The Philippines is renowned for its street food- sweet, savoury and beverages everything is uniquely relishing. The country stands on reputation of serving some of the best street foods worldwide. Regardless of where you are in Philippines, you will always find delicious yet affordable food right round the corner. This blog features some of the best street foods in Philippines that are a must-try for every first time visitor
Lumpiang Shanghai
Lumpiang Shanghai is an insanely trendy snack in the Philippines. These crispy and deep fried snacks are a unique version of the traditional spring rolls. Although there are varied recipes for this food item, however the Lumpiang Shanghai are filled up with savoury stuffing that includes mincemeat or even shrimps alongside some tasteful vegetables and aromatic herbs and spices. It is then served with a side of a sweet and sour dip sauce. You can easily locate this street food anywhere throughout Philippines. This staple dish is also served on their special occasions i.e. festivals and family get together etc.
Halo-Halo- Street Food in Philippines
Halo-Halo is yet another street food delicacy in the Philippines. It is an iconic dessert that serves a jumble of wonderful flavours and unique textures. This is a must-try local food and is a perfectly refreshing treat during the summers. The recipe includes some shaved ice topped with tropical fruits, assortment of jellies, some sweet beans, leche flan and evaporated milk. It is served with both a spoon and a straw so you can relish eating as well as drinking this unique food item. In short, this delightful combination of creamy and sweetened elements is reflective of the diverse culinary culture in the Philippines. This dessert is equally loved by tourist from all age groups and people relish it during their outdoor wandering trips.
Ukoy – Street Food in Philippines
Ukoy is a exclusively popular street food in Philippines. It is served as an appetizer made with a uniquely easy recipe. This recipe can be labelled as a form of ‘fritters’. The deep fried goodness has the perfect crunch and is an ideal snack for you whenever you are in the mood to grab a small bite. The ingredients majorly include shrimps that are combined into a lightly spiced egg, flour and corn-starch batter. Then they are deep fried until golden and crispy. Do try this snack on your trip to Philippines.
Kwek-Kwek
Kwek-Kwek is another authentic Philippine street food that is staged at all the local markets and is widely available anywhere across the country. This unique twist on egg-based food is an enticing option to tantalise your taste-buds with bursting savoury flavours. The dish is made up of hard-boiled eggs of either chicken or quail. The eggs are coated in a thick orange batter and then put in for deep frying. After a perfectly crunch fry, they are ready to serve with a chilli vinegar dipping sauce. This flavourful street food in Philippines is a unique texture with well-crunched outer coating and a soft egg bite.
Kikiam- Street Food in Philippines
This delectable street food of Philippines is quite famous. Kikiam is another deep-fried heavenly combo of the rightful ingredients smashing with savoury flavours. It has a golden brown and crispy wrap on the outside, whereas it is lusciously juicy on the inside. Generally, the filling is made up meat i.e. shrimp is quite common and is blended with the right amount of spices. Kikiam is served with the perfect pairing of a sweet and vinegary sauce. You can find this street food at almost all corner stalls and night markets.
Corn (Mais)
Locally, the white corn is known as mais. It is another famous Philippine street food usually served after grilling. The corn on the cob is charcoaled by densely applying the margarine during the cooking process from time to time. The integral sweetness of the corns is validated through a smoky chargrill and generous brushes of margarine and cheese spreads. It is then ready to eat after a sprinkle of salt. This street food is full of richness and is a delightful bite to grab if you feel hungry and are waiting for your dinner time.
Taho
Whenever you are in Philippines, this delicately sweet affair is a must try. Taho is a creamily sweet treat which is made up with silken tofu, tapioca pearls and sugary syrup. It is commonly sold by vendors in all the street food markets countrywide. Generally, it is considered a breakfast item which is served both hot or cold. It is given away in disposable cups so you can enjoy them while on the go. The richness of flavours and sugary notes are a treat for every foodie indeed.
Barbeque –Street Food in Philippines
The barbeque in Philippines is a twisted version of a traditional one. The barbeque functions as a street-food item in the country. Majorly, the idea is to have charcoaled and perfectly tender meat assortments on a stick. It can be chicken, beef or even shrimps sometimes. The idea is to marinate the meat with garlic, citrus, vinegar, soya-sauce, lime-soda etc. It is then grill it to perfection. During cooking, barbeque sauce and marinade is liberatingly applied to the skewered meat which makes the food quite saucy and flavourful. When served, there is a side of seasoned vinegar infused with garlic, ginger and chillies. The smoky and charcoal flavoured meat with unique flavours and perfect dipping sauce is a common street food in the Philippines.
Maruya
Maruya are a uniquely flavoured banana fritters. To make this, sliced or even mashed bananas are used which are lightly dusted with the rightful condiments for best flavours. Then the bananas are dipped into a flour batter and deep fried until the outer coating is crisped. Upon serving, sugar is lightly dusted upon these heavenly friend bananas. These fritters are usually cooked with Filipino saba bananas-that are local and fresh to the core. Maruya is famous amongst children. It is consumed as a sweet breakfast, a light snack or even as an afternoon dessert option.
Bibingka- Street Food in Philippines
Bibingka is a traditional rice-cake and a must try delicacy in the Philippines. It is widely available as a street food and you can easily find it on the vibrant streets anywhere across the country. This delightful sweet treat is a combination of coconut milk and rice flour. It is served with varied toppings where you can choose whatever you most relish. It is cooked in clayed-pots and then platted onto banana leaves. The most famous toppings are assorted cheeses, salted eggs and even annatto seeds. All this add an earthy flavourful note to the dish and makes it a treat for your taste buds.
Summing Up
The Philippines street-food is significantly relished by tourist. Whenever you visit the country, be sure that you try some of the above listed food items. We assure you, that you will not be disappointed.
FAQs
- What is the average cost of street-food in Philippines?
Generally, the street food in Philippines is not overly expensive. In a rough estimate, you will have to pay from around £1-£5 for a single serving of the food.
- Are the street foods markets in Philippines open till late?
Street foods markets are generally open from midmorning to late night. However, some are operational only during the day and until the evenings. However, you can also find all night street-markets which are operational in densely popular tourist areas or during peak tourist season.