Challenge your taste buds with 15 of the most exotic foods in the Philippines! This Southeast Asian country offers various exotic dishes that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. From bizarre Filipino foods like balut and soup number five to insects and pig parts, Philippine cuisine isn’t afraid to push the limits of both taste and texture!
If you’re looking to dive deep into Filipino culture, there’s no better way than sampling these one-of-a-kind dishes. The country’s rich diversity has shaped these unique foods, showcasing its people’s creativity and resourcefulness as they turn local ingredients into something tasty and unforgettable. Here are 15 exotic foods in the Philippines you shouldn’t miss!
1. Balut
Made from unfertilized duck eggs, balut remains one of the most polarizing Filipino foods to date! Some love it for its intensely rich flavors, while others are repulsed by what it hides inside - a developed duck embryo. Filipinos consume it as a late afternoon snack, often paired with a dipping sauce made from vinegar and chili peppers.
2. Day Old Chick
If Balut’s developed duck embryo doesn’t faze you, then you should also try a whole chick skewered on a barbecue stick! Its bright orange color comes from the barbecue sauce it’s basted with. You dip the chick in vinegar or spicy sauce and eat everything! It’s a street food that offers a crunchy, flavorful bite to those who dare try it.
3. Adidas (Chicken Feet)
While chicken feet are popular across Asia, Filipinos make it their own by skewering, grilling, and affectionately calling it “Adidas” - after the popular shoe brand. People love eating the tasty skin and tendons on the feet with this one!
4. Betamax (Grilled Blood)
This famous street food is made from coagulated chicken blood that has solidified into a gelatin-like form. It’s then scalded, cut into pieces, skewered, and grilled until almost charred. The name “Betamax” comes from its shape, calling to mind Betamax tapes from back in the day. It’s a simple and cheap snack best served with a dip of vinegar for flavor.
5. Isaw
Made from cooked chicken or pork intestines, isaw is a favorite in the Filipino street food scene. Raw intestines are cleaned, skewered, basted with a sauce made up of garlic, soy sauce, peppers, and ketchup, and then grilled. It’s often dipped in a jar of vinegar, chopped red onions, and chili, giving you a deliciously smoky, sour, and sometimes spicy flavor combination in every bite.
6. Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew)
Others refer to this stew as “chocolate soup” or “chocolate meat” due to its color, but it’s made of pig’s blood, pork ears, and intestines. Filipinos enjoy this rich, savory stew either with rice as a meal or with puto (rice cakes) as a midday snack.
7. Chicharon Bulaklak
Made from deep-fried pork ruffled fat or mesentery, chicharon bulaklak is one of the most popular “pulutan” or beer snacks in the country. This crispy dish is often served with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce, which complements and balances its very rich, fatty flavor.
8. Tamilok (Wood Worm)
If it’s any comfort, the tamilok (or naval shipworms) isn’t a worm - it’s a shell-less saltwater clam that burrows into wood and decaying mangroves. Often eaten raw and served ceviche-style, its flavor and taste are said to resemble that of oysters - but better. It’s quite a popular exotic food for tourists going to Palawan.
9. Soup Number Five
Made from a bull’s penis and testicles, many swear by this savory broth’s aphrodisiac and healing qualities, especially for boosting virility and libido. Its rich, earthy flavor comes from the slow cooking of the organs, while the added spices lend warmth that balances the dish.
10. Adobo-Style Kamaru
In the province of Pampanga, Filipinos transformed a crop pest into a tasty delicacy! Adobong Kamaru features mole crickets cooked in vinegar, garlic, and sometimes soy sauce or tomatoes. This simple yet creative dish showcases Kapampangan’s resourcefulness in adversity.
11. Abuos (Ant Eggs)
Exotic foods in the Philippines also include other insects, like ants. In the Northern Philippines, ant eggs and larvae are called the “caviar of Ilocos.” Harvested from red weaver ant nests, they are sauteed in garlic and soy sauce, creating a tasty dish with a mix of gooey, crunchy textures and a nutty, buttery taste.
12. Tuslob Buwa
In Cebu, every part of a pig is used - even its brain! Tuslob Buwa (from “tuslob” meaning dip, and “buwa” meaning bubbles) is an exotic dish made with pork brain and eaten with “puso” or hanging rice. It’s rich and savory, with the organs giving it a creamy, custard-like texture. If you’re fond of offal-based dishes, you should try this!
13. Adobong Salagubang
Salagubang, commonly known as June beetles or May beetles, are cooked in a flavorful mix of soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. While the beetles have a mild and earthy flavor, they absorb the rich flavors of the soy sauce and vinegar, making them more enjoyable to eat.
14. Uok
Uok are coconut beetle larvae found in dead coconut logs. While locals in forested areas like to eat them raw, they can also be cooked adobo-style or fried to enhance their flavor. To eat uok, the head is removed first, and then the insides are sipped. People describe the taste as earthy and buttery, with a flavor similar to crabs or shrimp.
15. Batute Tugak (Stuffed Frog)
Batute Tugak is prepared using frogs caught from farms during the rainy season. The frogs are stuffed with minced pork or ground beef mixed with spices and then fried in oil until golden. The result is a crispy exterior dish and tender, juicy meat inside.
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