The Philippines Has 17 Regions — Here Are Typical Dishes From Each One

Ready for the ultimate cross-country food trip?

1. Have a bowl of pinikpikan (chicken soup) and a slab of etag (preserved meat) from the mountains of Cordillera.

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Pinikpikan is prepared by beating the chicken with a stick to improve the flavor of the flesh. Grab a bowl and take a sip before turning up your nose. Etag, on the other hand, is Cordillera's version of cured pork, usually prepared with salt and sun-dried for several weeks.

2. Feast on empanada (stuffed pastry), bagnet (crispy pork belly), longganisa (sausage), and dinengdeng (vegetable stew) in the Ilocos Region.

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You can distinguish the Ilocos empanada from its Spanish cousins not only by its bright orange color but also by its filling — egg, mung bean, and some Vigan longganisa (Ilocos's version of garlicky sausage). Elevate your Ilocos empanada experience by dipping it in some spiced vinegar!

And for an out-of-this-world meal, try some crispy bagnet and a side of dinengdeng (a mix of local vegetables stewed in shrimp paste).

3. Satisfy your noodle cravings with pancit cabagan and pancit batil patung (stir-fried noodles) in Cagayan Valley.

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These pancit dishes may look like rivals, but you can never go wrong with either. Pancit cabagan in usually topped with quail eggs and lechon carajay (crispy pork belly), while batil patung is topped with carabeef, poached egg, and pork liver.

4. Take a spoonful of sisig (grilled pork mixed with onions and calamansi juice) and a bite of pastillas (carabao milk candy) in Central Luzon.

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Grab at least two bottles of beer and gulp it with sisig — a mixture of grilled pork ears and meat, chopped onions, chicken liver, chili, and calamansi juice. For dessert, have some pastillas, a sweet candy made from carabao's milk.

5. Twist your fork on a plate of pancit Malabon (stir-fried noodles) in the National Capital Region.

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Pancit Malabon is a must if you're ever in the Philippines' capital region. Toppings may include eggs, prawns, squid, or chicharon (crispy pork skin), but one thing will remain the same: that decadent savory sauce.

6. Grab a hot bowl of bulalo (beef shank soup) and a slice of buko (coconut) pie in Calabarzon.

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Parts of Calabarzon tend to have a lower temperature than the surrounding towns, which is why a piping bowl of bulalo (beef shanks and bone marrow in light soup) feels just right. Finish off with a slice of sweet and chunky coconut pie and you'll be cheering.

7. Have some danggit lamayo (dried fish) for breakfast and some sihi shells (local edible shellfish) for lunch in Mimaropa.

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Nothing beats a big breakfast of danggit lamayo (dried fish) with eggs and rice after a night out by the beach in the islands of Mimaropa. A helping of sihi shells might be a bit tricky, though, since you need a pin to take out the meat from the shell, but it's definitely worth the hard work!

8. Pass the spice level test with servings of laing (taro leaves in coconut milk) and Bicol Express (pork and chili in coconut milk) in the Bicol Region.

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Bicolanos love their chili and coconut milk, which are the main ingredients of laing and Bicol Express. While dried taro leaves are the star of laing, juicy bite-size pieces of pork take center stage for Bicol Express.

9. Fill your tummy with some mango pizza, binakol (chicken and coconut soup), inasal (chicken barbecue), and La Paz batchoy (pork noodle soup) in Western Visayas.

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If you've ever been to Guimaras, you know how much the people there take pride in their mangoes — and for good reason. Try the mango pizza before you knock it. While you're at it, have some binakol, which is chicken cooked in some coconut water and grated coconut.

For barbecue lovers, a serving of chicken inasal might just take you to barbecue heaven. Inasal is chicken marinated in lemongrass, coconut vinegar, annatto, and other spices before hitting the hot coals. For dinner, have a bowl of La Paz batchoy, a noodle dish made with pork innards, pork crackling, and chicken stock.

10. Have a glorious helping of lechon (roasted suckling pig) and puso (rice in woven coconut leaves) in Central Visayas.

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You can find lechon basically anywhere in the Philippines, but Cebu has the best kind, so be sure to have it along with a packet or two of puso — rice packed in coconut leaves.

11. Snack on some sagmani (cassava/sweet potato in coconut milk), moron (ground rice cooked in coconut milk), and binagol (taro in coconut milk) in Eastern Visayas.

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Usually found on the side of the road, these sweet delicacies made from taro, cassava, sweet potatoes, and rice would be perfect souvenirs to bring back home.

12. Count how many sticks of chicken and beef satti (grilled meat skewers) you can finish and try to stop yourself from having some sweets off the bangbang sug tray (a platter of native pastries) in Western Mindanao.

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Satti is a derivative of Southeast Asia's satay, and Western Mindanao has an abundance of these savory sticks because of neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. For tourists with a sweet tooth, try an assortment of pastries (bangbang sug) made with coconut, best partnered with a cup of coffee.

13. Try palapa (a sweet and spicy condiment) with the local dishes in Northern Mindanao.

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Palapa is a popular condiment in Mindanao. It is sweet and spicy and typically made with scallions, ginger, chili, and grated coconut. It's usually served as a side dish or as an ingredient for local dishes.

14. Don't miss out on Southern Mindanao's durian ice cream and top-grade pomelo.

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Davao is known for a lot of notorious things (*coughs* the president hails from this province *coughs*), and durian is one of them. If you're not a fan of the smell, maybe you could try durian in ice cream form and see if that changes your mind. You can also have a bite of juicy pomelo while you're at it!

15. If you love tuna, a trip to Central Mindanao (or Soccsksargen) for a bite of its kinilaw (raw tuna in vinegar) and grilled tuna panga (jaw) should be in order.

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Central Mindanao, particularly General Santos City, is well-known for its freshest catch of tuna. In nearby restaurants, don't forget to order a plate of kinilaw (tuna ceviche) and a serving of grilled panga (tuna jaw).

16. Once you hit Caraga, be sure to grab a few cones of sayongsong (steamed rice cakes).

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These steamed rice cakes can be hard to make, which is probably why they're so worth the try. The purple color doesn't come from any artificial food coloring but from a native deep-purple glutinous rice called pirurutong.

17. And finally, munch on some pastil (packed rice with shredded meat) to finish off your Filipino food trip in ARMM (or BARMM)!

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Pastil is prepared by stuffing shredded beef, chicken, or fish into a ball of steamed rice and then packing it into a banana leaf. Its simplicity and convenience (not to mention yumminess) make it the perfect thing to munch on for tourists on the go.

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