What to Eat in the Philippines and Where to Buy Groceries: A Guide to Local Food, Chinese Food, Supermarkets and Wet Markets

First, Reassurance: More Choices Than You Think

Many people worry before arriving that "Southeast Asian food won't suit me." After landing, most clients report the opposite: the Philippines offers plenty of food choice — local, Chinese, Western, Japanese and Korean, fast food and delivery all available, especially in the big cities.

There are a few reasons. Philippine cuisine grew out of a long blend of cultures and is inherently inclusive; the country has a large, deeply rooted Chinese community that has woven Chinese food into daily life; and a strong mall culture plus delivery apps mean that whether you want to eat local, homestyle, or international, the barrier is low.

We will look at this in parts: local dishes, Chinese food, eating out and delivery, groceries, drinking water, and prices. To arrange your visa, housing, and settle-in life together, a Yixing settle-in advisor can help you map it out.

Local Food: Sweet, Salty, Rich, and Seafood-Rich — Dishes to Try

Filipino food overall leans sweet, salty, and rich, seasoned with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and coconut milk, with rice as the absolute staple served at nearly every meal. It follows a different logic from Chinese cooking, but plenty of dishes suit a Chinese palate. A few national favorites to know first:

• Adobo — meat (chicken or pork) braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper; tangy, savory, and often called the Philippines' national dish.
• Sinigang — a sour soup soured with tamarind, cooked with meat or seafood and vegetables; bright and appetizing, and a quick favorite for many Chinese newcomers.
• Lechon — whole roast suckling pig with crisp skin and tender meat, the centerpiece of festive banquets.
• Halo-halo — literally "mix-mix," shaved ice with condensed milk, taro, beans, pudding, and fruit; the classic tropical dessert for beating the heat.

Being an archipelago, the Philippines also has abundant and relatively cheap seafood — fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish are fresh and easy to get, and many markets and restaurants will cook your pick on the spot. Local food is the fastest window into the country.

Chinese Food Is Everywhere: Hotpot, Cantonese, Fujian — Homesick Stomachs Welcome

This is often the most reassuring point for Chinese clients: in the Philippines, Chinese food is not a rarity but an everyday staple. Because the Chinese community is large and long-established, Chinese cuisine is deeply woven into the local food map.

In Manila's old Chinatown, Binondo — said to be one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world — and across major cities, you will find Cantonese, Fujian (Hokkien), hotpot, dim sum, roast meats, noodles, and Chinese fast food, right down to homey little regional eateries. Craving a hotpot, a bowl of hot noodle soup, or roast goose and char siu over rice is rarely a problem. In recent years more mainland-China restaurant brands and Sichuan/Hunan-style spots have opened too, widening the choice.

In short, "can't find Chinese food in the Philippines" is a worry that barely exists. For a map of Binondo's Chinese food, the Chinese living circle, and how to fit into the local Chinese community, see our guide to the Chinese community and Binondo Chinatown.

Eating Out and Delivery: Food Courts, Fast Food, and Apps

The Philippines has an extremely developed mall culture. Large malls such as SM, Robinsons, and Ayala almost all house big food courts and a range of restaurants — local, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Western, and chain brands in one air-conditioned, clean, convenient spot. For many families this is the default for everyday meals out and weekend gatherings.

Fast food is just as widespread: the homegrown national brand Jollibee is found almost everywhere, its fried chicken and sweet-style spaghetti beloved by locals, and international fast-food chains are common too.

Even easier are the delivery apps — GrabFood and Foodpanda are the mainstream platforms, covering a huge range of restaurants, with orders placed by phone and delivered to your home or office — especially friendly to new arrivals still learning their neighborhood.

Where to Buy Groceries: Supermarkets, Wet Markets, and Chinese Stores

If you want to cook, there are mainly three sourcing channels, best used in combination:

• Large chain supermarkets. SM Supermarket, Robinsons Supermarket, Landmark and others sit inside malls, stocking both local and imported goods with a tidy, clearly priced environment — good for regular bulk shopping and imported items.
• Wet markets. Traditional local markets where produce, fresh meat, and seafood are fresher and cheaper; this is where locals and budget-savvy foreigners buy their fresh food. Some bargaining is fine; the trade-offs are a less tidy setting and mostly cash.
• Chinese supermarkets / Asian grocers. The savior of a Chinese kitchen — soy sauce, dark soy, doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, dried goods, fermented tofu, hotpot bases, and noodles/rice vermicelli are mostly available. The Binondo area and Chinese districts in various cities are especially well stocked, so recreating home flavors rarely lacks ingredients.

A good combination: fresh produce and seafood at the wet market, imported and household goods at the supermarket, Chinese seasonings at the Chinese grocer — fresh, economical, and to your taste.

Drinking Water and Hygiene: Don't Drink the Tap — Bottled or Filtered Is Safer

One thing to remember: tap water in the Philippines is generally not recommended for direct drinking. While water quality is improving in some areas, to be safe, local households and foreigners alike commonly use bottled/purified water or install filtration, and use purified water for cooking, tea, and mixing formula.

Bottled-water delivery is convenient in cities, with many residences and shops arranging regular refills; convenience stores and supermarkets sell bottled water everywhere too. Sorting out your home's drinking water right after landing is a basic first step.

When eating out, water and ice at proper restaurants, malls, and chains are usually fine; at street stalls, use judgment and mind hygiene. Your stomach needs a little time to adjust, so keeping the first few weeks lighter — rather than diving straight into heavy or raw-and-cold dishes — makes for a smoother start.

Prices and Wrap-Up: Local Is Cheap, Imported Is Pricier — Your Call

Finally, spending. Food prices follow the same logic as overall living costs: local ingredients, local meals, and street fast food are relatively cheap; imported ingredients, Western restaurants, and imported drinks are noticeably pricier. Buying local at the wet market and cooking is very low cost; keeping a full imported/Western diet pushes spending up fast. The more local you eat, the more you save; the more "imported as-is," the more you pay — the control is in your lifestyle.

This article is an objective food introduction and gives no specific prices; grocery and meal costs keep shifting with season, location, exchange rates, and inflation. For how food fits into overall spending and a budget framework, see our breakdown of the cost of living in Makati and BGC.

All told, eating in the Philippines can be lean or refined — a homesick stomach really need not settle. For settle-in support tailored to your family, contact the Yixing settle-in team and we'll help you settle in. Please treat specifics as subject to actual conditions.