It's More Fun In The Philippines! 23 Must-Try Filipino Foods

1. Lumpia

Lumpia is a Filipino spring roll made with either meat or vegetables, then wrapped in a lumpia wrapper. This can be eaten as a snack or as a main course. Some of them are small spring rolls, so it’s okay to consume as many as you can. No, we won’t judge.

2. Sinigang

Sinigang is a Filipino stew with a distinct sour taste. You can’t call it a sinigang if it’s not sour. This is a popular dish in the Philippines paired with lots of rice. The main ingredients include meat, vegetables, onions, tomatoes and tamarind for the sour taste.

3. Pork adobo

Who doesn’t love pork adobo? This is every Filipino’s favorite. You can cook adobo by deep frying the pork meat with salt. You may also marinate the meat with soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic for a tastier adobo.

4. Sizzling pork sisig

Pork sisig is usually served with beer. Always present when Filipinos are drinking with their friends, it’s made with chopped pig heads seasoned with lots of pepper and calamansi. Sisig also tastes better with a sunny side up!

5. Halo-halo

Halo-halo means “mix” in Filipino and this is what you should do when you eat halo-halo. It’s a popular Filipino dessert made with crushed ice and mixed fruits and nuts. Most Filipino eat their halo-halo with ice cream, ube, or leche flan. It’s definitely perfect for the summer!

6. Lechon

Do you know of anyone who doesn’t eat lechon? I don’t. Lechon is a roasted pig and Filipinos love it.

You will too, trust me. The crispy pork skin is heaven. It’s fattening, but you can always have your cheat days.

7. Biko

This is often served during Holy Week. Biko is a rice cake cooked with coconut milk, glutinous rice, and brown sugar. It’s best served with coffee.

8. Chicharron

Ah, fried pork rinds. Some chicharron also contain pork meat and they taste really, really good. Even better if you eat chicharron with rice. If you’re not into carbs, eat your chicharron with vinegar.

9. Torta

Torta is a favorite Filipino delicacy. It tastes like cake but it’s not fluffy. Actually, some torta tastes better than cake. Torta from Cebu is one of the best in the world.

10. Tocino

Tocino looks like bacon but it’s not bacon. It’s a cured pork or chicken and it’s usually eaten during breakfast. It’s paired with a sunny side up egg and fried rice.

11. Crispy pata

This is another favorite Filipino main dish that will make you fat in no time. It’s made from pork legs and deep fried. It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

12. Turon

Turon is like a spring roll but it’s just made from bananas. They wrap the ripe banana into lumpia wrappers and fry them in oil with caramelized sugar. This is a delicious street food you must try on your visit.

13. Bicol express

Bicol express is by the Bicolanos. Unlike the sour sinigang, the bicol express is a spicy stew. They’re made from pork, green beans, garlic, coconut milk, chili, and onions. This is a delicious dish best served hot.

14. Liempo

Going to the beach? Cook liempo. It’s a grilled pork belly perfect for every occasion. Liempo is Balamban Cebu is the best in the Philippines. So delicious!

15. Puto bumbong

Puto is a steamed glutinous rice cooked in bamboo or bumbong. A popular snack usually served during the Christmas season, puto bumbong is also sold after Simbang Gabi, dawn masses celebrated by Filipinos during the Christmas season.

16. Chicken afritada

Chicken afritada involves pieces of chicken cooked with carrots, tomato sauce, pineapples, raisins, bell peppers, and potatoes. Filipinos love to serve this either during lunch or dinner. And kids love it too.

17. Halayang ube

The best halayang ube in the Philippines is found in Baguio, the country’s summer capital. It’s a Filipino dessert made from mashed ube. It’s sweet and tasty. Ube jam is also used in other desserts like halo-halo. If there’s one thing to buy in the Philippines, it’s a jar of this delicious jam.

18. Leche flan

This is another Filipino dessert and almost every Filipino’s favorite. Yes, they sure love sweets. Leche flan is made with condensed milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, then topped with caramel. Best served cold.

19. Humba

Some Filipinos refer to humba as pork adobo. They do include all the ingredients for pork adobo but with added sugar, banana blossoms, and black beans. Actually, it is better to cook the pork adobo first then cook it again as humba. That will make the meat more tender and tasty.

20. Longganisa

Longganisa is a popular breakfast food in the Philippines. It’s usually served with eggs and garlic rice. It’s a sweetened sausage either with skin or skinless. Both taste delicious, but a spicy longganisa tastes even better. Longganisa with fried rice and egg is called Longsilog in the Philippines.

21. Pancit

In the Philippines, pancit are actually cooked noodles topped with meat, carrots, cabbage, olives, bell peppers, and calamansi. There are different varieties of pancit, and the pancit guisado is by far the best I’ve ever tasted.

22. Kwek-kwek

Kwek-kwek is a popular Filipino street food made with hard boiled quail eggs and an orange batter. The eggs are covered with batter and then deep fried. They are best eaten with the “kwek kwek sauce” and lots of onions and cucumbers.

23. Bibingka

Bibingka is a rice cake from the Philippines cooked in banana leaves. It’s made by combining rice flour, baking powder, coconut milk, and butter. It’s best served hot.

Filipino cuisine is the second best in the world

Besides boasting beautiful places and exquisite honeymoon spots, the Philippines has some amazing food. According to a CNN poll in 2015, Filipino cuisine ranked second in the world. The Philippines’ adobo is served in almost every household in the country simply because it’s extremely good. Be sure to try some of these delicious foods when you visit.