12 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Cebu City

Crispy pata is one of the most common Filipino dishes served on special occasions. It consists of a whole pork leg that is cooked until tender. It is then dried and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. The leg is usually cooked alongside various spices such as bay leaves and peppercorns. It is traditionally rubbed with a spice mixture before it is fried. Served sliced, it is often accompanied by pickled papaya and a tart sauce which combines vinegar, soy sauce, and a variety of spices.Expand

Lechon, derived from a Spanish word for roasted suckling pig is one of the most popular dishes in the Philippines. The slowly-roasted suckling pig is usually stuffed with lemongrass, tamarind, garlic, onions, and chives, and is then roasted on a large bamboo spit over an open fire. It is traditionally served whole on a platter, at celebrations and festive events such as weddings and Christmas. Once the meat is properly roasted and falls off the bone, people tend to eat every part of the pig, and the crispy, reddish-brown, crackling skin is especially beloved. Lechon is often served with a thick and rich liver sauce that is cooked with sugar, fresh herbs, and vinegar. If anything is left after the feast, the leftovers are often made into lechon slaw, slowly cooked with vinegar, garlic, and liver sauce for that extra bit of flavor. Apart from the Philippines, the dish is especially popular in countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Spain. Some famous chefs even named lechon the best pig in the world, so it is definitely worth a try.Expand

Easy to prepare and packed with healthy vegetables, utan is a famous Filipino soup which originated in Visayan Islands. This clear vegetable soup was originally a poor man’s dish, which included any vegetables that were at hand. Nowadays, it can also include a wide variety of root vegetables and leafy greens which are merely cooked in salted water. Occasionally, this nutritious soup can be enriched with chunks of meat or pieces of fried fish. Even though it originated as a frugal dish, today it is regarded as an extremely healthy soup that is typically prepared in many Filipino households.Expand

Dinuguan is a Filipino dish which consists of a variety of animal’s internal organs stewed with blood, vinegar, garlic, and hot peppers. Traditionally, it was a dish made with byproducts of pig slaughter, but many regional varieties nowadays use chicken or beef and incorporate various ingredients and spices. This thick, flavorful stew is usually served alongside rice or rice cakes and can be enjoyed as a nutritious breakfast and a hearty lunch or dinner.Expand

Lechon kawali is the Filipino version of deep-fried pork belly. Primarily boiled in plain or seasoned water, the meat is rubbed with salt, cut into chunks, then deep-fried until it develops a golden-brown, crispy skin, but remains juicy and tender on the inside. It is one of the most famous Filipino dishes eaten throughout the country. Always served hot, lechon kawali is usually accompanied by spicy vinegar sauce or a traditional lechon liver sauce on the side.Expand

Taho is a sweet Filipino dessert which consists of fresh soft tofu doused in arnibal syrup and sprinkled with plump sago pearls. Similar desserts can be found in numerous Asian countries, and most of them call for the usage of the softest tofu variety, known as silky tofu, which has a tender and creamy texture and an incredibly soft consistency. Shortly heated or steamed, it is covered in sweet arnibal syrup (made with melted brown sugar) and enriched with mild vanilla flavors. Usually, the dessert is topped with chewy sago pearls which are similar in appearance and texture to tapioca. Taho is usually sold by street vendors who sell this traditional delicacy in the early morning as a sweet, protein-packed breakfast.Expand

This traditional Filipino dish consists of butterflied, marinated milkfish that is pan-fried until crispy. The marinade usually combines vinegar, garlic, and various spices, and the fish is prepared with the skin intact, which adds an additional crunch to its texture. Daing na bangus can be enjoyed as a filling lunch or breakfast, and it is usually accompanied by garlic-fried rice, fried eggs, pickled vegetables, and spicy vinegar.Expand

Lumpia is a simple and flavourful Filipino finger food that evolved from the Chinese spring rolls. Each lumpia consists of a rice or flour dough wrap that is stuffed with meat (most often ground pork or beef) and vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, onions, and garlic. It is then sealed with egg wash and fried. Once it has been prepared, its crusty, crunchy exterior and tender interior are perfectly complemented with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish, and it is almost impossible to see a Filipino feast without at least one variation of lumpia, such as unfried lumpia, lumpia with bean sprouts, hearts of coconut palm, bangus, or saba bananas (ripe plantains).Expand

Isaw is a popular Filipino street food dish consisting of marinated, boiled, and grilled chicken and pork intestines which are usually coiled and skewered on a stick. Although similar, pork isaw is typically slightly larger and chewier than the chicken version. The marinade is usually prepared with soy sauce, oil, ketchup, garlic, and seasonings. Thoroughly cleaning and boiling the intestines before they are placed on a grill is an essential part of the preparation process because it eliminates all food-born pathogens. The dish is usually dipped in a vinegar-based sauce that is made with chili peppers and onions (sawsawan). Because it is one of the cheapest Filipino street food meals, the dish is extremely popular, and there are even street stalls called isawan, devoted entirely to the preparation of this specialty. Isaw is usually enjoyed as an afternoon snack, and apart from its popularity on the streets, due to its low price, it is also a staple food for numerous university students.Expand

The term tinola refers to a vast group of hearty Filipino soups prepared with a flavorful broth infused with garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. Most commonly, the soups are made with chicken, but pork and seafood varieties are also popular. Tinola soups can incorporate various cuts of meat and seafood ingredients which are usually cooked alongside green papaya or chayote, and chili pepper or malunggay leaves. Not much is known about the history and origin of tinola, but nowadays, they represent an irreplaceable part of traditional Filipino cuisine.Expand