Putting the Best Food Forward in Manila

Meddling with the Culinary World

If something stands out among the Filipino culture, it definitely has to be food. The Philippine food culture, as most of us think, is not the usual Asian cuisine. We have explained everything that you need to know about the food culture in Manila, beginning from main meals, street food, dessert and beverages. We'll try give you a glimpse of the wet markets and of course, the Jollibee. No wonder Manila invites several flights to Manila from UK.

With five centuries of American and Spanish influence, the country of Philippines was shaped in a unique way. Frankly speaking, the Philippine cuisine is not spicy, but quite filling, with a few vegetables. It's all about sea life - fresh seafood delicacies.

The Meals & Dishes

Less veggies and more meat is the main focus of the Filipino food. The locals believe that, rice never scores fully as a meal. White rice and regular rice is what you'll see at the shops and restaurants.

The traditional breakfast is Longsilog or Tapsolog, which is a combination of rice, eggs with hotdog sausages. The meat can either be pork or beef. Soups are in variety but finding a salad can be difficult. Among the desserts, pastries, cheese bread, puddings and ice creams occupy the front row. Alternate to these, fruits and jellys are used widely. A dessert may not be served after a meal, but in-between breakfast and lunch, and they are known as Merienda.

Filipinos love to grab and go. Spotting a street food vendor in Manila is a delight. They can be crazy and yet very friendly. No doubt, there dishes itself are crazy and mouth-watering. One can buy street food with a couple of pesos. Each snack you savour, is a culinary experience in its own way. A few famous snacks are: adidas, balut (something to try), chicharon, dirty ice cream, halo-halo, roasted peanut, fish and squid balls and many more.

What is a Wet Market?

Wet Markets are the 'raw food products'. In and easy simple language, you'll see arrays of sausages, endless chains of fruits, table full of seafood, piles of rice. These are the elements of a Wet Market, that enables to explore and know the Philippine food culture.

As you enter the market, nothing is organised. You are surrounded by stalls and vendors trying to arrange their products. It's easy to spot them. Just ask a local to the nearest Wet Market. Try visiting it in the early morning hours when the cartons and boxes have just been opened.

This is way beyond what you see in the supermarkets. You can also buy spices and various ingredients at a much lower price than any other place. Surely, the greens and the seafood are the main highlights here. Try talking to a vendor, the smile on their face will brighten your day up.

An Insight into Jolibee

A multinational chain of fast food restaurants headquartered in the Philippines, the Jolibee, is dubbed at Asia's answer to the famed McDonald's. Started in 1980 as an ice cream parlour, it entered the fast food business with burgers, soft drinks, spaghetti and fries. At present, it stands as the 'king of fast food', relished by kids as well as adults. 

Famous Finger Foods

Finger foods in Philippines is usually called Pica-Pica and Pulutan. No doubt, these are delicious, salty and full of calories. It's just the idyllic snack to amuse your stomach with, while you enjoy a night out in the city. Typical dishes are: Sizzling Sisig, Chicharon, BBQ Sticks, Fried Seafood and many more.