Nothing compares to the Filipinos’ love for food. Aside from the usual three meals served each day, Filipinos still enjoy taking several snacks in between those meals. And if you want to know where to grab these snacks, remember to go where the locals go – to the streets. The street food scene of the Philippines is very much alive in every corner of every city and province. If you want to get a variety of food to eat for a minimal amount, don’t hesitate to hit the streets!
Philippines’ Street Food Favorites
To help you navigate around the vibrant and exciting world of street food in the Philippines, here’s a quick list of the street food that you must try!
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Kwek-kwek/ Tokneneng
Just the thought of kwek-kwek makes me hungry. Who does not love hard-boiled egg? To make this dish appetizing, vendors dress these quail eggs by coating them with orange batter and deep-frying them.
PRICE RANGE: 3 pieces for P10
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Tempura
Innovative as ever, the Filipinos came up with a street style version of the classic Japanese tempura which is way affordable for the people. Instead of using shrimp and fish fillet, Philippine tempura is made from mixed flour, milk, spring onions, and seasoning to add taste. These are then skewered in a bamboo stick after having been deep-fried. Like fishball, this has been the staple food sold in the streets of the Philippines.
PRICE RANGE: 3 pieces for P10
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Chicken Proben
If you want something exotic, then chicken proben (or chicken proven) should be a must-try for you! This crispy and mouth-watering delicacy is made from the proventriculus of the chicken – the stomach part of the digestive system in between the crop and gizzard. It is mixed with cornstarch and flour before being deep-fried.
PRICE RANGE: P20
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Balut
A trip around the streets of the Philippines wouldn’t be complete without daring to try the infamous balut – a fertilized duck egg incubated for 14 to 21 days. It is often sold on streets altogether with penoy – the regular boiled duck egg.
PRICE RANGE: P20+
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Tornado Potato
Uhuh, the streets have already adapted a cheaper version of those tornado potatoes sold at a very expensive price on your favorite fastfood restaurants.
PRICE RANGE: P25+
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Puto Bumbong
Guess what, puto bumbong has now become a part of the growing list of food sold in the streets of the country! Now, you no longer need to wait for the Christmas season to get a taste of this classic kakanin! The streets of Cebu has also adapted a sweeter version of this by adding a mouthful of cheese and condensed milk.
PRICE RANGE: P20 – P50
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Manga with Hipon (Bagoong)
This perfect combination of mango and shrimp paste is surely something that you should not miss on the streets! Get ready to salivate for this most sought after food item in the Philippines!
PRICE RANGE: P10 – P30 (depends on size and season)
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Siomai
This classic Chinese favorite has become a favorite among street food gastronomers as these are sold for a very cheap price in the streets of the Philippines! The reason why these siomais are cheap is because they add more vegetables on this dish and less pork. This is then paired with siomai sauce and soy sauce to add taste. Burp!
PRICE RANGE: P3 – P60
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Mais
Corn has become a part of the staple food of many Filipinos; no wonder, it has been easily accepted as part of the streetfood scene. Corn is served in various ways in different parts of the country: grilled, boiled, or topped with cheese. What’s your favorite?
PRICE RANGE: P10 – P30
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Mani
A stroll around the streets of the Philippines is best done with peanuts on hand! Whether you opt for the boiled ones or the deep-fried peanuts, surely you’ll never go wrong with peanuts when addressing that growling of your stomach.
PRICE RANGE: P5 – P20
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Isaw
Another iconic dish among the street foods in the Philippines is isaw – a barbecued intestines of chicken which has been thoroughly cleaned before being boiled, skewered, and grilled (or deep-fried). To add taste, it is often dipped into a spiced vinegar.
PRICE RANGE: P5 – P10
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Barbecue
Barbecue has been long part of the street food scene of the country as it is one of the easiest to purchase on streets. There’s nothing more mouth-watering than to smell the juice dripping from the meat of the grilled barbecue. Barbecues in the Philippines come in various kinds – from pork barbecue to chicken barbecue to intestines and other lamang-loob.
PRICE RANGE: P5 – P150
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Hotcake
The classic homemade recipe of hotcakes in the Philippines has become a favorite of all of Filipinos across all ages. This is sold together with cold drinks to perfectly complete an afternoon snack.
PRICE RANGE: P5
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Saang
Aside from deep-fried meat and sweets, seafood has also made its entry into the world of seafood! Conch shells and spider shells have long become a favorite among Cebuanos. Enjoy this meaty delicacy by dipping it into spiced vinegar! Yum!
PRICE RANGE: P5 – P30
And the list could go on. What about you? What’s your favorite street food? Share down below or let’s talk more about food on Facebookand Instagram!
PS. Thanks Idas for hanging around to take these shots and tagging along on this project. To more food adventures we go.
Dakilanglaagan 