What to eat in Cebu: dishes you should try

Food is one of the best reasons to visit Cebu. Cebuanos love to eat, and the island is famous across the Philippines for its roast pig, its seafood and its sweet snacks. You do not need fancy restaurants to eat well here. Some of the best meals come from markets, street stalls and simple family eateries.

Lechon

Cebu's pride and joy. A whole pig is stuffed with herbs and spices, such as lemongrass, garlic and spring onions depending on the cook, then roasted slowly over charcoal until the skin is glassy and crisp. Cebu lechon is so well seasoned that it is often eaten without sauce. Read our full Cebu lechon guide, and visit Carcar, one of the towns best known for it.

Puso (hanging rice)

Puso is rice cooked inside a small pouch of woven coconut leaves. You will see bunches of them hanging at barbecue stalls. Cut it in half, squeeze out the rice and eat it with your hands alongside grilled meat. It is cheap, handy and very Cebuano.

Sutukil

Sutukil is short for sugba (grilled), tuwa or tula (cooked in a soup) and kilaw (raw fish "cooked" in vinegar, like ceviche). At a sutukil restaurant, you choose fresh seafood by weight, then decide how you want each piece cooked. Mactan and the coast around Lapu-Lapu are known for it. Ask the price per kilo before you choose.

Street barbecue

In the evening, smoky grills appear on street corners. Pick skewers of pork, chicken, intestines or seafood, hand them to the cook, and eat them with puso and a dip of spiced vinegar. Choose busy stalls where the food is cooked fresh and hot.

Ngohiong

Ngohiong is Cebu's own version of the spring roll, with Chinese roots. It is usually filled with ubod (heart of palm) and pork, seasoned with five-spice, then fried until crisp and served with a sweet, spicy sauce. A great cheap snack.

Tuslob buwa

For something adventurous, try tuslob buwa, which means "dip in the bubbles". A thick sauce made with pork brain and liver bubbles in a small pan in front of you, and you dip pieces of puso into it. It is a local street-food favourite, especially around Pasil in Cebu City.

More dishes to try

• Danggit: small dried rabbitfish, fried until crunchy and eaten for breakfast with garlic rice, eggs and vinegar.
• Kinilaw: fresh raw fish in vinegar with onion, ginger and chilli.
• Siomai: steamed dumplings, very popular as street food in Cebu City, served with chilli and soy sauce.
• Chorizo de Cebu: small, sweet, round sausages, often eaten with rice.
• Bam-i: a mix of two kinds of noodles, popular at celebrations.

Drinks to try

• Buko: fresh young coconut, opened in front of you. Drink the water, then scoop out the soft flesh.
• Mango shake: Philippine mangoes blended with ice. Perfect on a hot afternoon.
• Tuba: a local coconut wine, sold in some villages and markets. It is stronger than it tastes, so go slowly.

Sweets and pasalubong

Pasalubong are the treats Filipinos bring home for family and friends after a trip. Cebu has plenty:

• Dried mangoes: sweet, chewy and the most famous Cebu souvenir.
• Otap: a flaky, sugar-coated pastry that breaks into crumbs everywhere.
• Rosquillos: crisp, ring-shaped cookies first baked in Liloan, north of Cebu City.
• Dried fish: danggit and other dried seafood, sold in bulk at Taboan Market in Cebu City.

Pack dried fish well. It smells strong, and some airlines have rules about it.

Where to eat

• Carinderias (small local eateries) for cheap, home-style meals. Point at the dishes you want.
• Markets such as Carbon Market for fruit, snacks and a lively local feel.
• Street stalls for barbecue, siomai and ngohiong in the evening.
• Seafood restaurants on Mactan for sutukil.

Tips for eating in Cebu

• Rice comes with almost everything. Many places offer unlimited rice.
• Drink bottled or filtered water, and be careful with ice at small stalls if you have a sensitive stomach.
• Try eating with your hands at barbecue stalls. It is normal and part of the fun.
• Carry small notes. Stalls and eateries rarely take cards.

Eating on a budget? Read how to travel Cebu on a budget. Learn a few words for ordering in our Cebuano phrases guide.

Photo: "HANGING RICE" by whologwhy, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0.