet beans, jellies, ube (purple yam) and leche flan, drowned in milk. Stir it into a glorious mess and dig in.

Lumpia

Filipino spring rolls, either fresh or fried. The perfect snack between boats.

Balut (for the brave)

A developing duck egg, boiled and eaten from the shell. A right of passage — decide for yourself.

What to drink

• Mango shakes — the Philippines' mangoes are the best in the world. Order one daily.
• Buko juice — fresh coconut water, straight from the shell.
• Calamansi juice — the tiny lime's sweet-tart answer to lemonade.

How to eat like a local

• Rice with everything — it's the backbone of every meal.
• Eat with a spoon and fork — the Filipino way.
• "Kamayan" — eating with your hands at a beach feast is a genuinely fun experience.
• Save room for halo-halo — it's not optional.

Quick questions, answered

Is Filipino food spicy?

Not usually — it's richer and more savoury-sweet than spicy, which suits a lot of palates. Chillies come as a side, not a default.

What's the one dish I must try?

Cebu lechon, if you're anywhere near Cebu. Crisp skin, melting meat, and a reputation that's fully deserved.

Is the street food safe?

At busy stalls, yes — follow the crowd. Food's woven into all our trips, from Cebu's lechon stalls to Palawan's beachfront dinners. Call 020 7946 0958 and we'll point you to the good stuff.