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Thali

🇵🇭 The food of the Philippines

79 dishes from the Philippines, best known first, across 12 cities and regions.

Filipino cooking brings together native traditions and influences from China, Spain, Mexico, and the United States, shaped by centuries of trade and colonization. Meals center on rice, with a balance of sweet, sour, and salty flavors, and dishes range from simple salted fish to elaborate stews and roasts. Communal eating and adaptability to local ingredients define the cuisine.

  • Rice is eaten at almost every meal.
  • Adobo keeps well and improves with time.
  • Meals are served all at once, not in courses.
  • Spoon and fork are the main utensils.
  • Lechón is a centerpiece for fiestas.

The cooking of the Philippines

Filipino food reflects a mix of indigenous practices and outside influences. Austronesian roots show in the use of rice, tubers, and seafood, while Chinese traders introduced noodles and spring rolls. Spanish colonization brought tomatoes, peanuts, and new cooking methods, leading to dishes like adobo and paella. Later, American rule added fast food and processed items. Meals are often built around rice, with a focus on balancing sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Spices such as ginger, lemongrass, and tamarind add depth, and local fruits like kalamansi provide acidity. Food is usually served all at once, encouraging sharing and conversation.

Staple foods in the Philippines

Rice is the main staple, eaten at nearly every meal and used in both savory dishes and desserts. Other basics include fish (fresh, dried, or smoked), pork, chicken, and a variety of vegetables like eggplant, squash, and bitter melon. Vinegar, soy sauce, and shrimp paste are common seasonings. Native fruits such as kalamansi and pili nuts, as well as imported crops like tomatoes and peanuts, are widely used. Noodles and bread, introduced by Chinese and Spanish influences, are also part of everyday fare.

From region to region in the Philippines

Different regions have their own specialties shaped by local ingredients and history. The Bicol region is known for spicy dishes with coconut milk, while the Cordilleras use root crops and mountain vegetables. Muslim Filipino communities often feature spicier foods. Ilocano cooking highlights vegetables and fermented fish, while Kapampangan cuisine is famous for its rich, elaborate stews. Spanish and Mexican influences are stronger in Luzon and the Visayas, seen in dishes like mechado and afritada.

At the table in the Philippines

Meals are informal and often shared by family or friends, with all dishes placed on the table at once. Traditionally, people ate with their hands (kamayan), especially during gatherings or outdoor meals. Today, most use a spoon and fork, cutting food with the side of the spoon. Communal feasts, sometimes served on banana leaves, are common during celebrations. The knife is less used at the table, a custom dating to Spanish colonial times.

Festival and religious food in the Philippines

For fiestas and special occasions, families prepare elaborate dishes such as lechón (whole roasted pig), paella, and various stews. Rice-based sweets and delicacies are often made as offerings or treats during important ceremonies. Some dishes, like adobo, are valued for their ability to keep well, making them popular for gatherings and celebrations.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Filipino cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of the Philippines

Mindanao 3Ilocos 2Pampanga 2Angeles 1Bicol Region 1Cebu 1Davao Region 1Ilocos Region 1Leyte 1Mandaue 1Pateros 1Visayas 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Hot chocolate 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreA warm drink made from chocolate or cocoa, milk or water, and sugar Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Kinilaw 🇵🇭 PhilippinesRaw seafood or vegetables marinated in vinegar and citrus juices from the Philippines Salad or side, Snacks BreadfruitVegan 🇵🇭 Philippines and 4 moreLarge tropical fruit cooked as a starchy staple in many island cuisines Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Inihaw 🇵🇭 PhilippinesGrilled meats and seafood, often on skewers, from the Philippines Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Puto bumbóngVegetarian 🇵🇭 PhilippinesPurple Filipino rice cake steamed in bamboo tubes for Christmas Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Cheesecake 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreA chilled dessert of sweetened soft cheese on a crumb or pastry base Sweet or dessert, Snacks Udonうどん / 饂飩 🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreThick wheat noodles served hot or cold in Japanese cooking Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner ChorizoMeat 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreA seasoned pork sausage from the Iberian Peninsula, made in many regional styles Sausage or cured food, Breakfast, Lunch Empanada 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 morePastry turnovers filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables, baked or fried Pie or savoury pastry, Lunch, Dinner Satayꦱꦠꦺ 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGrilled skewers of seasoned meat or seafood, often served with peanut sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BalutMeat 🇵🇭 Philippines and 3 moreA fertilized duck egg incubated, then boiled and eaten from the shell Street food, Snacks Spring roll春卷 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA thin wrapper rolled around vegetables or meat, served fried or fresh Main dish, Snacks, Lunch Wonton云吞 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings with a thin wrapper, filled and served in soup or fried Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner Baozi包子 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSteamed wheat buns filled with meat or vegetables, common across China and beyond Main dish, Breakfast, Snacks Zongzi粽子 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSticky rice parcels with sweet or savoury fillings, wrapped in leaves and steamed or boiled Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Snails as foodMeat 🇲🇦 Morocco and 5 moreLand and sea snails prepared and eaten in many world cuisines Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Fish ball魚丸 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSoft balls of minced fish, boiled or fried, eaten across Asia and Northern Europe Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Banana chipVegan 🇵🇭 Philippines and 4 moreCrispy slices of banana, fried or dried, eaten as a snack or sweet Sweet or dessert, Snacks TurrónVegetarian 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreHoney and nut nougat, shaped into bars or cakes, enjoyed at Christmas in Spain and Italy Sweet or dessert, Snacks EdamameVegan枝豆 🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreYoung green soybeans boiled or steamed in their pods, often served salted Main dish, Snacks, Lunch Christmas cake 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreCakes served at Christmas, often rich with fruit, nuts or cream Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks Jian duiVegetarian 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreFried glutinous rice balls coated with sesame seeds and filled with sweet paste Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Buñuelo 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreCrisp or fluffy fried dough, sweet or savory, enjoyed across Spain and Latin America Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Breakfast Flattened riceVegan 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreRice grains flattened into flakes, used in sweet and savoury dishes across Asia Rice dish, Breakfast, Snacks Chicken feetMeat 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChicken feet cooked and eaten in soups, stews, snacks and street foods worldwide Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Polvorón 🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCrumbly Spanish shortbread made with flour, sugar, milk, and nuts Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks Chicharrón 🇪🇸 Spain and 6 moreCrispy fried pork belly or skin, enjoyed as a snack or dish in many countries Street food, Snacks, Lunch Shumai烧卖 / 燒賣 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings filled with seasoned meat, often served as dim sum Dumpling, Breakfast, Lunch Lumpia 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreThin spring rolls with savory or sweet fillings, fried or fresh Street food, Lunch, Dinner Ginger teaVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreA hot drink made by steeping ginger root, often with tea, sweetener or milk Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Cha siu baoMeat叉燒包 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreCantonese steamed or baked buns filled with barbecue-flavored pork Street food, Lunch, Snacks Ensaïmada 🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreSweet, coiled bread from Mallorca made with flour, eggs, sugar and pork lard Bread, Breakfast, Snacks BibingkaVegetarian 🇵🇭 Philippines and 1 moreBaked rice cake cooked in banana leaves, often enjoyed warm at Christmas Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Squid (as food)Fish or seafood 🇯🇵 Japan and 5 moreSquid prepared and eaten in many ways around the world Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SisigMeatsísig 🇵🇭 PhilippinesChopped grilled pork, onions and chili served sizzling hot Main dish, Snacks PutoVegan 🇵🇭 PhilippinesSteamed Filipino rice cake, often eaten plain or with savoury dishes Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Pancit 🇵🇭 PhilippinesA family of Filipino noodle dishes with many local styles and toppings Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner gua baoMeat割包 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSteamed folded bun filled with braised pork belly and condiments Street food, Snacks, Lunch TahoVegan 🇵🇭 PhilippinesSilken tofu with sweet syrup and chewy sago pearls, sold as a street snack Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks TuronVegan 🇵🇭 PhilippinesBanana slices wrapped in pastry, fried and glazed with caramelized sugar Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Champurrado 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreThick Mexican hot chocolate drink made with corn dough and spices Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Ice pop 🇺🇸 United States and 6 moreFrozen flavored treat on a stick, made from sweetened liquid or juice Sweet or dessert, Snacks

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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