Manila travel guide
Best Street Food in Manila: Where & What to Eat
Manila is famous for adobo (vinegar-braised chicken or pork), lechon roast pig, halo-halo shaved-ice dessert, and the Chinese-Filipino food crawl through Binondo’s 400-year-old Chinatown. For modern Filipino, BGC and Makati’s restaurants reinvent the classics.
Eating in Manila: what you need to know
Manila’s food story is fusion by history: Spanish stews, Chinese noodles, Malay sour soups and American sweet tooth, plus halo-halo over everything. Binondo is the essential crawl.
Must-try dishes in Manila
| Dish | What it is | Where to try it | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobo | The national dish — chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy and garlic | Aristocrat or any carinderia | ₱150–250 |
| Lechon | Whole roast pig with crackling skin — Cebu is the capital, Manila imports it well | Pepita’s Kitchen or Elar’s | ₱250–400 |
| Halo-halo | Shaved-ice “mix-mix” with ube, leche flan, jackfruit and ice cream | Razon’s or Chowking for the classic | ₱90–160 |
The best food spots in Manila
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Binondo food crawl (Ongpin St) · Binondo
Cuisine: Chinese-Filipino · Expect to pay: ₱400
Must order: Dong Bei dumplings, fried siopao, Eng Bee Tin hopia
Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila
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Aristocrat Restaurant · Roxas Blvd
Cuisine: Filipino institution (1936) · Expect to pay: ₱350
Must order: Chicken barbecue with java rice
432 San Andres St, Malate, Manila
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Locavore · BGC
Cuisine: Modern Filipino · Expect to pay: ₱600
Must order: Sizzling sinigang
10 Forbes Town Rd, BGC, Taguig
Also in philippines
best street food in Manila — FAQs
What food is Manila famous for?
Manila is famous for adobo (vinegar-braised chicken or pork), lechon roast pig, halo-halo shaved-ice dessert, and the Chinese-Filipino food crawl through Binondo’s 400-year-old Chinatown. For modern Filipino, BGC and Makati’s restaurants reinvent the classics.
Last reviewed and updated: by the AmazingAsia editorial team. See our editorial policy.