Food And Drink

With the countries Asian location Filipino cuisine is strongly influenced by other nations in the region such as China and Malaysia. Rice is the main staple and is served with many dishes. One of the favourite dishes to be enjoyed is lechon which is a whole roasted pig and offers an unusual dining experience. Longganisa is the native sausage and is richly spiced although this does differ slightly from region to region. As mentioned earlier lovers of Chinese food will not go hungry in the Philippines and there are literally hundreds on dishes on offer that have been heavily influenced by Chinese cooking.

Best Philippines Travel Companies

Expedia
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Hotels.com
Lonely Planet Guide Books
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Thomas Cook

Each region of the Philippines has its own culture and as such local dishes vary from place to place however Pampanga is often considered the culinary centre of the nation producing some of the countries most traditional and native dishes with longganisa being a particular speciality. Of the many drinks to be enjoyed in the Philippines Tuba (or toddy) is the local favourite, this very strong drink is a type of liquor extracted from local palm trees, it is an acquired taste and may not be enjoyed by everyone but is well worth a try.

The country also produces its own gin, rum and brandy which is very highly rated and enjoyed by locals which is always a good sign of quality. Tea is also very common in the region, salabat is a tea brewed from ginger root and pandan iced tea is a very refreshing cold option made from lemon grass. Being a tropical country the fruit juices available are both fresh and varied and this is always an ideal option in the heat of this exotic country. Kape barako is a premium coffee from the cool mountains of the Batangas region. Of course the major international hotels can cater for all the tourists’ tastes and the usual range of cocktails and other drinks can be ordered from many bars in these resorts but it is always worth at least trying some of the local options available.

Food and drink in the Philippines is excellent value for money and your hard earned holiday cash will go a long way, like many destinations the best priced and in some cases best quality food and drink is found away from the mass tourist areas. For more information on food and drink to assist you with your trip then Lonely Planet travel guides offer great information on local dishes and drinks and the best places to find them, these guides are particularly good for finding places away from the tourists where real local flavours can be found, simply click here and type Philippines in the search box to order your copy.