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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
Shumai烧卖 / 燒賣 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings filled with seasoned meat, often served as dim sum Dumpling, Breakfast, Lunch Polvorón 🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreCrumbly Spanish shortbread made with flour, sugar, milk, and nuts Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks Misua麵線 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreVery thin wheat noodles common in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Lumpia 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreThin spring rolls with savory or sweet fillings, fried or fresh Street food, Lunch, Dinner Chicharrón 🇪🇸 Spain and 6 moreCrispy fried pork belly or skin, enjoyed as a snack or dish in many countries Street food, Snacks, Lunch Oyster omelette 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA chewy egg and oyster dish fried with starch, popular across East and Southeast Asia Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Cha siu baoMeat叉燒包 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreCantonese steamed or baked buns filled with barbecue-flavored pork Street food, Lunch, Snacks Twelve GrapesVegan 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreA Spanish New Year’s Eve custom of eating twelve grapes at midnight Sweet or dessert Ginger teaVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreA hot drink made by steeping ginger root, often with tea, sweetener or milk Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Ensaïmada 🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreSweet, coiled bread from Mallorca made with flour, eggs, sugar and pork lard Bread, Breakfast, Snacks PandesalVegetarianpan de sal 🇵🇭 PhilippinesSoft Filipino bread roll, lightly sweet and often eaten hot for breakfast Bread, Breakfast BibingkaVegetarian 🇵🇭 Philippines and 1 moreBaked rice cake cooked in banana leaves, often enjoyed warm at Christmas Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Sinigang 🇵🇭 PhilippinesA Filipino soup or stew with a tangy broth, often made with tamarind Soup, Lunch, Dinner Salted duck egg 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreDuck eggs preserved in salt, prized for their rich, orange-red yolks Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch Pancit 🇵🇭 PhilippinesA family of Filipino noodle dishes with many local styles and toppings Noodle or pasta 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 Nasi kuningVegetarian 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreRice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric, served for celebrations across Indonesia Rice dish, Breakfast, Lunch Squid (as food)Fish or seafood 🇯🇵 Japan and 5 moreSquid prepared and eaten in many ways around the world Main dish, Lunch, Dinner gua baoMeat割包 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSteamed folded bun filled with braised pork belly and condiments Street food, Snacks, Lunch Bagoong 🇵🇭 PhilippinesFermented fish or shrimp paste used as a salty Filipino condiment Sauce, pickle or ferment Mu krathaหมูกระทะ 🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreThai tabletop grill and hot pot cooked together over charcoal Main dish DinuguanMeat 🇵🇭 PhilippinesFilipino stew of pork and pig's blood with vinegar and chili Main dish, Lunch, Dinner 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 Ube halayaVegetarianjalea de ube 🇵🇭 PhilippinesMashed purple yam cooked with milk and butter, served as a chilled Filipino dessert Sweet or dessert Torta 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreA word for cake, pie, flatbread, sandwich or omelette, depending on the country Bread Pinakbet 🇵🇭 PhilippinesVegetables simmered with fermented fish sauce, a staple from the Ilocos region Main dish, Lunch, Dinner KalderetaMeat 🇵🇭 PhilippinesFilipino stew of meat, vegetables and liver paste in a spiced tomato sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner 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
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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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