Street snack
PHP 20–60Typical 2020s fishball or barbecue stick — not a live quote.
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Spice52
Umami74
Street food82
Technique58
Accessibility70
Price spread38
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
What is Filipino cuisine?
Filipino cuisine is sour more than chili-hot: adobo in vinegar and soy, sinigang in tamarind. Chinese noodles, Spanish fiesta roasts and American sweet-sauces sit on an Austronesian rice-and-bagoong base.
Is it always spicy?
Filipino cuisine sits at spice 52 in this atlas. Adobo and Sinigang show the range better than a single heat number.
What should a first meal include?
Adobo plus one regional plate — not only the export icon.
What is Adobo?
Vinegar-garlic stew method, many meats.
How do people eat at home?
A fiesta is lechon and a table that does not run out. A Tuesday is rice, a sour soup and leftover adobo that tastes better on day two.
What travels poorly?
The home pantry around Adobo and the labour behind Sinigang rarely fit a takeaway box.
Filipino cuisine has a wide middle: a street snack near PHP 20–60 and a tasting menu can share one city.
Figures below are typical 2020s bands, not live quotes or reservation prices.
Cost bands
Everyday lunch
PHP 80–180Carinderia rice-and-ulams, 2020s.
Casual dinner
PHP 250–500Sit-down per person.
Night out
PHP 700–1,500Nicer Manila restaurant share.
Fine dining
PHP 2,000–5,000+Modern-Filipino tasting rooms.
Regions
Metro Manila
The blended national menu.
Pampanga / Central Luzon
Fiesta craft.
Ilocos
Salt and bagoong.
Bicol
Chili-coconut.
Visayas / Mindanao
Roast and southern tables.
Diaspora US / Gulf / AU
OFW kitchens as a region.
Key market numbers
52 / 100Atlas spice
82 / 100Atlas streetFood
PHP 20–60Typical snack
Lutuing FilipinoNative name
Makers & cooks
Carinderia
Steam-table home food for workers.
Ihaw-ihaw stalls
Night grills.
Home adobo pots
The majority cuisine.
Lechoneros
Fiesta roast specialists.
Jollibee and peers
A popular industrial taste.
OFW groceries
The diaspora pantry makers.
The market that feeds most diners is still the everyday lunch room and the household pot, not the export tasting menu.
Keep exploring
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