30 Philippine Exotic Foods You Must Try (If You Dare)
Your No-Nonsense Guide to the Philippines Exotic Foods Wildest Dishes. Ready for a daring adventure in Philippine exotic foods? Let’s skip the boring. You’re not here for another list of fried rice and sweet desserts. You’re here for the real stuff — the edible legends, the cultural taboos, Philippine Exotic Foods, the dishes that spark gasps and Instagram stories. This Philippine Exotic Foods guide explores the most authentic local cuisine in the country.
🔥 Dare to Accept The Philippine Exotic Foods Challenge?
Philippine exotic foods offer a visceral experience that goes beyond mere eating. Think you’ve tasted weird? Try balut — a boiled duck embryo, feathers and all. How about goat bile stew or Filipino pig blood stew (dinuguan)? These aren’t just Filipino delicacies — they’re rites of passage. But trust us: beneath the shock lies flavor, soul, and history.
🤤 Ready to Shock Your Taste Buds and Your Feed By Philippine Exotic Foods?
This isn’t your average Philippine exotic foods blog. We’re diving deep into 30 Philippine exotic foods, exploring the most daring, delightful, and downright bizarre Filipino street food—from tribal comfort food to midnight market snacks. Each one has a backstory, a texture that challenges, and a flavor that lingers. We’re providing a guide to Philippine exotic dishes that will lead you to the most incredible experiences of Filipino street food culture and traditions and introduce you to some of the wildest Philippines Exotic Foods have to offer.
👉 So, What’s Next?
Scroll through the Philippine exotic foods list. Bookmark your favorites. Share your reactions. Whether you’re a food daredevil or a curious first-timer, this guide will transform how you see Philippine exotic foods — forever.
The Unforgettable First Bite: Legendary Philippine Exotic Foods You Can’t Miss.
Here are 30 of the wildest, weirdest, strangest but wonderful Philippine exotic foods you’ll come across—and whether you should take that first bite.
1. 🥚Balut- one of the wildest Philippine exotic foods
What it is: A fertilized duck egg, boiled and eaten from the shell
Where to try it: Street stalls, wet markets, anywhere after 6PM
This is the king of Filipino food dares. Balut is soft-boiled legend: part egg, part duck embryo, all unforgettable. Crack it open and you might see feathers, a beak, and yes, a half-formed chick. Crunchy beak? Check. Emotional scarring? Maybe. But the taste? Rich, meaty, and oddly comforting.
💬 Traveler Tip: Add salt and chili vinegar to balance the richness. Don’t think—just slurp.
💥 Verdict: If you can handle this, everything else is easy.
2. 🐟Kinilaw- an extra ordinary Philippine exotic foods.
What it is: Filipino-style ceviche made with raw tuna and vinegar
Where to try it: Beachside carinderias, seafood joints. Try Marina Tuna Seafood Restaurant, near the back of Ecoland Bus Terminal.
Imagine sashimi marinated in vinegar, citrus, chilies, and ginger. Kinilaw is cold, sharp, and refreshing, with raw fish that practically melts on your tongue. Often garnished with radish, cucumber, and coconut milk in some regions.
💬 Budget Note: Best enjoyed with a cold San Miguel. It’s a beach pulutan classic.
💥 Verdict: Bright, zesty, and seriously addicting.
3.🐐 Papait-bitter Philippine exotic foods.
What it is: Goat or beef innards sautéed with bitter bile and ileum
Where to try it: Ilocos and Davao roadside eateries. Mang Lando’s Kambingan, Davao serves superb papait. It is near SM Ecoland and beside the entrance of Circle B Inn at Matina Aplaya Road.
Papait means “bitter,” and it owns that flavor. Made with goat tripe and small intestines, its signature taste comes from “ilogon”—a bile-rich portion of the ileum. It’s gamey, earthy, and proud of it. This offal dish is for the adventurous.
💬 Pro Tip: Pair with rice, calamansi, and Coke. The bitterness bites, but the spice heals.
💥 Verdict: For serious adventurers only.
4.🧠 Tuslob-Buwa
What it is: Pork brain stew used for dipping rice
Where to try it: Pasil Market, Cebu City
Boiled pig brains, garlic, and liver paste create a bubbling gray stew that locals dip rice into. One wok, a group of eaters, and a whole lot of bold flavor. It’s gritty, fatty, and real.
💬 Backpacker Advice: This is food storytelling material. Don’t look—just dip.
💥 Verdict: Street food doesn’t get wilder than this.
5.🐐 Kilawin
What it is: Goat skin ceviche with spicy vinegar and onions
Where to try it: Pampanga, Davao, Central Luzon
Kilawin is Kinilaw’s tougher cousin. Imagine chewy goat skin sliced thin and soaked in vinegar, garlic, and ginger. It’s spicy, sour, and not for the dental weak.
💬 Eat Like a Local: Pair with beer and pretend it’s beef jerky.
💥 Verdict: Rugged and bold. For the chew-enthusiasts.
5. 🐓Chicken Feet (Adidas)
What it is: Chicken feet (Adidas) street food grilled, stewed, or cooked in coconut milk
Where to try it: Street food vendors everywhere
Mostly bone and skin, but the flavor? Garlic, soy, and smoke. The toes curl up on the grill like they’re waving goodbye.
💬 Cheap Eats: One of the cheapest street snacks. Great on a stick, with vinegar.
💥 Verdict: Tastes like chicken bubble wrap. You’ll be surprised.
7. 🍲 Soup Number 5
What it is: Bull testicles and penis stew
Where to try it: Ilocos, Davao, and provinces that brag about “stamina”
It’s not subtle. A dish served with a wink and a legend. Simmered with herbs until tender and served with rice, this stew is said to awaken your inner macho. This is one of the most famous Filipino aphrodisiacs.
💬 No Shame: This is folk medicine meets meat. Just go for it.
💥 Verdict: A wild tale you can taste.
8. 🌿 Takway
What it is: Taro vine shoots cooked in coconut milk and garlic
Where to try it: Iloilo, Western Visayas
Alien in appearance, slimy in texture, but bursting with creamy, earthy flavor. Vegan-friendly, too!
💬 Local Legend: Wartime survival food turned cult classic.
💥 Verdict: Slippery, surprising, and delicious.
9. 🍗Papisik- Hiligaynon original Philippine exotic foods
What it is: Clay-pot chicken slow-cooked in salt and herbs
Where to try it: Estancia, Iloilo (Panay Island)
This is heritage cooking: stuffed native chicken, slow-roasted in salt-lined pots. Smoky, herbal, deeply savory. Think of it as lechon’s subtle sister.
💬 Where to Find It: Order in advance from local home cooks.
💥 Verdict: Comfort food from the old world.
10. 🍳 Tapsilog
What it is: Tapa (cured beef), garlic rice, and egg
Where to try it: 24/7 eateries across the country
Tapsilog is the people’s breakfast. The beef is salty and tender, the rice is crispy-garlic heaven, and the egg’s yolk ties it all together. Try Tapsilog at Taps Busog Pinoy in Davao City.
💬 Budget Meal: ₱70–₱120 ($1–$2) for a full, satisfying start.
💥 Verdict: The Filipino breakfast you didn’t know you needed.
11. 🌶️Shabu-Shabu (Pinoy Style)
What it is: Ground dried fish cooked in coconut milk and chili
Where to try it: General Santos, Ilonggo kitchens
This isn’t Japanese hotpot. This is a thick, fiery stew of sun-dried fish crumbles, coconut cream, and chili—intense, fishy, creamy, and bold. It sticks to your tongue and your memory.
💬 Spice Warning: It kicks hard. Load up on rice.
💥 Verdict: Full-on flavor. For heat-seekers only.
12.🐟 Ginamos
What it is: Fermented anchovy paste with onions, chili, and vinegar
Where to try it: Visayas and Mindanao kitchens
Pungent, powerful, and beloved. Ginamos adds salty funk to plain rice or bananas, transforming simple meals into deeply Filipino experiences.
💬 Budget Staple: Found in rural homes and wet markets—daily food for many.
💥 Verdict: You’ll either crave it or fear it. No middle ground.
13. 🥟 Lumpia
What it is: Filipino spring rolls, deep-fried or fresh with pork or palm heart
Where to try it: Streets, homes, parties, restaurants
Crunchy on the outside, juicy or crisp inside—lumpia is a crowd favorite. Whether meat-filled or veggie fresh, it always vanishes fast at Filipino gatherings.
💬 Budget Bonus: Usually ₱10–₱20 per piece.
💥 Verdict: Gateway Filipino snack. Impossible not to love.
14. 🍖Adobo
What it is: Pork or chicken stewed in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic
Where to try it: Every home, eatery, or lunchbox across the country
Rich, tangy, and soul-warming. Adobo style cooking is the national dish for a reason—it’s simple but layered, familiar but deeply personal.
💬 Budget Tip: Often under ₱100 with rice.
💥 Verdict: A cultural must. Don’t leave the country without trying it.
15. 🍲Sinigang
What it is: Sour tamarind soup with pork, shrimp, or bangus
Where to try it: All regions—Manila to Mindanao
Tangy, hot, and comforting. It’s the Filipino answer to rainy-day blues. The sourness punches through with a gentle hug of warmth.
💬 When to Eat It: Best during typhoons or homesickness.
💥 Verdict: A bowl of nostalgia. Essential experience.
16. 🐖Lechon
What it is: Whole roasted pig with crisp skin
Where to try it: Fiestas, weddings, birthdays
Golden, crackling skin. Juicy, savory meat. Lechon is the crown jewel of Filipino feasts—carved with joy, eaten with fingers.
💥 Verdict: Once-in-a-lifetime indulgence. You’ll remember that first bite forever.
17. 🥜Kare-Kare
What it is: Oxtail stew in thick peanut sauce with vegetables
Where to try it: Home kitchens, heritage restaurants
Velvety, nutty, and comforting. It’s mellow and rich until bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) crashes the party with a salty punch. Harana and Sarung Banggi Restaurants, along F. Torres St., serves superb Kare-kare in Davao City.
💥 Verdict: Creamy comfort, balanced by funk. A rich culinary contrast.
18. 🐄Paklay
What it is: Cow innards with bamboo shoots and ginger
Where to try it: Mindanao eateries, family gatherings
Chewy, funky, and aromatic. Paklay is an offal-forward stew that isn’t trying to impress tourists—it’s made for those who grew up on bold flavors.
💥 Verdict: Deep cut for offal lovers. Tough on texture, strong on taste.
19.🍅 Kaldereta
What it is: Goat or beef stew with tomato, olives, and liver spread
Where to try it: Sunday lunches, fiestas
Hearty, tangy, and deeply satisfying. It’s comfort food with class—warm, tomato-rich, and surprisingly refined.
💥 Verdict: Adobo’s stylish cousin. Great with crusty bread or rice.
20.🥩 Mechado
What it is: Beef stew with soy sauce, tomatoes, and pork lard
Where to try it: Traditional households, turo-turo eateries
Fat-laced beef in a savory, tomato-rich gravy. It’s slow-cooked care in every bite—tender, homey, and nostalgic.
💥 Verdict: Not flashy, but full of heart. Classic comfort.
21.🍌 Pochero
What it is: Beef tomato stew with green beans, saba bananas, and cabbage
Where to try it: Southern Luzon and Visayas homes
Sweet meets savory. The ripe banana’s mild sugariness turns every spoonful into something oddly harmonious.
💥 Verdict: Don’t fear the fruit. Embrace the weirdly wonderful.
22.🍗 Afritada
What it is: Chicken stewed in tomato sauce with carrots and peas
Where to try it: Family dinners, carinderias
A kid’s favorite, and an adult’s comfort. Light, tangy, and tomato-bright—it feels like home.
💥 Verdict: Mild but meaningful. A hug from grandma.
23.🍨 Halo-Halo- an ultimate summer Philippine exotic foods
What it is: Shaved ice with milk, beans, ube, leche flan, and more
Where to try it: Jollibee, street carts, upscale malls
Sweet, colorful chaos. It’s crunchy, creamy, chewy, cold. A summer miracle in a glass.
💥 Verdict: A must-try masterpiece. “Halo-halo” means “mix-mix”—do it.
24.🌭 Longganisa
What it is: Filipino sausage—garlicky, sweet, or spicy by region
Where to try it: Breakfast eateries nationwide
Sticky, meaty, and bold. Every region’s version is slightly different, but all pair perfectly with rice and egg.
💥 Verdict: Wake-up flavor bomb. Filipino mornings start here.
25. 🩸Dinuguan
What it is: Filipino pig blood stew with vinegar and chili
Where to try it: Markets, fiestas, home kitchens. Available in Siargao.
Dark, rich, and velvety. Served with puto (rice cake), it’s less scary than it sounds—think pork adobo’s gothic sibling.
💥 Verdict: An unforgettable classic. Just take one bite.
26. 🐞Salagubang Steak – Kapampangan Philippine exotic foods.
What it is: Edible June beetles, often cooked Adobo style Where to try it: Pampanga region, local eateries specializing in Kapampangan cuisine
A truly intense delicacy for the fearless palate. Salagubang, or June beetles, are transformed into a crunchy, robust “steak.” Prepared with a potent blend of vinegar and soy sauce, these beetles offer an unconventional and surprisingly earthy flavor. The texture is key: a satisfying, addictive crunch that challenges and rewards. It’s a dive into sustainable, traditional insect gastronomy.
💬 Traveler Tip: Focus on the savory, nutty flavor rather than the appearance. They are often served sizzling hot!
💥 Verdict: A bold step into entomophagy. If you crave intense texture and earthy flavors, this is your challenge.
27. 🐛Tamilok- Palawan Philippine exotic foods
What it is: Raw woodworms (actually mollusks) harvested from mangrove trees, marinated in vinegar Where to try it: Palawan (especially Puerto Princesa) and coastal regions with mangroves
Dare to confront the unfathomable with this legendary seafood. Tamilok are harvested directly from rotting mangrove wood and eaten raw, kinilaw style (like ceviche). They are slimy, tender, and deliver an ultimate plunge into the taste of the ocean. The sensation is like a burst of seawater and oyster, a truly bracing and unforgettable experience. This is a highly sought-after Filipino woodworm delicacy (Tamilok).
💬 Traveler Tip: Eat it quickly and embrace the sharp vinegar marinade. It’s an acquired taste, but a must-try for seafood lovers.
💥 Verdict: A raw, visceral, and powerful taste of the Philippines’ marine biodiversity.
28. 🦗Kamaru
What it is: Mole crickets (Kamaru) in Pampanga, often prepared Adobo style or pan-fried Where to try it: Pampanga (the Culinary Capital of the Philippines), specifically during harvest season
A crisp, savory challenge rooted in agricultural tradition. Kamaru, mole crickets harvested from rice fields, are transformed into a delectable snack. They offer a distinctive, nutty crunch and are often praised for their satisfying texture. This delicacy turns a common insect into an irresistible, provocative bite, showcasing the innovative spirit of Filipino cooking.
💬 Traveler Tip: They pair perfectly with a cold beer (pulutan). Enjoy them hot and fresh for the best crunch. 💥 Verdict: An accessible entry point into insect eating. Surprisingly addictive and flavorful.
29. 🍢 Isaw
What it is: Grilled chicken or pork intestines, skewered and dipped in vinegar Where to try it: Every street corner, especially near markets and universities
The undisputed king of Filipino street food. Isaw is a smoky, intense delicacy. Meticulously cleaned, boiled, and then grilled over charcoal, these intestines offer a chewy texture and a fiery punch when dipped in spicy vinegar. It’s a challenge of texture and flavor, embodying the vibrant, raw excitement of Filipino street food culture and traditions. If you’re wondering how to eat isaw, just grab a skewer and dip it!
💬 Traveler Tip: Don’t skip the vinegar dip; it cuts through the richness and adds a necessary kick.
💥 Verdict: A mandatory experience for anyone exploring the heart of Filipino street food.
🎁 30. Bonus Dare: Durian-crazy smell of Philippine Exotic Foods.
What it is: Infamous Southeast Asian fruit with spiky shell and pungent aroma Where to try it: Davao, roadside stands, fruit markets
Smells like gym socks, tastes like creamy caramel custard. Love it or hate it, it’s Southeast Asia’s most extreme fruit experience.
💥 Verdict: The wildest finish to your Filipino exotic foods tour.
❓ FAQs About Bizarre Philippine Exotic Foods
1. Are these bizarre Filipino dishes safe to eat? Yes, absolutely. These dishes are locally beloved and time-tested. They’re served across the Philippines and prepared by skilled cooks using traditional methods. Just make sure you eat from a clean, reputable source.
2. Where can I find these foods if I visit the Philippines? You’ll find many in local carinderias (budget eateries), public markets, and street food vendors. For more adventurous dishes like tuslob-buwa or Soup Number 5 and Balut), ask locals—they’ll know where to guide you.
3. What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies? Many dishes here involve seafood, offal, or nuts (like Kare-Kare). Always ask what’s in the food. Most Filipino hosts or vendors will gladly explain ingredients and help you avoid allergens.
4. Which dish should I try first as a beginner? Start with adobo, tapsilog, or Kinilaw—they’re less intimidating and incredibly flavorful. Once you’re comfortable, level up with balut or dinuguan.
5. Is balut as gross as people say? It’s definitely a mental challenge, especially the first time. But many find the flavor surprisingly pleasant—like a rich egg soup with tender meat. Add salt, vinegar, and a sense of humor.
6. Can vegetarians enjoy any bizarre Filipino dishes? Yes! Adobong Takway (taro vines in coconut milk) is a delicious plant-based option. Some desserts like halo-halo are also vegetarian-friendly.
7. Why are some of these dishes considered “bizarre”? What’s strange to one culture is comfort food to another. Many of these dishes are rooted in indigenous practices, wartime survival, or zero-waste cooking—making them bold, brilliant, and culturally rich.
8. What drinks go well with these dishes? A cold San Miguel Pale Pilsen is a popular pairing with savory and spicy dishes. For non-alcoholic options, go for ice-cold Coke, grape juice or calamansi juice.
9. Are these foods available outside the Philippines? Some Filipino restaurants abroad serve dishes like adobo, lechon, or lumpia, but the wilder ones like Soup Number 5 or tuslob-buwa are rare. Try them locally for the full experience.
10. What’s the weirdest dish on this list? That’s subjective—but Soup Number 5 and Balut) often takes the title. Balut and tuslob-buwa are also strong contenders for fear factor food and shock factor.
🌏 Final Thoughts: Embrace the Philippine Exotic Foods Adventure
Filipino cuisine doesn’t whisper—it roars. It’s proud, funky, soulful, and fearless. From Balut’s legend to halo-halo’s joy, every dish tells a story written in spice, history, and heart.
So the next time you hear about dinuguan or see a pot of tuslob-buwa, don’t look away—lean in. Taste the fear, chew through the unknown, and discover a culture that feeds the brave.
👉 Tried any of these? Got your own Filipino food dare tale? Drop it in the comments or subscribe to our monthly foodie dive into Asia’s boldest bites.
Now that you have known our 30 Philippine Exotic Foods, why try visiting 24 Epic Waterfalls in SurigaoDel Sur Mindanao Philippines.
If you are in Davao City and want to accept the challenge, I could guide you. Message me on WhatsApp: +63 995 114 1334.
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