ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Philippines
Five dishes to try in the Philippines, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in the Philippines
Adobo
Chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaf.
How to have it: In every home and carinderia (canteen); eat it over plenty of steamed rice.
Sinigang
Sour tamarind broth with pork, shrimp or fish and vegetables.
How to have it: A comfort food served with rice; pork sinigang is the most common version.
Sisig
Chopped pork face and ears, grilled and served sizzling with onion and chilli.
How to have it: Pampanga is its home; a bar favourite with beer, squeeze calamansi on top.
Lumpia
Thin spring rolls, fried with meat filling or fresh with vegetables.
How to have it: Lumpiang shanghai is the party classic; dip in sweet chilli or vinegar sauce.
Halo-halo
Shaved ice with sweet beans, jellies, fruit, leche flan and ube, topped with milk.
How to have it: A hot-afternoon treat at snack chains and roadside stalls; mix everything before eating.
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Questions
What food is the Philippines famous for?
Adobo (chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaf) comes first on our list, followed by Sinigang, Sisig, Lumpia and Halo-halo.
What is the national dish of the Philippines?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for the Philippines is Adobo: chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaf. In every home and carinderia (canteen); eat it over plenty of steamed rice.
Which dishes in the Philippines are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Halo-halo. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Philippines
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.