We certainly do, which is why sampling a new destination’s local snacks is one of our low-key favorite things to do when we travel. Visiting the neighborhood convenience store or supermarket, to check out what goodies they have for us to try (along with the local beer), never fails to excite us.
In my opinion, Turkish food is one of the greatest cuisines in the world so it’s only reasonable to assume that Turkish snacks would be among our favorites as well. Just a quarter into our snack box from Turkish Munchies and it’s already shaping up to be that way!
Turkiye is famous for its kebabs and mezes but if you have a curiosity for Turkish snacks, then a snack box from Turkish Munchies may be for you.
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TURKISH MUNCHIES REVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Turkish Munchies review will cover the following points. Click on a link to jump to any section of the review.
What is Turkish Munchies?
How to get Turkish Munchies boxes?
What’s inside a Turkish Munchies box?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Final Thoughts on the Turkish Munchies box
WHAT IS TURKISH MUNCHIES?
Turkish Munchies is a snack box company that sends Turkish snacks once a month to its subscribers. No matter where you are in the world, you’ll get a carefully curated box filled with classic, new, and limited-edition Turkish treats.
Turkish Munchies is similar to Japanese subscription box companies like Tokyo Treat and Sakuraco, but what sets them apart is that they’ve devised their own snacking card game – called Yummy Battle Game – which you can get every month together with your box of treats.
More on Turkish Munchies’ subscription box options and their Yummy Battle Game in the next section.
HOW TO GET TURKISH MUNCHIES BOXES?
There are basically three ways you can get your hands (and mouths) on a Turkish Munchies snack box. Please note that listed pricing plans are accurate as of August 2023.
1. Yummy Battle Game Subscription Boxes
If you’d like to have even more fun while raiding your Turkish snack box, then this subscription plan with the Yummy Battle Game is for you. Your first box will come with an initial deck of cards while each subsequent box will come with new additional cards to supplement the deck.
1-game plan – USD 42.95 per box
3-game plan – USD 38.95 per box
6-game plan – USD 36.95 per box
12-game plan – USD 34.95 per box
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Yummy Battle Game and to subscribe.
2. Snacks-Only Subscription Boxes
If you’re interested only in snacks, then this subscription plan is for you. Boxes come in regular sizes with 10 snacks, or x-large sizes with 20 snacks.
If you’re unsure about getting a monthly subscription but would like to get one snack box, just to try it out, then you can order one ala carte. At the time of this writing, Turkish Munchies offers 12 different snack boxes curated around varying themes.
CLICK HERE to view the boxes and to order.
Ready to order? Get your Turkish Munchies snack box today!
WHAT’S INSIDE A TURKISH MUNCHIES BOX?
Depending on which subscription plan or ala carte box you order, expect to receive a fun illustrated box filled to the brim with Turkish snacks. We got the Celebration Edition which included 20 twenty different tea biscuits, chocolates, chips, caramel treats, and Turkish candy.
CELEBRATION EDITION
Isn’t the box cute? Each ala carte box features a unique design that’s every bit as irresistible as the tasty goodies instead.
To be honest, I thought the box was a little small at first but looks can be deceiving. This box was neatly organized and very well-packed. I was surprised by how many snacks they were able to fit in here!
Kat Kat Tat
If you like croissants, then this Kat Kat Tat may be the first thing you reach for in this snack box. That’s what we did!
Kat Kat Tat is a croissant-like Turkish pastry flavored with different ingredients like chocolate, strawberry, hazelnuts, and sesame seeds. In Turkish, kat kat tat translates to something like “layers of flavor” – an appropriate name for a tasty snack that’s been enjoyed in Turkiye for decades!
Poti Cakes
If cakes are your thing, then you’ll definitely want to try these Poti Cakes. It’s a puffy cakey snack made in delicious carrot, coconut, fruit, and chocolate flavors.
Badem Crackers
People who grew up in 1990s Turkey are no strangers to these iconic crackers. A nostalgic treat, snacking on these tasty almond-shaped biscuits (badem means “almond” in Turkish) will surely bring back your fondest memories of childhood.
Krispi
If you enjoy a lot of crunch in your snacks, then these Krispi stick-shaped treats are just for you. Crispy-liciously fun and addictive, they come in chili, cheese, and herb (coated in ten different herbs) flavors.
Krispi Tirtikli
Krispi Tirtikli is an equally delicious variation of our favorite Krispi sticks. They’re made in round flat shapes with a slightly ridged texture for even more texture with every bite.
Hosbes
I love wafer biscuits so this tantalizing pack of Hosbes was one of the first treats that caught my eye. Made by Eti, one of the biggest and most respected snack makers in Turkiye, these delicious Eti biscuits are made in a variety of flavors like chocolate cream, hazelnut cream, banana cream, and my personal favorite – strawberry cream.
Fittingly, hosbes in Turkish means “to have a warm and friendly talk with loved ones”. An ideal name for this tasty treat that’s best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or milk with your favorite people.
Pizza
These yummy pizza-flavored Eti biscuits are another fan favorite. After all, who doesn’t like pizza?
As it turns out, Turkish people didn’t when pizza was first introduced to the market in the early 1990s. The general public didn’t like Italian pizza – perhaps because of similar Turkish delicacies like lahmacun and pide? – so almost all pizzerias in Turkey closed within a few years.
It wasn’t until the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a hit did pizza see a revival in Turkey. Kids started pestering their mothers for pizza, and the rest is history! Cowabunga dude!
Bidolu
Bidolu is another tasty wafer treat brought to you by the Eti company. Meaning “filled to the fullest” in Turkish, it’s a crispy and creamy parcel of deliciousness flavored with mouthwatering ingredients like cacao cream, hazelnut cream, peanuts, and pistachios.
Browni Cake
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?
This popular brownie cake with the delectably moist texture and intensely chocolate-y flavor is a certified hit in Turkiye, so much so that Turkish people like to use it as a birthday cake! You can try it plain or infused with a scrumptious sour cherry sauce. Now if they only topped it with chocolate sprinkles…
Ozmo Tube
Chocolate is delicious, but liquid chocolate is even better. Squeeze Ozmo cream onto some bread or biscuits for an instant chocolate rush – anytime, anywhere.
Biscolota Mood
Think of Biscolota Mood as Turkish fortune cookies, but filled with chocolate. Each of these fun little cookies has a small picture on it with a corresponding description/fortune on the back of the box. They’re in Turkish but you can send us a picture on Instagram to ask what they mean!
Greta
If you love olives like we do, then you’re going to enjoy these Greta crackers. They’re olive-flavored crackers enhanced with the unique flavors of Aegean seeds and herbs.
Harby
Like Badem Crackers, Harby is one of the most beloved and iconic Turkish snacks. It’s a light chocolate treat that’s equally as delicious on its own or dipped in a cup of Turkish tea.
Eksi Yuz
If I tell you what this candy’s name means in Turkish, then it’ll spoil the surprise. Just pop it in your mouth and get ready to pucker up!
Shoogyipopios
Turkish pop rocks. Need I say more?
Bebeto Jelly Gum
If you’re a gummy fiend like I am, then you’re definitely going to enjoy this pack of Bebeto Jelly Gum shaped like pizza and cola.
Turkish Delight
One of the best souvenir snack foods you can buy in Turkiye is lokum or Turkish delight. It’s an irresistible selection of gelatinous confections made with a wide variety of ingredients like rosewater, mastic, nuts, orange jelly, dried apricots, and powdered sugar.
A Turkish favorite since the late 1700s, it’s something people need to try when they visit Istanbul, especially with Turkish coffee. Luckily for you, Turkish Munchies will deliver some straight to your home!
Nutzz Party
I love snacking on seeds and nuts when watching big sporting matches on tv. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are my personal favorites but boiled peanuts are a close second. If you enjoy binging on nuts like I do, then this packet of Nutzz Party is definitely for you.
It’s a crunchilicious bag of peanuts, unpopped corn kernels, and other crispy treats flavored with cheddar and onion, honey and mustard, or hot pepper. Now if they can only add sunflower seeds to the mix…
Tofita
Chewy candies make me happy so this pack of Tofita chews had me smiling from ear to ear. They come in delectable fruit flavors like cherry, strawberry, orange, and blackberry.
Caramel Waffle
Stroop or caramel waffles are to die for. They’re a beloved Dutch treat but thanks to Turkish Munchies, you can have your own Turkish version delivered right to your doorstep! Be sure to enjoy it with a cup of hot coffee or tea for maximum yumminess.
Mystery Snack
If the snack gods are smiling down upon you, then your box of Turkish Munchies may include a mystery treat. I guess it was our lucky day!
We opened up our box and found one more biscuit to tantalize our taste buds with. This Probis cookie sandwich will go great with milk, coffee, or a warm cup of tea. Teşekkür ederim!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Turkish Munchies snack box. Check out their website’s FAQs page for more information.
How much is shipping?
Free shipping applies to US/Canada orders exceeding USD 50 and for Yummy Battle Game subscriptions. Otherwise, shipping rates will be calculated based on your shipping address upon checkout.
Can I cancel my subscription at any time?
Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time and get a refund for any unclaimed boxes (minus discounts). You can refer to their refund policy for more information.
Can I skip a box?
Yes, you can. If for any reason you’d prefer not to receive a box on any particular month, then you can skip it via your Turkish Munchies admin panel. You can do this as often as you like.
Is it worth getting the Yummy Battle Game?
I haven’t played it so I can’t answer that question. But I am a fan of games and collectibles and the Yummy Battle Game is definitely something I’d get. It’s all up to you.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE TURKISH MUNCHIES BOX
If you’re a fan of those Japanese or Korean snack boxes, then you may want to give Turkish Munchies a try as well. As previously described, we haven’t gone through the entire box yet but we’ve enjoyed everything we’ve eaten so far.
Food takes you places and this box of Turkish Munchies will give you a small but tasty glimpse into Turkish snacking culture. Thanks for reading and happy snacking!
Ready to order? Get your Turkish Munchies snack box today!
Disclosure
Turkish Munchies sent us the Celebration Edition box in exchange for an honest review. As always, all thoughts, words, and opinions expressed in this article are mine and mine alone.
Some of the links in this Turkish Munchies review are affiliate links, meaning we’ll make a small commission if you purchase a box or make a snack subscription at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services that we use ourselves and firmly believe in. We really appreciate your support as it helps us make more of these free travel and food guides.
We absolutely LOVED Tangier. Within a few hours of arriving in this city, we couldn’t help but fall for its hilly streets, easygoing vibe, and magnificent ocean views. We had just spent a month in the much drier landscape of Marrakech so Tangier felt like an oasis!
Located on the northwestern tip of Morocco and Africa, Tangier lies along the coast of the Strait of Gibraltar – a narrow strait that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. Like anywhere in the country, traditional Moroccan dishes like tagine and couscous abound but the real draw in this coastal city is the seafood. From grilled sardines to swordfish tagine to fried calamari, seafood lovers will have lots to look forward to here.
We recently spent three weeks in Tangier looking for the best restaurants to have the tastiest seafood and most delicious Moroccan food. Here’s what we found.
MOROCCAN FOOD QUICK LINKS
To help you plan your trip to Tangier, we’ve compiled links to recommended hotels, tours, and other travel-related services here.
HOTELS
Recommended hotels in and around the medina, one of the best areas to stay for people on their first trip to Tangier.
Luxury: Grand Hotel Villa de France
Midrange: La Maison de Tanger
Budget: Tanja Lucia Hostel
TOURS
Sightseeing Tour: Tangier Full-Day Grand Tour
Food Tour: Food Walking Tour
Day Trip: Day Trip to Chefchaouen & Panoramic of Tangier
Cooking Classes: Tangier Cooking Classes
OTHER SERVICES
Travel Insurance (with COVID cover)
Airport Transfer
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MUST-VISIT TANGIER RESTAURANTS FOR TRADITIONAL MOROCCAN CUISINE
1. Cafe Hafa
There’s no better way to start this article on the best restaurants in Tangier than with Cafe Hafa. This legendary cafe has been offering its guests mint tea with some of the most spectacular views in Tangier for over a hundred years.
Cafe Hafa consists of two parts – a cafe and a restaurant. You can eat and drink tea at both but people looking for heavier dishes like tagine or seafood need to go to the restaurant. They offer a wider menu with traditional dishes and comfort food like tagine, fried or grilled seafood, sandwiches, salad, and pizza.
What you’re looking at below is one of their most popular dishes – grilled swordfish with a side salad and fries. It was highly recommended to us by our server and rightfully so.
If you prefer a softer and flakier fish, then perhaps you’d like to try this grilled whiting instead. It’s a type of whitefish that’s oilier and less meaty in texture.
Vegetable tajine is something we need to have with every Moroccan meal. They can be made with different vegetables but Cafe Hafa’s version had a generous amount of cubed potatoes.
And of course, a glass of delicious mint tea to wash everything down with. I enjoyed Moroccan tea so much that I stopped drinking coffee altogether!
Cafe Hafa has been open since 1921 and has attracted celebrities and creatives like Henri Matisse, The Rolling Stones, William S Burroughs, and Yves Saint Laurent over the decades. Today, it’s no longer the Bohemian and intellectual enclave it once was but it remains one of the most popular cafes in Tangier. Wait until you see the view.
This is the cafe section of Hafa. It consists of multiple tiered levels of open-air seating with an unobstructed view of the Strait of Gibraltar. We only drank mint tea here but they do serve a few light dishes as well, like msemen and other types of bread.
This is one of the restaurant’s seating areas. The cafe and restaurant are operated separately.
Here’s a shot of the view from the cafe area. Spectacular isn’t it? My camera can only capture so much so it’s even better in person. That landmass in the distance is Spain.
The sun can be a bit much but they do offer a few areas with covered seating. You’ll probably want some shade because it’s easy to get lost in that view for hours.
Cafe Hafa
Address: Rue Hafa, Tangier, Morocco Operating Hours: 9AM-11PM, daily What to Order: Seafood dishes, tagine, comfort food
2. La Terrasse – Dar El Kasbah (Kasbart)
The street where this restaurant is on is one of our favorites in Tangier. It’s a steep street that runs along the western side of the kasbah and is filled with many good Moroccan restaurants, one of them being La Terrasse – Dar El Kasbah.
Also known as Kasbart, La Terrasse doesn’t offer as wide a menu as some of the other restaurants on this list but they do offer Moroccan favorites like tagine, zaalouk, taktouka, and couscous. Pictured below was my incredibly delicious anchovy tagine.
Aside from Moroccan dishes, La Terrasse offers a few Western-style dishes as well, like this salmon bagel sandwich made with smoked salmon, avocado, cream cheese, arugula, and chives.
Healthy eaters will love the fact that Kasbart offers a wide selection of fresh juices as well.
We were lucky to stay at the top of this hill and not too far from Kasbart. We enjoyed their food and fruit juices, but the one thing that stood out the most was the restaurant itself.
True to its name, Kasbart was one of the prettiest and most artistic restaurants we visited in Tangier. This first-floor seating area was nice but I highly recommend going up to the rooftop terrace.
Isn’t this space lovely? This has to be one of the prettiest rooftop dining areas in Tangier.
Kasbart has a small shop as well selling clothing and accessories. You can dine here too if you like.
La Terrasse – Dar El Kasbah (Kasbart)
Address: 14 Rue de la Kasbah, Tanger, Morocco Operating Hours: 10AM-10PM, Tue-Sun (closed Mondays) What to Order: Tagine, Moroccan salads, breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit juices
3. Chez Hassan Bab Kasbah
Chez Hassan is a great restaurant located at the bottom of the hill from Kasbart. We ate here several times as it’s probably one of our top three favorite restaurants in Tangier. It’s an inexpensive but delicious Moroccan restaurant that serves many different types of meat and seafood tagine and grilled brochette dishes.
Before we get to the entrees, here’s a quick shot of Chez Hassan’s olives. Nearly every restaurant in Tangier starts you off with brined olives but these were the best. They’re marinated with harissa (Maghrebi chili pepper paste), giving them an extra kick. Delicious!
If you’d like a grilled seafood dish with a little bit of everything, then you may want to get this mixed seafood brochette platter. If I remember correctly, it comes with barbecues prawns, squid rings, and three types of skewered fish. You can get it with a side of Moroccan salad, vegetables, or french fries.
Chez Hassan’s grilled calamari was absolutely delicious – tender and charred in parts – so we had to get a whole plate of it on another visit.
Their chicken brochette is fantastic as well, probably the best we had anywhere in Tangier. At the time of our visit in June 2023, three large skewers went for just MAD 60.
We ate at Chez Hassan once on a Friday so we had to get the vegetable couscous. Couscous is a special dish that’s traditionally eaten only on Fridays in Morocco.
As described, Chef Hassan Bab Kasbah is an inexpensive restaurant that serves delicious food so expect it to be full at peak meal times. Even our Airbnb host called it his favorite restaurant in Tangier.
Chez Hassan Bab Kasbah
Address: 8 Rue de la Kasbah, Tanger 90000, Morocco Operating Hours: 12:30-11:30PM, daily What to Order: Tagine, grilled seafood, brochette
4. Dar Harruch
Don’t miss Dar Harruch. Not only do they serve delicious Moroccan food, but this lovely restaurant is hidden deep inside the medina. Eating here will make you feel like you’ve discovered one of Tangier’s lesser-known gems.
Dar Harruch offers typical dishes like tagine, couscous, and brochette but they offer a few Spanish dishes as well like tortilla de patata and flan. They started us off with these small clay dishes of bean stew, brined olives, harissa, and khobz.
If you’re in the mood for soup, then you may want to try harira. It’s a hearty and warming Moroccan soup made with lentils, chickpeas, and tomatoes.
Dar Harruch offers a few grilled and fried fish dishes but I highly recommend trying the swordfish plate. It’s made with a big, perfectly cooked swordfish steak and a side of pilaf and grilled vegetables. This was delicious and probably the best swordfish dish I had in Tangier.
We ate at Dar Harruch on a Friday. You know what that means right? Couscous! This time, we got it with lamb.
The vegetables in the couscous weren’t enough so we ordered this vegetable tagine as well. The vegetable dishes in Morocco are so delicious.
Nestled deep within the labyrinth of alleyways in the medina, Dar Harruch can be hard to find so be sure to check our map for its exact location.
Aside from serving terrific food, we loved the friendly service and warm and cozy atmosphere of the restaurant as well. Dar Harruch is run by the loveliest Moroccan family which makes the experience of dining here even more memorable.
Dar Harruch
Address: Mohammed Torres medina, 35 Rue Hadj Mohamed Torres, Tanger 90000, Morocco Operating Hours: 9AM-11PM, daily What to Order: Traditional Moroccan cuisine
5. Kebdani
We ate at many delicious restaurants in Tangier, but Kebdani may have been the most interesting. Aside from traditional dishes like tagine, pastilla, harira soup, and couscous, they offer a few “Rif” dishes on their menu as well.
We didn’t know what Rif meant so we googled it. Apparently, it pertains to the Rif region and Berber people occupying a part of northeastern Morocco. According to Brittanica, they’re a herding, cultivating, and sardine-seining culture that seems to have their own way of preparing food. Interesting!
Before we get to the entrees, Kebdani started us off with these small plates of stewed beans, olives, Moroccan salads, and khobz. Most restaurants in Tangier offer a few freebies like olives and bread but Kebdani offered the most, which was nice.
I’m a big seafood guy which is one reason why I loved Tangier so much. Almost every seafood restaurant offers some type of fried or grilled seafood platter. The types of seafood vary from restaurant to restaurant but at Kebdani, they give you two types of grilled fish, calamari, shrimp, and roasted vegetables.
If you’re hungry and you love seafood, then you need to get one of these.
Kebdani offers a handful of Rif dishes like Rif salad and Rif tagine made with chicken or lamb. What you’re looking at below is Rif chicken tagine. A savory-sweet tagine that reminded us of mrouzia, it’s made with apricots, figs, grapes, plums, and almonds.
This is the only restaurant where we’ve seen Rif dishes. If you’re interested in trying less common but authentic Moroccan cuisine, then you need to enjoy a meal here. Prices are a bit higher than at other restaurants – about MAD 80-140 per tagine (as of June 2023) – but it’s worth it.
Kebdani is located inside the medina. You can refer to our map for its exact location.
Like many of the places on this list, Kebdani is a small restaurant with a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Kebdani
Address: Rue Dar Baroud, Tanger, Morocco Operating Hours: 12NN-5PM, 7-11:45PM, daily What to Order: Traditional Moroccan Rif dishes
6. Restaurant Al Maimouni
Al Maimouni was one of the tastiest restaurants we visited in Tangier. They serve different types of meat and chicken dishes but what we came here for, surprise surprise, was the seafood.
Before we get into that, here’s a look at the freebies they gave us – stewed carrots with zaalouk, brined olives, and khobz.
We’re more conscious of what we eat these days so vegetables are a big part of our diet. In Morocco, one of our favorite vegetable dishes to order is Moroccan salad. It’s a simple but delicious salad made with fresh vegetables like chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, herbs, and other ingredients.
Many restaurants in Tangier serve the same seafood dishes but not all are created equal. Grilled calamari isn’t hard to come by in Tangier but the version at Al Maimouni was one of the best. It was served with a butter-garlic-herb sauce that was so incredibly tasty.
We enjoyed many delicious dishes in Tangier, but this was easily one of our favorites.
Made with a similar sauce, this grilled sole was equally delicious. As you can see below, they give you a sizeable portion as well!
This was really nice. We wanted to order mint tea after lunch but our server told us that some tea and Moroccan pastries were already included. Merci!
Unless I’m mistaken, these are called ghoriba which is a type of Moroccan shortbread cookie made with ground almonds and toasted sesame seeds.
Restaurant Al Maimouni can be a little hard to find so be sure to refer to our location map to find it.
It was overcast when we went but on clear days, you may want to enjoy your meal on the rooftop. It provides no cover from the sun but it does offer fantastic views of the marina and kasbah.
Restaurant Al Maimouni
Address: Unnamed Road, Tangier, Morocco Operating Hours: 11:30AM-11:30PM, daily What to Order: Traditional Moroccan dishes
7. Restaurant Ahlen
Do a search for the best Tangier restaurants and Ahlen will surely come up. It’s one of the most popular and highly-rated restaurants in the medina, which isn’t hard to understand because their food is delicious and reasonably priced.
Pictured below is the plate of fresh house cheese, olives, and khobz they gave us for starters.
We usually order harira soup but today, we wanted something different. What you’re looking at below is a delicious and hearty bowl of lentejas or lentil stew.
Many restaurants offer sardine tagine but Ahlen was the only place we went to that had grilled sardines. We love sardine tagine but these alone are worth the return visits to Ahlen. So simple but delicious!
There’s nothing more delicious to pair with your meat or seafood than vegetable tagine.
Like Al Maimouni, Restaurant Ahlen offered us some delicious homemade desserts at the end of our meal. I don’t know what this one was called but it was delicious. Thank you!
Restaurant Ahlen is a popular restaurant in the medina so it shouldn’t be hard to find.
Restaurant Ahlen
Address: 8 Rue des Postes, Tangier 90000, Morocco Operating Hours: 12NN-11PM, Thurs-Tue (closed Wednesdays) What to Order: Traditional Moroccan food
8. Restaurant El Amrani
We love finding restaurants that cater mostly to locals on our travels. In Tangier, El Amrani is one of those restaurants. They don’t have a menu so ordering can be a challenge but it’s definitely worth the effort.
I suggest starting off with this always-dependable Moroccan salad.
I don’t know if their offerings change by the day but they always had sardine and chicken tagine. Pictured below is their tasty sardine tagine. They offer different types of brochette as well.
This one was the chicken tagine. It was made with a whole chicken leg and thigh and vegetables like cauliflower, zucchini, and carrots. Delicious!
Restaurant El Amrani is located in the medina but it shouldn’t be hard to find. They don’t seem to have a lot of offerings but their food is delicious and their prices are very affordable. At the time of our visits, a meal for two typically cost us around MAD 70 in total.
Restaurant El Amrani
Address: Q5PQ+756, Rue Smihi, Tanger, Morocco Operating Hours: 11AM-12MN, daily What to Order: Tagine, brochette
9. Restaurant Bachir
Bachir was easily the most popular restaurant we went to in Tangier. It’s located closer to downtown Tangier, around a 15-minute walk south of the medina, so a vast majority of the customers at this restaurant are local.
Restaurant Bachir serves typical dishes like tagine, brochette, couscous, and seafood but they also have this beauty that you don’t see on every Tangier menu – cow feet and chickpeas. We’re originally from the Philippines so we love finding dishes like this in other countries.
Aside from this delicious dish, Bachir also offers other less common dishes like tripe and chickpeas, sheep’s head tagine, and lamb brain tagine. If you’re a curious eater, then you need to enjoy a meal here.
Can you guess what type of tagine this is?
If you guessed anchovy tagine, then you win a pat on the back. Just kidding. This was delicious.
If you like fish tagine, then another good dish to try is this swordfish tagine. They also have another version of tagine made with shrimp and swordfish.
Here’s another tagine that curious eaters may want to try. It’s called rigamonte and seems to refer to a type of stew made with a tomato-based sauce.
At Restaurant Bachir, you can get two types of rigamote – normal and especial. We tried the normal which was made with egg, liver, chicken, and meat (either lamb or beef). I believe the especial is made with different types of seafood.
If you need more protein in your diet, then these chicken skewers are an excellent choice as well. Some locals were ordering these by the dozen!
And of course, our favorite vegetable tagine to balance out all that meat and seafood.
If you visit Restaurant Bachir on a Friday, then couscous is an obvious choice. They make it with beef, chicken, wild chicken, vegetables, and lben (fermented milk).
Restaurant Bachir is hugely popular with the locals and it isn’t hard to see why. Their food is excellent, the service is fast and attentive, and their prices are very reasonable. A tagine here will cost you between MAD 20-45 which is much less than what you’d pay at most restaurants in the medina. Highly recommended!
On a side note, alcohol isn’t as easy to come by in a Muslim country like Morocco but we found a great liquor store not too far from Restaurant Bachir. It’s called Chez Ali and is about a 2-minute walk from this restaurant. Drink an extra shot for me in gratitude.
Restaurant Bachir
Address: Rue Zyriabe, Tanger, Morocco Operating Hours: 11:45AM-1AM, daily What to Order: Traditional Moroccan dishes
10. Romeo
Romeo is another great restaurant to visit if you’re willing to walk. Located near Plage Municipal Beach, about a 20-minute walk from the medina, they serve excellent seafood for much less than what you’d pay at many restaurants in the medina.
Before they served us our seafood, they started us off with a couple of freebies like this plate of bean stew.
They also gave us this plate of lentil stew, some brined olives, and a basket of khobz. Merci!
We need an ample amount of vegetables at every meal and Moroccan salad is always a good choice.
And for the main event – this bright and sunny mixed platter of grilled seafood. They usually serve this fried but you can ask that they grill them instead.
If I remember correctly, this seafood platter came with three or four types of fresh fish, calamari, and shrimp, all for just MAD 80! (June 2023). Our total bill with the Moroccan salad and bottled water came out to just MAD 100, which is less than what you’d pay for one entree at many restaurants in the medina. Awesome!
If you’d like to spend the day at beautiful Plage Municipale Beach, then Romeo is a great place to have a delicious and inexpensive seafood feast.
Romeo
Address: Q5HW+76Q، Rue Abou Alae El Maari. Inm، Ibn Al Khatib A, Tangier 90000, Morocco Operating Hours: 10AM-11:30PM, Mon-Fri / 11AM-11PM, Sat-Sun What to Order: Seafood, sandwiches
11. Made in Healthy
We’re middle-aged travelers so eating healthy is becoming more and more of a priority for us. In downtown Tangier, one of the best restaurants to go to if you’re watching your waistline is Made in Healthy. They have a fantastic salad bar and offer many delicious ala carte dishes like poke bowls, sandwiches, burritos, and desserts.
Pictured below is my supremely tasty avocado tartine with poached eggs.
Isn’t this pretty? This is the beetroot hummus tartine with poached eggs. I love hummus and the versions at Made in Healthy are some of the best I’ve ever had.
When a restaurant’s name is on a dish, then that usually means it’s going to be good. This is the Made in Healthy poke bowl. It’s made with grilled chicken breast, hummus, and a melange of delicious vegetables.
We couldn’t decide on a dressing so our server was kind enough to give us a selection of all three. Thank you!
The made-to-order dishes are delicious but what we loved most about Made in Healthy is their salad bar. Your server will give you this order sheet so you can specify exactly how you’d like your salad made.
And voila! Behold my beautiful medium salad made with eight ingredients and two toppings, not to mention a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice to wash it all down with. The salads here are delicious and something we looked forward to often in Tangier.
Made in Healthy is located in downtown Tangier, about a 25-minute walk south of the medina. It’s a bit of a trek but absolutely worth it.
Made in Healthy is a lovely modern cafe that’s bright, green, and cheery. It just feels good to be here.
Here’s a look at the fresh salad bar. You don’t make the salad yourself. You just fill out the form and the resident salad queen will make it for you.
Made in Healthy
Address: Q5GR+CJC, Tangier, Morocco What to Order: Salads, poke bowls
12. Nougat de Tanger
This last entry isn’t a restaurant, but if you like delicious desserts and snacks, then you’ll probably want to seek it out. The Nougat de Tanger stall makes some of the best nougat we’ve had anywhere. They’re soft, chewy, nutty, and just absolutely delicious.
The Nougat de Tanger stall is located in one of the busiest parts of the medina so it shouldn’t be hard to spot. As you can see below, there’s always a line of customers waiting to get their hands on their tasty nougat.
At the time of our visit, their nougat sold for MAD 200 per kg.
Nougat de Tanger
Address: Q5PQ+25P, Rue Siaghine, Tanger, Morocco What to Order: Nougat
BONUS: Place de Parc
As a bonus, I wanted to share this beautiful park with you. We enjoyed mint tea everyday in Tangier but this was our favorite spot to have it.
Place de Parc is a lovely park located near Cafa Hafa and the Phoenician Tombs. You can enjoy drinks here like Moroccan tea, coffee, soda, and juice. We only had tea here but I believe you can get some light snacks as well.
If you’re looking for a place to unwind, get lost in a book, or just take in the relaxing atmosphere of Tangier, then Place de Parc is an excellent place to do that.
LOCATION MAP
To help you navigate to these restaurants in Tangier, I’ve pinned them all on the map below. Click on the link for a live version of the map.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST TANGIER RESTAURANTS
We’re partial to casual restaurants but if you’d like a more proper tablecloth dining experience in Tangier, then an often recommended restaurant is El Morocco Club. Located close to Kasbah Museum, they offer refined Mediterranean cuisine and a good selection of global and Moroccan wines.
If whole fish set meals sound good to you, then two restaurants you can visit are Le Saveur du Poisson and Al Achab. We were planning on going to Le Saveur du Poisson but we never got around to it. Perhaps on our next visit to Tangier.
Lastly, if the sound of Syrian food excites you, then you should definitely check out Abou Tayssir. It’s a humble but highly-rated Syrian restaurant located close to Chez Hassan Bab Kasbah.
Regardless of where you eat in Tangier, please be advised that restaurants tend to open later than advertised. The restaurant hours posted here are from Google Maps but we found that most places usually open an hour or two after their listed opening time. Be sure to plan accordingly.
Disclosure
Some of the links in this article on the best restaurants in Tangier are affiliate links. What that means is that we’ll earn a small commission if you make a booking at no additional cost to you. We really appreciate your support as it helps us make more of these free travel and food guides. Merci!
I’ll go right out and say it – Da Nang (or Danang) isn’t the most interesting city in Vietnam. It doesn’t have the history of Hue or the charm of Hoi An but it remains one of our favorite cities in Vietnam. And a lot of that has to do with its traditional local cuisine.
I find Danang to be one of the most liveable cities we’ve visited thus far in Vietnam. I like its size, its relaxed vibe, and great local food. It may not have as many tourist attractions as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City but delicious regional Vietnamese dishes like mi quang and bun cha ca more than make up for it.
If local food is a big reason why you travel, then this guide to the best Da Nang restaurants will be very useful to you.
DA NANG RESTAURANTS QUICK LINKS
To help you plan your trip to Da Nang, we’ve put together links to popular hotels, tours, and other travel-related services here.
HOTELS
Top-rated hotels near My Khe Beach, one of the best areas to stay for first-time visitors to Da Nang.
No time to read this Da Nang food guide? Click on the save button and pin it for later!
MUST-TRY DA NANG FOOD & STREET FOOD
You can find all kinds of delicious Vietnamese food in Da Nang. Local food is a must for any serious Traveleater so be sure to prioritize these four regional dishes when you visit.
Mi Quang
If you were to try just one Vietnamese dish in Da Nang City, then it should probably be mi quang (or my quang). A famous Da Nang food, it refers to a tasty dish made with wide rice noodles served in a small amount of concentrated chicken (or pork) broth. It’s garnished with crushed peanuts and a rice cracker and can be topped with different types of meat and seafood like chicken, frog, shrimp, eel, and snakehead fish.
The toppings are nice but what makes mi quang truly special is its supremely flavorful broth. It’s made by simmering meat (typically chicken or pork) in water or bone broth before seasoning it with fish sauce, black pepper, shallots, and cu nen – a pungent, garlic-type vegetable.
Like many Vietnamese dishes, mi quang is always served with a basket of fresh herbs and leafy greens, along with a few condiments.
Bun Cha Ca
This was one of our favorite dishes in Da Nang. If you like fish cake, then you need to try bun cha ca. It refers to a tasty Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of thin rice noodles and fried (or steamed) fish cake made from a variety of fresh fish like mackerel, barracuda, and lizardfish.
Like mi quang, what makes bun cha ca special is the broth. It’s served in a tasty stock traditionally flavored with fish bones and other ingredients like dill, tamarind, tomatoes, pumpkin, and dried bamboo shoots.
Banh Trang Cuon Thit Heo
If you like Vietnamese dishes wrapped in rice paper like banh xeo and nem lui, then you’re probably going to enjoy banh trang cuon thit heo as well. Translating to something like “pork belly wrapped in rice paper”, this mouthful of a dish consists of thin slices of pork belly wrapped in rice paper with different types of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Aside from the process, what I enjoyed most about banh trang cuon thit heo is the mam nem dipping sauce. A Quang Nam specialty, it’s a supremely flavorful type of fish sauce made from fermented anchovies, bird’s eye chilis, lemongrass, garlic, crushed pineapples, and sugar.
Bun Mam Nem Heo Quay
If the previous three dishes form the holy trinity of Da Nang food, then this next dish is the fourth wheel. After getting a taste of mam nem, you’ll probably want to try it anyway.
Bun mam nem heo quay refers to a central Vietnamese specialty of thin rice noodles topped with roasted pork, anchovy sauce, and other ingredients like fresh vegetables, peanuts, and cha bo (traditional Vietnamese sausage). Unlike the mam nem dipping sauce in banh trang cuon thit heo, the anchovy sauce in this dish is more pungent and may not be for everyone.
But if you can get past its funky aroma, then bun mam nem heo quay is a dish that you’ll probably grow to love and look for on every return trip to Danang.
THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN DA NANG
We stayed for a month in Da Nang City and visited many more eateries, but I wanted to feature only the best restaurants on either side of the Han River so I’ve capped this list at 25. If you have a taste for Vietnamese coffee, then be sure to check out our Da Nang cafe guide as well.
1. Mỳ Quảng Bà Mua
As described, mi quang is arguably the most important dish in Danang’s local culinary culture. You’ll find a restaurant or stall selling mi quang on nearly every block in Da Nang City, but one of my favorites was this beautiful bowl from My Quang Ba Mua. The restaurant serves many different types of Vietnamese food and regional dishes but what they’re really known for is their mi quang.
You can get their mi quang topped with different proteins like chicken, beef, frog, and egg. Pictured below is the my thap cam or mixed noodles which is topped with a little bit of everything. So much flavor and texture going on in this bowl!
Many of the eateries on this list are humble, street-food-type establishments but My Quang Ba Mua is a more polished chain of restaurants in Da Nang. If you prefer proper sit-down restaurants to street food stalls, then you may want to try mi quang here.
I don’t know how many My Quang Ba Mua branches there are in Danang, but I went to the outlet along D. Le Dinh Duong Street, just off Nguyen Van Linh. You can refer to the location map at the bottom of this article to see exactly where it is.
My Quang Ba Mua
Address: 44 Đ. Lê Đình Dương, Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6:30AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Mi quang, banh trang cuon thit heo
2. Mì Quảng Dung
Mi Quang Dung is another tasty mi quang restaurant in Da Nang City, this time on the eastern side of the Han River. Unlike My Quang Ba Mua which serves many different Vietnamese dishes, I believe this shop serves only mi quang, which is exactly my kind of restaurant.
They didn’t seem to have a printed menu so I asked my server for a bowl of mi quang. He asked if I wanted it topped with chicken, beef, or fish. I went with chicken and it was delicious.
This type of restaurant is typical in Da Nang and Vietnam. It’s like a restaurant / street food stall hybrid. Note the metal folding tables and red plastic stools.
Mi Quang Dung
Address: 121 Đỗ Bá, Bắc Mỹ Phú, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 5:30AM-2PM, daily What to Order: Mi quang
3. Mì Quảng Giao Thủy
Like the previous shop, Mi Quang Giao Thuy is another restaurant in Da Nang that specializes in mi quang. You can get your mi quang topped with different ingredients like frog, snakehead fish, and chicken. Can you guess what this bowl was topped with?
It’s topped with one of my favorite types of fish – eel. You can get your mi quang topped with regular eel or what they label on the menu as “special copper eel”. I don’t know what type of eel that is but it’s delicious.
Mi Quang Giao Thuy is a humble restaurant located on the western side of the Han River. I went here twice and both times, it was filled only with local customers.
Mi Quang Giao Thuy
Address: 1B Ba Đình, Thạch Thang, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 7AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Mi quang
4. Mỳ Quảng Cô Sáu
This was one of my favorite Da Nang restaurants. I like restaurants that serve just one or two dishes because that usually means they do it very well. My Quang Co Sau basically offers just two dishes on their menu – mi quang and banh trang cuon thit heo. I tried the former and it was the best bowl of mi quang I’ve had thus far in Danang.
You get your mi quang topped with different ingredients but I suggest going for the my thap cam dac biet. It’s a special mixed version of the dish topped with chicken, fish, shrimp, pork, and a hard-boiled egg. It’s absolutely delicious.
My Quang Co Sau is located in one of my favorite parts of Da Nang City. It’s hidden in a more residential neighborhood in Son Tra Peninsula, on the eastern side of the Han River. It’s definitely worth seeking out if you’re serious about finding some of the best mi quang in Danang.
My Quang Co Sau
Address: 37b Phạm Quang Ảnh, An Hải Bắc, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Mi quang
5. Bún Chả Cá Hờn
I asked a Vietnamese Instagrammer for restaurant recommendations in Da Nang and one of the first places she told me to visit was Bun Cha Ca Hon. Just one spoonful of this tasty broth and you’ll quickly understand why.
As its name suggests, Bun Cha Ca Hon specializes in one dish – bun cha ca or fish cake noodle soup. Sweet, savory, sour, and just a little bit spicy, one bowl was all it took to make me a fan of this tasty Vietnamese noodle soup. It’s delicious and something I could see myself eating everyday.
Here’s a closer look at the fish cake. If you’re a fan of fish balls or fish cakes, then you definitely need to try this. Soft and springy, the texture of the fish cake is perfect.
I got mine with just fish cakes but you can get your bun cha ca with chunks of mackerel, tuna, or crab mixed in.
I went to a few bun cha ca restaurants in Da Nang and Hon was by far the busiest. With well over a thousand mostly positive Google reviews, it’s clearly one of the most popular fish cake noodle soup restaurants in Da Nang.
Bun Cha Ca Hon
Address: 113/3 Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6AM-10:30PM, daily What to Order: Bun cha ca
6. Bún Chả Cá Bà Hoa
Ba Hoa is another tasty bun cha ca restaurant in Da Nang. They have an almost identical menu as Hon but instead of fish patties, they make their noodle soup with fish bars. They’re firmer in texture but still quite delicious.
No matter what goes into this bowl, the star of this noodle soup will always be the broth. It’s seriously delicious and yet another reminder that there’s so much more to Vietnamese noodle soups than just pho.
Like the Hon restaurant, you can get your bowl of bun cha ca at Ba Hoa with the addition of mackerel, tuna, or crab.
Ba Hoa is located on the western side of the Han River, just a couple of blocks away from Hu Tieu Muc (#22), another of our favorite restaurants in Da Nang.
Bun Cha Ca Ba Hoa
Address: 27 Lê Hồng Phong, Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Bun cha ca
7. Bún Chả Cá 109
To be clear, I haven’t met a bowl of bun cha ca that I didn’t like, but the fish cake noodle soup at this restaurant was my hands down favorite. Located just around the corner from the Hon restaurant, Bun Cha Ca 109 serves the tastiest bowls of bun cha ca that I’ve had thus far in Danang.
The beautiful bowl pictured below is made with fish, shrimp, and crab cakes. It’s listed on the menu as “to cha ca + cha cua + rieu“. Redolent with flavor and texture, it’s absolutely delicious and something I’d love to have right now!
Here’s a closer look at the three different patties that go into this gorgeous bowl of bun cha ca. The fish cakes and shrimp balls are firmer in texture while the crab cake is larger and more loosely packed.
Mix in some fresh greens, pickled pearl onions, and a dollop of chili and you’ve got one of the most delicious meals you can have in Da Nang. Man was this good!
Bun Cha Ca 109 is located around the corner from Hon so you can try both on the same day. Like Hon, it’s a popular restaurant with over 1,200 Google reviews.
Bun Cha Ca 109
Address: 109 Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Bun cha ca
8. Quán Đại Lộc
Rounding out the holy trinity of Da Nang food is banh trang cuon thit heo. There’s no better place to try it than at Quan Dai Loc, a hugely popular restaurant that was recommended to me by the same Vietnamese Instagrammer.
As previously described, this Da Nang specialty consists of thinly sliced pork belly served with a variety of greens, rice noodle sheets, and thin rice paper. On its own, the pork belly is fairly bland in flavor but what makes this dish truly sing is the mam nem dipping sauce. It’s shockingly tasty and one of the best things you’ll put in your mouth in Danang.
Another interesting thing about banh trang cuon thit heo is the rice paper. Unlike the rice paper served with banh xeo or nem lui, the version served with this dish is much stiffer in texture. They feel almost like thin sheets of plastic until you dip them in water.
Do you see that plastic container filled with water on the left side of the picture below? I had no idea what to do with it until I observed the other customers. They would leave the hard sheets of rice paper in that plastic container for a minute or so to soften them up. Once softened, they would then top the sheets with slices of pork belly and fresh greens. Interesting!
They give you a garden of raw vegetables to wrap with your pork belly. On this plate are slivers of cucumber, unripe mango, lettuce, perilla, bean sprouts, purple cabbage, and more. Talk about a healthy dish!
To eat, you take a few pieces of each vegetable and layer them on top of the softened rice paper. You can’t really see it in this picture but at the bottom of the pile is a sheet of rice noodle.
You then wrap it up and dip into the mam nem anchovy sauce to eat. Delicious!
Like the wrap itself, you can prepare the mam nem to taste. On every table is a pitcher of anchovy sauce with lime wedges, bird’s eye chili, lemongrass, and minced garlic. Not only is banh trang cuon thit heo delicious, but it’s also a lot of fun to prepare and eat.
As you can see from this picture, Quan Dai Loc is popular and almost always packed at peak meal times. Thankfully, they have more than one branch you can visit. Pictured below is their outlet located along Trung Nu Vuong Street.
Quan Dai Loc
Address: 97 Trưng Nữ Vương, Bình Hiên, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 8AM-9:30PM, daily What to Order: Banh trang cuon thit heo
Labeled “Dai Loc 2”, they have a second branch along Huynh Thuc Khang Street. I ate at both restaurants and they have identical menus. This outlet may be the less busy of the two.
If you enjoyed the taste of the mam nem dipping sauce at Quan Dai Loc, then perhaps you’d like to try bun mam nem as well. It’s basically a bowl of rice noodles topped with mam nem sauce and other ingredients like pork, fresh vegetables, crushed peanuts, and Vietnamese sausage. When topped with roasted pork, the dish becomes known as bun mam nem heo quay.
Be warned though that the anchovy sauce in this dish is more pungent than the dipping sauce used for banh trang cuon thit heo. In the words of one local, the stinking aroma in a good bun mam nem has to be stimulating (ie pungent) enough to awaken one’s taste buds.
People who aren’t used to the aroma may find it a little challenging at first, but personally, I think it’s delicious.
Bun Mam Liem is one among a cluster of restaurants in the same area that serves bun mam nem. The Vietnamese lady who runs the place is lovely. I could tell she gets a kick out of foreigners who enjoy her food.
Bun Mam Liem
Address: 41 Đoàn Thị Điểm, Hải Châu 2, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6:30AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Bun mam nem
10. Bún Mắm Vân
Every bowl of bun mam nem featured in this guide is tasty, but this one was easily my favorite. The bun mam nem heo quay at this restaurant is absolutely delicious and in my opinion, a notch above the rest.
Lesser bowls of bun mam nem can have a slightly acrid taste but this one didn’t have any of that. It’s so good.
This short alley is filled on either side with restaurants serving bun mam nem, but Bun Mam Van was by far the most crowded. It looks like we made the right choice in coming here!
Bun Mam Van
Address: 23/14 Trần Kế Xương, Hải Châu 2, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6:30AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Bun mam nem
11. Bún Mắm Bé Hà
If you’ve developed a taste for bun mam nem, then perhaps you’d like to visit a third restaurant, this time on the eastern side of the Han River.
This bowl of bun mam hen heo quay wasn’t made with as much roasted pork but it was still delicious. Like the broth in mi quang or bun cha ca, the true star of bun mam nem is the sauce. If the sauce is good, then it doesn’t matter as much what else you put into it.
Bun Mam Be Ha serves banh dap as well so I suggest ordering that to go with your bowl of bun mam nem. It’s a fun dish whose name literally translates to “cracked or smashed rice pancake”.
Bah dap consists of two pieces of crispy grilled rice paper held together by a soft and sticky rice noodle sheet. Served with a side of anchovy dipping sauce, it gets its name from the loud cracking sound it makes when you press down on the pancakes and break pieces off to eat.
Bun Mam Be Ha is located just a few blocks away from My Khe Beach. It’s a great place to try bun mam nem and banh dap on your way to the beach.
Bun Mam Be Ha
Address: 130 Bùi Hữu Nghĩa, Phước Mỹ, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 8:30AM-7PM, daily What to Order: Bun mam nem, banh dap
12. Bếp Cuốn
The origins of banh xeo are disputed but one thing is clear – it’s an incredibly delicious dish that you should have no matter where you are in Vietnam. In Da Nang City, a great place to try it is at Bep Cuon.
If you’re unfamiliar with banh xeo, it’s a traditional Vietnamese crispy crepe made with rice flour batter and filled with different ingredients like shrimp, pork belly, bean sprouts, and onions. The name banh xeo translates to “sizzling cake” because of the sound the rice batter makes when it’s poured onto the hot skillet.
Banh xeo is typically folded in half like an omelette but Bep Cuon serves theirs open-faced. Each order comes with three pancakes. They make them with different toppings like prawn, pork, beef, and squid but I suggest going for the banh xeo thap cam. Thap cam means “mixed” so you’ll get three pancakes with different toppings.
Banh xeo is eaten in a similar way as banh trang cuon thit heo. You break pieces of the crepe and layer them onto rice paper with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables.
This is the first time I’ve ever seen it but Bep Cuon serves their banh xeo with a side of kimchi, likely to cater to the many Korean tourists that visit Da Nang City.
After you’ve layered all the components onto the rice paper, you then roll it up and dip into the sauce to eat. Delicious!
In other parts of Vietnam, we’ve had banh xeo served with just nuoc cham (fish sauce) but in Da Nang City, they seem to prefer it with some mam nem as well (like banh trang cuon thit heo).
Bep Cuon is a TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice awardee located on the eastern side of the Han River.
Like My Quang Ba Mua (#1), Bep Cuon is one of the more upscale Da Nang restaurants on this list. They serve many different traditional dishes but I definitely recommend trying their banh xeo.
Bep Cuon
Address: 54 Nguyễn Văn Thoại, Bắc Mỹ Phú, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 10:30AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Banh xeo
13. Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng
Ba Duong was recommended to us by the same Vietnamese Instagrammer. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in Da Nang and with good reason – their banh xeo and nem lui are absolutely delicious.
Unlike Bep Cuon, Ba Duong doesn’t give you an option for banh xeo fillings but it doesn’t matter. Their banh xeo is seriously tasty and the best we’ve had thus far in Danang. Don’t miss this!
Nem lui is another tasty Vietnamese dish that’s eaten in a similar way as banh xeo and banh trang cuon thit heo. It’s a Hue specialty of charcoal-grilled minced pork rolls wrapped around bamboo or lemongrass skewers.
Holding the rice paper in your palm, you pull the meat off the skewer before layering it with the fresh greens. You then roll it up tightly and dip into the same sauce as the banh xeo to eat. It’s another central Vietnamese specialty that’s delicious and fun to eat.
Ba Duong is tucked away at the end of this alley.
With well over 5,000 Google reviews under its belt, Ba Duong is clearly one of the most popular restaurants in Da Nang. Virtually every local we asked for restaurant recommendations told us to eat here.
Banh Xeo Ba Duong
Address: 280/23 Hoàng Diệu, Bình Hiên, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 9:30AM-9:30PM, daily What to Order: Banh xeo, nem lui
14. Thìa Gỗ
Thia Go is one of my favorite Da Nang restaurants. A popular spot among foreign tourists, they serve homestyle Vietnamese food that seems a bit more refined than the average restaurant. They offer many traditional Vietnamese dishes but I read that they’re known for their banh xeo and cha gio so that’s what I ordered on my first visit.
Pictured below is a plate of what could very well be the best cha gio or fried spring rolls I’ve ever tasted in my life. Crisp but incredibly light, the practically crumble away between your teeth with little to no effort. They’re so darn good.
You can get these spring rolls filled with beef, seafood, or vegan ingredients. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, then you’ll have plenty of dishes to choose from at Thia Go.
I don’t know if you can tell from this picture but the banh xeo at Thia Go is big, like Ho Chi Minh City big. This is one of the restaurant’s specialties and virtually every table orders it.
Like their cha gio, the fried batter is so crispy and light. It’s delicious though I did find it to be a bit on the oily side.
Here’s a peek inside the crepe. I got mine with squid but you can get it filled with shrimp, beef, oyster mushroom, or a mixture of everything.
The restaurant serves many other dishes as well, like this com chien or Vietnamese fried rice. We got ours with oyster mushroom but you can have it made with beef, shrimp, or seafood as well.
Rau muong xau or morning glory is one of the most commonly served vegetables in Da Nang City. You can have it with garlic or oyster sauce but if you want something more special, then you can have it made with razor clams.
Like nem lui, bun bo nam bo is a Vietnamese dish that’s hard not to like. Its name literally means “southern-style beef vermicelli” and refers to a dry rice noodle dish topped with marinated stir-fried beef and other ingredients like crushed peanuts, fried shallots, bean sprouts, fresh vegetables, herbs, and nuoc cham.
Thia Go is a Traveler’s Choice awardee with a perfect 5-star rating on TripAdvisor. Impressive considering the restaurant has over 1,700 reviews!
Thia Go
Address: 53 Phan Thúc Duyện, Bắc Mỹ Phú, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng 50507, Vietnam Operating Hours: 10AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Cha gio, banh xeo, com chien, bun bo nam bo
15. Bún Bò Bé Mai
Pho is one of the most famous dishes outside of Vietnam. It’s a Vietnamese national dish but in my opinion, there are many more interesting noodle soups in Vietnam, one of them being bun bo hue.
As its name suggests, bun bo is a Hue specialty consisting of rice noodles served in a supremely flavorful broth with different ingredients like brisket, beef shank, crab patties, oxtail, and congealed pig’s blood. Personally, it’s one of my absolute favorite Vietnamese dishes and something I need to have on every visit to Hue. Thankfully, you don’t have to go all the way to Hue to try it.
Be Mai offers tasty bowls of bun bo made with a variety of different ingredients. If you don’t speak Vietnamese, it can be hard to know what to order so I suggest asking for thap cam (“mixed”) or dac biet (“special”). In my experience, that usually translates to the most loaded bowl which is exactly what you want.
Here’s a closer look at that juicy slice of beef brisket. This was a simpler bowl of bun bo made with mostly brisket.
Bun Bo Be Mai is a local favorite that can be found in the northern part of Da Nang City, on the western side of the Han River.
Bun Bo Be Mai
Address: 17B Đống Đa, Thạch Thang, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: Open 24 hrs What to Order: Bun bo
16. Bún Bò Bà Rơi
A bowl of bun bo hue can be made with many different ingredients but the true star of this tasty noodle soup is the broth. I’ve never met a bun bo I didn’t like, but my favorite bowls are made with crab balls or patties. That’s exactly what we had at Bun Bo Ba Roi. Isn’t that crab patty gorgeous?
Aside from the crab patties, this beautiful bowl contained big blocks of congealed pig’s blood as well. If you want crab patties in your bun bo, then look for the word cua (“crab”) on the menu. Thap cam and dac biet bowls may have it as well.
Ba Roi is a small bun bo restaurant located in Hoa Thuan Dong in Hai Chau District. It’s about a 15-20 minute walk south of Dragon Bridge.
I loved the simple but clean interior of Bun Bo Ba Roi.
Bun Bo Ba Roi
Address: 5 Phan Thành Tài, Hòa Thuận Đông, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6AM-1PM, 3-10PM, daily What to Order: Bun bo
17. Quán Bún Bà Diệu
The same Vietnamese Instagrammer recommended this restaurant to us and unsurprisingly, they serve the best bowls of bun bo we’ve had anywhere in Da Nang City. When it comes to food, local knowledge truly is invaluable.
This was the only time I ordered a thap cam bowl of bun bo in Da Nang and it came with a little bit of everything – beef balls, beef shank, congealed pig’s blood, and more. So many delicious flavors and textures!
Take a gander at that hefty chunk of beef shank. It’s almost too big to fit in the bowl!
Quan Bun Ba Dieu is a bit of a trek from central Danang. It’s closer to the airport than to Han River but in my opinion, it’s definitely worth the effort.
Quan Bun Ba Dieu
Address: 17 Trần Tống, Thạc Gián, Thanh Khê, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 1-8PM, daily What to Order: Bun bo
18. Bánh Mì Cô Tiên
Did you really go to Vietnam if you didn’t eat at least one banh mi? A Vietnamese national dish and one of the best sandwiches in the world, good banh mi doesn’t seem as common in Da Nang as it is in Ho Chi Minh City so I wound up eating at Co Tien four times during my month-long stay.
Pictured below is their banh mi ga ap chao or grilled chicken banh mi with cilantro, cucumber, and chili. Aside from the marinade on the chicken and the texture of the bread, what makes their banh mi special is that they toast it over charcoal before serving to give it an added punch of smokiness.
Whether in Hanoi, Saigon, Hoi An or Da Nang, street food will always be my jam and there’s no better dish to represent Vietnamese street food than banh mi. I enjoyed their grilled chicken banh mi so much that I asked for a special version made with the addition of egg. So fricking delicious.
The Co Tien banh mi stall is located along D. Tran Phu Street, not too far from Cau Song Han Bridge. It’s a popular stall so expect a line no matter what time you go.
Banh Mi Co Tien
Address: Trước Cộng Spa, 80 Đ. Trần Phú, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 8:30AM-7:30PM, daily What to Order: Banh mi
19. Bánh Mì Bà Lan
I prefer the sandwich fillings at Co Tien but the bread at Ba Lan may be the best we’ve had anywhere in Vietnam. If you’ve had banh mi in Hoi An and Saigon, then you know that’s saying a lot!
Pictured below is Ba Lan’s banh mi dac biet or special banh mi filled with pork pate, ham, pork terrine, Vietnamese sausage, fresh vegetables, and mayonnaise. The fillings are good but the bread is incredible – crusty on the outside but ultra-light and airy on the inside. It’s so unbelievably good.
We’ve had dozens of banh mi sandwiches in Vietnam but this was our first time trying banh mi queor “stick banh mi”. It’s basically a much smaller, bread-stick-like version of banh mi.
Filled with pate, ham, sweet chili sauce, and butter, I could have eaten twenty of these had we not just eaten at two restaurants! Cute and oh so delicious.
We would have eaten more often at Banh Mi Ba Lan if they weren’t so far from where we were staying. Open from 6:30 till 10:30AM, they reopen at 3PM and are instantly flooded with locals. Cars and motorbikes would idle by the side of the road and get bags of banh mi to go.
Banh Mi Ba Lan
Address: 62 Trưng Nữ Vương, Bình Hiên, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6:30-10:30AM, 3-11PM, daily What to Order: Banh mi
20. Cơm Tấm Bà Lang
Com tam suon nuong is one of our favorite Vietnamese dishes so it’s something we need to look for no matter where we are in Vietnam.
Com tam literally means “broken rice” and refers to rice grains that have been damaged for one reason or another. They used to be considered a cheaper grade of rice but they’ve since become a sought-after food item. Popular in Saigon and southern Vietnam, broken rice is typically paired with a grilled pork chop (suon nuong) and side dishes like eggs and Chinese sausage.
Personally, I can’t really tell the difference between broken rice and regular rice but I do love that pork chop. Pictured below is my delicious glistening plate of com tam suon nuong with a fried egg.
The com tam suon nuong below was paired with cha trung or steamed egg meatloaf.
Com tam suon nuong seems to be a fairly common dish in Da Nang so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding it. We went to a few and the Ba Lang restaurant was our favorite.
Com Tam Ba Lang
Address: 120 Yên Bái, Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 9AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Com tam suon nuong
21. Cơm Tấm Suon Cay
Com Tam Suon Cay is another good com tam restaurant we found in Da Nang City. They serve com tam plates paired with different types of meat like BBQ pork ribs, grilled pork loin, fried frog, fish, and shrimp.
What you’re looking at below is the com tam dac biet or special com tam served with BBQ pork ribs, a fried egg, cha trung, and strands of boiled pork skin.
Personally, I’m a bun cha man but my wife prefers bun thit nuong. It refers to a popular Southern Vietnamese dish of dry rice noodles topped with charcoal-grilled pork, fresh vegetables, roasted peanuts, fish sauce, and a fried spring roll.
We had bun thit nuong at four different restaurants in Da Nang and we liked this one the best.
Com Tam Suon Cay is located in Son Tra Peninsula, about a 10-minute walk from My Khe Beach.
Com Tam Suon Cay
Address: 175duong Nguyễn Văn Thoại, An Hải Đông, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 8:30AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Com tam suon nuong
22. Hủ Tiếu Mực Thuận Thành
I’ll never forget the first time I tried hu tieu. I was on a boat on the Mekong River in Can Tho when my boatman handed me a bowl of this delicious noodle soup. It was love at first bite and it’s been one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes ever since.
Hu tieu is an immensely flavorful dish made with rice noodles seasoned with garlic oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. It can be served in soup or dry versions before being topped with a variety of meat and seafood like pork, shrimp, offal, and squid.
In Danang, a great place to try hu tieu is at the Muc restaurant. Pictured below is the dry version of their best-selling hu tieu thap cam topped with squid, shrimp, and pork. This was insanely delicious.
We were served a side of broth with quail eggs to go with our hu tieu. If you like, you can pour some of the broth into the bowl of noodles to moisten them up a bit. If you’ve never had hu tieu, then you need to try this.
Hu Tieu Muc is located on Le Hong Phong Street, just a couple of blocks away from Ba Hoa (#6).
Hu Tieu Muc
Address: 15 Lê Hồng Phong, Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 6:30AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Hu tieu
23. Ngu Pho
Whenever we visit Hanoi, a cha ca meal is automatic. Made famous by Cha Ca La Vong, it refers to that irresistible Hanoi dish made with grilled turmeric-marinated catfish served with a mountain of fresh dill. Cha ca isn’t as common outside of Hanoi but thankfully, we found it here at Ngu Pho.
Cha ca is typically cooked on your table which adds to the experience. The catfish goes into the pan followed by the fresh dill which always looks excessive at first, but then it cooks down and turns out to be just right.
Cha ca is served with rice noodles, roasted peanuts, coriander, and a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, shrimp paste, vinegar, garlic, chili, and lime juice. It’s delicious and another must-try in Vietnam.
Ngu Pho is located in central Da Nang, on D. Tran Phu Street.
Ngu Pho
Address: 219 Đ. Trần Phú, Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 55000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 10:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-9:30PM, daily What to Order: Cha ca
24. Ốc Đêm Sài Gòn
If you like snails, then you need to have an oc feast in Vietnam. Oc is the Vietnamese word for “snail” and refers to a wide variety of sea and freshwater snails. They can be cooked in many ways and is an important part of the local culinary culture.
At Oc Dem Sai Gon, you can have them prepared in dozens of ways. It’s difficult to know what to order if you don’t speak Vietnamese so I recommend going with one of the combos. We went with the Combo My Vi which comes with five plates of snails and other mollusks.
I don’t know the name of this species of snail but it was served in a corn and garlic butter sauce.
Next up was this plate of razor clams cooked in garlic, chili, and morning glory.
These grilled oysters with green onions, chili, and crushed peanuts were amazing.
Being a coastal city, fresh seafood is plentiful in Da Nang and these steamed clams are an example of that.
For our fifth and final plate, we were served another type of snail cooked in tamarind sauce. These snails were tiny but delicious.
Oc Dem Sai Gon is located in the northern part of Son Tra Peninsula. I don’t think many foreign tourists make it to this part of Danang so you’ll probably be the only non-locals there.
Oc Dem Sai Gon
Address: 663 Trần Nhân Tông, An Hải Bắc, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 3:30-11PM, daily What to Order: Oc
25. Bodhicitta
I found this restaurant by chance when I was having Vietnamese coffee next door at House Coffee. Popular with both locals and foreigners, Bodhicitta is a tiny 4-table restaurant that serves vegetarian and vegan Vietnamese dishes.
Pictured below is a vegan version of banh bot loc, a type of tapioca dumpling originally from Hue.
I then had this half-order of salad made with lettuce, cucumber, dried seaweed, and some type of dried fruit or root crop. Chewy and a little sweet, I’m not sure what it is but I’ve had it before at Asian restaurants.
Bodhicitta is located at the end of D. Ung Van Khiem Street. You’d never know it was there unless you were looking for it (or having coffee next door).
Isn’t the space cute? They have just four tables with cushions so you can enjoy your meal while sitting on the floor. Bodhicitta seems to have a loyal client base as most of the foreigners eating here knew the owners and staff by name.
Bodhicitta doesn’t have a printed menu. Instead, they have this push pin menu board with whatever dishes and drinks are available on that day.
Bodhicitta
Address: 117 Đ. Ung Văn Khiêm, Bắc Mỹ Phú, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 11:30AM-8PM, Tue-Sat / 11:30AM-5:30PM, Sun (closed Mondays) What to Order: Vegetarian Vietnamese food
BONUS: Pizza 4P’s
We typically focus on local food and stay away from international restaurants when we travel, but this pizza restaurant was too good not to include. The Vietnamese Instagrammer who recommended a few of the restaurants on this list also told us about Pizza 4P’s. She described it as the best chain of pizza restaurants in Vietnam. We had to go.
We started our meal with this mozzarella salmon sushi served with a balsamic reduction and olive oil. Instead of rice, they make it with cubes of mozzarella.
To be honest, being told that Pizza 4P’s was the best pizza restaurant in Vietnam wasn’t enough to sell it to me. What got me was the fact that it was started by a Japanese chef who specializes in Neapolitan pizzas. If you’ve had pizza in Tokyo, then you’ll know that the Japanese make damn good pizzas. Some people have even described them as being better than the pizzas in Italy!
At Pizza 4P’s, you can get half and half pizzas so we went with the Burrata Parma Ham Margherita and Soy Garlic Beef. Crisp but light, almost like banh mi, the crust on this pizza was amazing.
After seeing a picture of this Crab Tomato Cream Spaghetti with Ricotta Cheese, there was no way we were leaving the restaurant without trying it. Creamy and tomato-ey, I suggest you do the same.
Pizza 4P’s has two branches in Da Nang – in Indochina Mall and Hoang Van Thu Street. They can be booked weeks in advance so reservations through their website are highly recommended.
Pizza 4P’s may not serve traditional Vietnamese cuisine but if you’re hankering for good pizza and Italian food in Da Nang, then this is the place to go.
Pizza 4P’s
Address: 74 Bạch Đằng, Street, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam Operating Hours: 11AM-10PM, Mon-Fri / 10AM-10PM, Sat-Sun What to Order: Pizza, pasta
LOCATION MAP
To help you navigate to these restaurants in Da Nang, I’ve pinned them all on the map below. Click on the link for a live version of the map.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN DA NANG
Da Nang may not be as interesting as Hanoi or Saigon but if you travel for food like we do, then there’s plenty to keep you happy in this central Vietnamese city.
Being a coastal city, there’s no shortage of fresh seafood in Da Nang. We didn’t go but the same Vietnamese Instagrammer recommended the Nam Danh seafood restaurant to us as well. She also suggested we walk down Vo Nguyen Giap which is the long stretch of road fronting My Khe Beach. You’ll find restaurant after restaurant serving fresh seafood dishes all along that road.
Anyway, this Da Nang food guide has gone on long enough so I’ll end it here. If you have any questions, then feel free to ask us in the comment section below.
Thanks for reading and have a delicious time eating your way through Da Nang!
Disclosure
Some of the links in this article on the best restaurants in Da Nang are affiliate links, meaning we’ll earn a small commission if you make a booking at no extra cost to you. We really appreciate your support as it helps us make more of these free travel and food guides. Cảm ơn!
We love Japanese food, which is a big reason why Japan is one of our favorite countries in the world to visit. It’s an endlessly fascinating country with delicious food on every corner. To be honest, I can’t recall a single time when I didn’t enjoy a meal in Japan!
We can’t get enough of savory Japanese dishes like sushi, ramen, and tempura, but traditional Japanese sweets are something you need to try as well. Be sure to look for these 20 popular Japanese desserts on your next trip to Japan.
JAPANESE DESSERT QUICK LINKS
If you’re traveling to Japan and want to really dive into Japanese cuisine, then you may be interested in joining a food tour or taking a cooking class.
TOURS
Food Tours: Food Tours in Japan
Cooking Classes: Cooking Classes in Japan
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Photo by P-Kheawtasang
WHAT IS WAGASHI?
Before we get into the list of the most popular Japanese desserts, I just wanted to talk briefly about wagashi. It’s a term you’ll see often when reading about Japanese desserts and confections.
Wagashi refers to traditional Japanese confectionery often served with green tea. They’re artfully crafted tea-time desserts made with different ingredients and fillings like mochi, sweet red bean paste, fruits, nuts, and agar jelly.
Depending on how and where they’re made, you’ll find a wide variety of wagashi in Japan, some of which will be covered in this Japanese dessert guide.
MUST-TRY TRADITIONAL JAPANESE DESSERTS
1. Mochi
There’s no better way to start a list of traditional Japanese desserts than with mochi. This Japanese rice cake made from mochigome (Japanese glutinous rice) is an important festival food that’s been prepared in Japan for hundreds of years.
Mochi is a key component in seasonal festivals like the Japanese New Year but it’s commonly enjoyed throughout the year as well. Known for its wonderful sticky consistency, it’s made by pounding glutinous rice into a paste and then molding it into the desired shape. Mochi can be eaten on its own though it’s often made into other confections as well like wagashi and mochi ice cream.
Traditionally, mochi is made by two people that work in tandem to pound and wet the sticky sweet rice flour paste using a kine (wooden mallet) and usu (mortar). It’s a laborious but fascinating process to watch that you can still observe in some parts of Japan.
If you visit Nara, then I highly recommend looking for the Nakatanidou stall. Its owner – Mitsuo Nakatani – has a reputation for being the fastest mochi maker in Japan.
2. Sakuramochi
Sakuramochi refers to a type of wagashi made with pink-colored mochi filled with anko or sweet red bean paste. Wrapped in a pickled sakura (cherry blossom) leaf, this eye-catching confection is traditionally enjoyed in spring, particularly during hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) and cherry blossom viewing events called hanami.
If you visit Japan in late March or early April – when the cherry trees are expected to bloom – then sakuramochi is one Japanese dessert that you should definitely look for.
Photo by nana77777
3. Daifuku
Daifukumochi (or simply daifuku) is another popular type of wagashi made with mochi. It consists of a ball or sphere of mochi stuffed with a sweet filling, most commonly red bean paste.
Aside from sweet bean paste, daifuku can be made with different fillings and ingredients like apricot, chestnut, mugwort, and ice cream. The irresistible version stuffed with a whole strawberry below is called ichigo daifuku.
Photo by nana77777
4. Rakugan
The Japanese are masters at turning food into art and rakugan is a perfect example of that. A type of wagashi, it’s made with soybean flour, sugar, and different powders pressed into traditional wooden molds called kashigata.
Rakugan can be made into different shapes, colors, and sizes to reflect seasonal or regional themes. They’re traditionally consumed with tea and are especially popular in parts of Japan with a strong tea ceremony tradition, like Kanazawa.
Photo by homi
5. Yokan
Yokan refers to a popular type of wagashi made with agar. Typically sold and eaten in block form, this traditional Japanese dessert is commonly made with sweet red bean paste but it can also be flavored with white kidney bean paste and other ingredients like chestnuts, figs, and Japanese sweet potatoes.
Photo by fumi901
6. Dango
Dango refers to a type of wagashi made from uruchi and glutinous rice flour. A popular street food in Japan, it has a mochi-like consistency and is typically sold on skewers with different glazes and coatings.
Depending on how and what it’s made with, there are many types of dango in Japan like mitarashi dango (glazed with soy sauce), anko dango (coated in sweet red bean paste), and hanami dango (three-colored dango).
Pictured below is a skewer of miso dango from a popular stall in Osaka. As its name suggests, it’s coated in a tasty miso glaze.
7. Daigaku Imo
Daigaku imo refers to a simple Japanese dessert made with candied sweet potatoes. A popular snack since the early 1900s, they consist of Japanese sweet potatoes covered in a hard sugar candy coating.
Food trivia buffs may be interested to learn that the name daigaku imo translates to “university potatoes”. Daigaku imo became a popular snack at universities in Tokyo in the early 1900s, hence the name.
Photo by Chagiya_1.8.18
8. Imagawayaki
One of my closest friends is Japanese and he can’t get enough of these anko-filled Japanese sweets called imagawayaki. A popular street food in Japan, these pancake-like desserts are stuffed with a sweet red bean filling and cooked till crispy in disk-shaped cast iron molds.
Also known as kaitenyaki or obanyaki, imagawayaki are traditionally stuffed with red bean paste but they can be made with other fillings as well like vanilla custard, chocolate, and green tea. They can even be made with savory fillings like curry and cheese.
If you’ve been to Taiwan, then imagawayaki should be familiar to you. They’re known as wheel cakes in Taiwan and are a common sight at Taiwanese night markets.
Ocdp, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
9. Monaka
If you like the crisp airy texture of wafers, then you’re probably going to enjoy monaka. It’s a traditional Japanese dessert made with sweet red bean paste sandwiched between two mochi wafers.
Made in different shapes and designs, monaka is traditionally filled with red bean paste but it can be stuffed with ice cream as well.
Photo by sasazawa
10. Taiyaki
Walk around the busiest parts of Dotonbori and it won’t be long before you find stalls selling taiyaki. It refers to this familiar-looking fish-shaped pastry filled with (you guessed it) sweet red bean paste.
Like imagawayaki, taiyaki is traditionally filled with sweet bean paste but it can be stuffed with other ingredients as well like custard, chocolate, and cheese. In fact, you can think of taiyaki as a fish-shaped version of imagawayaki.
Taiyaki is shaped like red seabreem – tai in Japanese – hence the name. Tai is considered a symbol of good luck in Japan.
11. Dorayaki
Every night before retiring to our hotel, we’d make it a point to stop at a konbini (Japanese convenience store) and pick up a few snacks to eat for breakfast the next day. This pancake-like Japanese dessert called dorayaki often made it into our shopping basket.
Dorayaki is a type of Japanese dessert or snack made with sweet red bean paste sandwiched between two small castella pancakes. I’ll talk about it more later in this guide but castella refers to a type of Japanese-Portuguese sponge cake that’s considered a specialty of Nagasaki.
Photo by Gatot Adri
12. Souffle Pancakes
If you like thick fluffy pancakes, then you’re going to love soufflé pancakes. They’re Japanese pancakes made with the addition of extra egg whites, hence the extra height and fluffiness.
Japanese pancakes are made by beating a meringue mixture into the pancake batter and then cooking it in metal rings at low temperatures. This is what gives the pancakes their characteristic height.
The Japanese pancakes pictured below are drenched in a milky cream sauce but they can be served with different toppings and ingredients like powdered sugar, sweet syrup, fresh fruits, whipped cream, and ice cream.
13. Japanese Cheesecake
Some people may not agree with this, but in my opinion, the Japanese make many dishes better. A case can be made for pizzas, burgers, and steaks and an argument can definitely be made for cheesecake. And a lot of that has to do with the quality of their dairy.
Hokkaido dairy is amazing. It’s known for its freshness and quality which is why dessert shops that use it let their customers know that their cakes and pastries are made with milk from Hokkaido. You can find many delicious Japanese desserts made with Hokkaido dairy like soft cream, custard, and cookies, but one of my favorites is Japanese cheesecake.
If you like cheesecake and are visiting Sapporo, then you absolutely need to try the double fromage cheesecake from LeTao. It could very well change your life.
14. Matcha Basque Cheesecake
The Japanese version of this famous Spanish dessert is another sweet treat that cheesecake lovers need to try. Originally from San Sebastian, Basque burnt cheesecake is a version of cheesecake that’s recently taken the world by storm. Unlike New York cheesecake that’s evenly firm throughout, the Spanish version is soft and fluffy around the edges and gooier towards the center.
In Japan, you’ll find a variety of desserts made with matcha powder like green tea mochi, green tea ice cream, and green tea cookies. One of my favorites is green tea Basque cheesecake. Gooey Basque cheesecake with that irresistible matcha flavor. Need I say more?
Photo by Papzi555
15. Mille Crepe Cake
It’s hard not to notice the many delicious Japanese pastries on display at dessert shops in Japan. Among the most eye-catching are these mille crepe cakes which are a common sight in big cities like Tokyo and Osaka.
I found it odd to see so many mille crepe cakes in Japan. I just assumed the locals were really into them but as it turns out, they were made famous by a Japanese woman named Emy Wada. She’s a pâtissier who studied in France and popularized mille crepe cakes at her Paper Moon Cake Boutiques in 1980s Japan. How cool!
Mille crepe cake literally means “thousand crepe cake”. Though it isn’t actually made with a thousand crepes, it refers to a Japanese cake made with a stack of crepes layered with different fillings.
Photo by sasazawa
16. Castella Cake
As briefly touched upon in the dorayaki section of this guide, castella cake refers to a type of sponge cake that was brought to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. At the time, Nagasaki was the only Japanese port open to foreign commerce, which is how castella cake came to be known as a specialty of Nagasaki.
Castella cake is believed to be derived from the Portuguese dessert pão de castela. Meaning “bread from Castille”, the Japanese adopted the recipe and called it kasutera (castella).
17. Melon Pan
We can’t get enough of Japanese konbini pastries and melon pan (melon bread) is another of our favorites. Similar in appearance to Hong Kong pineapple buns, they get their name from their passing resemblance to cantaloupes.
Melon pan is made from enriched dough topped with a thin layer of crisp cookie dough. Traditionally, they aren’t flavored with melon, though it’s become fashionable for some manufacturers to add melon flavoring to the bread.
Other flavors and ingredients used to make melon pan include maple syrup, whipped cream, custard, and chocolate chips.
Photo by Cheezie Chicky Chick
18. Coffee Jelly
I’m a big coffee drinker so naturally, I’m drawn to anything made with coffee as well. Desserts like tiramisu and coffee ice cream get me weak in the knees but so does this refreshing treat called coffee jelly.
An old-school dessert, coffee jelly is made from coffee-flavored agar shaped into cubes. It can be enjoyed on its own, topped with fluffy whipped cream, or added to other drinks and desserts like ice cream floats, bubble tea, and iced coffee.
Photo by P-Kheawtasang
19. Kakigori
If you’re a fan of Korean bingsu, Filipino halo-halo, or Malaysian ais kacang, then you’ll probably enjoy kakigori as well. It’s a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with condensed milk and a variety of different syrups.
Similar to a snow cone but fluffier, popular kakigori flavors include cherry, strawberry, melon, green tea, and lemon.
Photo by Theerawan
20. Soft Cream
Last but certainly not least is soft cream. A common sight in Japan, this ubiquitous dessert is what the Japanese call soft serve ice cream.
Do you remember what I said about Hokkaido dairy making everything better? That’s the case with soft cream. It’s delicious anywhere in Japan but especially in Sapporo or anywhere else where it’s made with Hokkaido milk.
Vanilla-flavored soft cream is the most common but my favorite is the matcha flavor. It’s earthy and delicious, especially when made with green tea powder from Uji.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON JAPANESE DESSERTS
Like everything else in Japan, traditional Japanese desserts are delicious. Japanese people have the most exacting standards and that translates into everything they do, including their desserts.
If I were you, I’d try as many Japanese desserts as I could, but if I had to narrow them down to just three, then I’d say go for soft cream, mochi, and Japanese cheesecake. Those are three of my personal favorite Japanese desserts and something I’d look for on every return trip to Japan.
In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading this article on popular Japanese desserts as much as I had fun writing it. It’s already making me look forward to our next trip to Japan! Arigato gozaimasu!
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This article on the most popular Japanese desserts contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, then we’ll earn a small commission at no additional expense to you. As always, we only recommend products and services that we use ourselves and firmly believe in. We really appreciate your support as this helps us make more of these free travel and food guides. Thank you!
Cover photo by Chagiya_1.8.18. Stock images via Shutterstock.
Like Palawan and Boracay, Bohol has long been one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines. From its beautiful beaches and churches to its unique attractions like the tarsiers and Chocolate Hills, there’s something for everyone in Bohol.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Bohol every year, so it only follows that there’s plenty of good food and fresh seafood to be found on the island. If you’re planning a trip to Bohol, then here are thirteen restaurants and cafes that you may want to visit.
BOHOL RESTAURANTS QUICK LINKS
To help you plan your trip to Bohol, we’ve compiled links to popular hotels, tours, and other travel-related services here.
HOTELS
Top-rated hotels on Panglao Island, one of the best areas to stay for first-time visitors to Bohol.
Luxury: Amorita Resort
Midrange: Blue Planet Panglao
Budget: Hope Homes
TOURS
Sightseeing Tour: Countryside Day Tour
Day Trip: Pamilacan Island Day Tour
OTHER SERVICES
Visa Services
Travel Insurance (with COVID cover)
Airport Transfer
Wifi and Sim Cards
BOHOL TRAVEL GUIDE
Before visiting Bohol, be sure to check out our in-depth Bohol travel guide. It’ll have all the information you need – like when to go, what to do, where to stay, etc. – to help you plan your trip.
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THE BEST BOHOL RESTAURANTS
The term “Bohol” refers to a province in the Philippines comprised of Bohol Island and several smaller surrounding islands, most notably Panglao Island. Tagbilaran City is the capital of Bohol province but most tourists stay and spend the majority of their time in Panglao.
As such, this guide focuses on restaurants in Panglao, but I will give a few recommendations on where to eat in Tagbilaran City at the end of the article. You can jump to the location map to see exactly where these restaurants are in Bohol.
1. The Glebe Coffee
What better way to start your first full day in Bohol than with a cup of good coffee? Many reviewers have called the coffee at The Glebe to be the best in Bohol. They may be right.
I stick to Americano but their flat white comes highly recommended. The iced Spanish latte was excellent too.
The Glebe Coffee is located along the main road, near Henann Resort and Alona Beach. They open bright and early at 7AM.
The Glebe Coffee
Address: 6340 Panglao Island Circumferential Rd, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 7AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Coffee
2. Overgrown Cafe & Bar
Located right next to highly-rated Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro (#5), Overgrown Cafe and Bar is a relatively new coffee shop that makes excellent coffee and cocktails.
We came here after lunch so I had the affogato while my significant other started the weekend early with a gin and tonic. They make their gin and tonic with Tanqueray gin.
Here’s a closer look at my affogato. If coffee or cocktails aren’t your thing, Ovegrown offers tea and shakes too.
Overgrown Cafe & Bar was one of the most artfully decorated places we visited in Bohol. You’ll understand why it’s called “Overgrown” in the next picture.
One wall of the cafe was filled with plants. I loved the natural textures and wabi-sabi feel of the place.
Overgrown seems to be a popular cafe with digital nomads. At the time, there were several people there working on their laptops.
Overgrown Cafe & Bar
Address: Ester A. Lim Drive, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 6AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Coffee, cocktails
3. Common Crew Coffee Roasters & Brewers
Speaking of digital nomads, people looking for a good place to work need to check out Common Crew. It’s a co-working space located along Tawala Road, in a quieter part of Panglao Island.
We recently visited Boracay and I was frustrated by the island’s poor internet and lack of co-working spaces. No such problems in Bohol. At Common Crew Coffee Roasters & Brewers, digital nomads can work for 3-6 hours while enjoying excellent coffee and pastries.
I had a long black and a brownie, both of which were very good. This was probably the best cup of coffee I had in Bohol.
Common Crew offers two co-working packages – 3 hrs for PHP 200 and 6 hrs for PHP 350. You’ll have the option of getting unlimited brewed coffee or a cup of barista-prepared coffee with either package.
Common Crew Coffee Roasters & Brewers is located along Tawala Road. You can check out the location map at the bottom of this article to see exactly where it is on the island.
Common Crew Coffee Roasters & Brewers
Address: Tawala Road, Purok 2, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 10AM-6PM, Thurs-Tues (closed Wednesdays) What to Order: Co-working packages
4. Bohol Bee Farm
Bohol Bee Farm is one of the most iconic restaurants in Bohol island. More than a restaurant, it’s an eco-resort that offers accommodations and an opportunity for curious guests to learn about beekeeping and organic farming.
We didn’t go to Bohol Bee Farm on our most recent trip but pictured below are a few dishes from a previous visit, starting with this free appetizer of cassava chips with bread and two dips.
It may not look like a classic taco but this cassava fish taco was fantastic. Many of the dishes served at Bohol Bee Farm are made with ingredients grown in their very own organic garden.
Bohol Bee Farm has great salads and vegetable-centric dishes, but they do have many other offerings as well like brick oven pizzas, burgers, pasta dishes, and sandwiches.
This cheese pizza was decent but you may want to go to Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast (#6) instead for any Italian food.
If you need ice cream in your life like I do, then you have to try Bohol Bee Farm’s malunggay ice cream. Served in a cassava cone, it’s the restaurant’s house specialty ice cream.
Malunggay is the Filipino word for “moringa”, a type of tree whose leaves are used as a vegetable in many savory Filipino dishes. Malunggay isn’t commonly used in Filipino desserts so it’s something you should try if you’re looking for something a little less conventional in Bohol.
Aside from the interesting food, what makes Bohol Bee Farm special is the space itself. Wait until you see the view from the restaurant.
If you come early enough, then maybe you can get a table that offers this view. Isn’t it breathtaking?
There’s lots more to see at Bohol Bee Farm so check out the full article for more pictures and information.
Bohol Bee Farm
Address: Dao, Dauis, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 8AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Farm saladas, vegetables, roasted chicken, malunggay ice cream
5. Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro
As of this writing, Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro is the number one rated restaurant on Tripadvisor. They serve delicious food – mostly from different parts of Southeast Asia – but they do offer a few salads and pasta dishes as well.
This appetizer of calamares with chili sauce was very good.
This red curry was delicious. We had it with shrimp but you can get it with chicken or a mix of fresh seafood as well. Rich and creamy, they pair it with rice but I would have loved it served in a sourdough bread bowl ala clam chowder.
Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro is a small restaurant tucked away on a side street just off the main road.
I wish we had gotten a picture with him but the restaurant is owned by a super friendly guy who loves chatting it up with his customers. At the end of the meal, he asks everyone what they thought of the food. Clearly he cares, which is always a good thing.
Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro
Address: Easter lim drive, Aluna, Panglao, 6325 Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 11:40AM-3PM, 5:30-9PM, daily What to Order: Asian food
6. Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast
We enjoyed our first meal at Giuseppe several years ago. Back then, they already had a reputation for being the best Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Bohol. Fast forward to 2023 and by many accounts, they still are.
Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast is owned and operated by an Italian chef from Sicily. They do typical Italian fare like pizza, parmigiana, and pasta and they do it very well.
I don’t know if this dish is still available but pictured below is Giuseppe’s carpaccio di bue. It’s a delicious starter of thinly sliced raw beef topped with iceberg lettuce, olives, capers, marinated mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
I usually go for tomato-based pasta dishes but I can never refuse Giuseppe’s eggplant parmigiana. It’s another tasty starter made with eggplant baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella and drizzled with Parmesan cheese. Serious yum.
Giuseppe offers many delicious wood-fired pizzas but if you like anchovies, then you may want to get the Lorenzo. It’s made with mozzarella, anchovies, fresh tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and basil.
The restaurant is in its own building along the main road so it shouldn’t be hard to spot. This picture was taken a few years ago so the interior may have changed since then.
You can check out my article on Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast for more pictures and information.
I loved this restaurant. If you’re in the mood for familiar Filipino cuisine, but with a twist, then Sisa Bistro is the place to go in Bohol. It’s the type of restaurant we’d go to again and again until we’ve tried everything on their menu.
Thankfully, we ate at Sisa with my family so we got to try many delicious dishes, starting with this chicharon bulaklak appetizer they call Chichay. If you’ve never heard of chicharon bulaklak, it’s a popular Filipino bar chow dish of deep-fried pork mesentery. Not the healthiest dish but absolutely delicious, especially when paired with ice-cold beer.
If fried pork mesentery is too extreme for you, then perhaps you’d like to try this starter called Cha Pusit instead. It consists of deep-fried whole baby squid served with a wasabi mayo dip.
This spicy main dish called Leonor is made with pork strips cooked in coconut cream, chili, and bagoong (fermented shrimp paste).
If I remember correctly, this next main dish is called Caridad. It consists of beef chunks slow-cooked in a red curry sauce and then served over rice.
This is the restaurant’s house specialty. It’s called Corazon and consists of fresh bamboo blossoms cooked in coconut milk. We got it with shrimp but you can have it with tofu as well.
This is another Sisa specialty. Called Adonis, it’s the restaurant’s take on classic Filipino adobo.
Unless I’m mistaken, this next dish is called Tiago. It’s made with tofu and eggplant stewed in a green curry sauce.
For dessert, we had the Flora which is Sisa’s take on panna cotta. It’s flavored with kafe barako (coffee from Batangas) for a jolt of caffeine after a coma-inducing meal.
Sisa Bistro is located along New Airport Road, in a small strip-mall-like building not too far from the airport. Unless you were looking for it, you’d probably never find this place which is a shame because it’s arguably the best Filipino restaurant in Bohol.
Sisa Bistro
Address: Buona Vita Plaza, Purok 2, New Airport Road, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 11:30AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Chichay, Corazon, Adonis
8. Pearl Restaurant (Linaw Beach Resort)
We ate at this restaurant a few years ago but I still remember it like it were yesterday. Pearl is the restaurant at Linaw Beach Resort, an off-the-beaten-path hotel along Danao Beach, about 3 km (1.9 miles) west of Alona Beach.
Pearl Restaurant has an extensive menu with good food, but what makes dinner here truly special is the view. You’ll see what I mean below.
What you’re looking at here is a juicy chunk of ostrich steak drenched in mushroom sauce and served with a side of boiled vegetables.
Pictured below is their Australian rib eye with a side of boiled vegetables and potato croquettes.
This is what makes dinner at Pearl Restaurant memorable. Located far enough away from the crowds of Alona Beach, you can enjoy a quiet romantic sunset dinner with your significant other right on the beach.
Pearl doesn’t serve fine dining cuisine but you can enjoy a good steak with a bottle of wine while gazing out at the Bohol sunset. You can check my article on Pearl Restaurant at Linaw Beach Resort for more pictures and information.
Pearl Restaurant (Linaw Beach Resort)
Address: GQX2+5VF, Linaw Rd, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 6AM-11PM, daily What to Order: Continental food
9. Bollywood Resto & Bar
We asked a friend who frequently vacations in Bohol for restaurant recommendations, and the first place she mentioned was Bollywood Resto & Bar. Indian food is one of our favorites so we were more than happy to go. As it turns out, she was right.
Bollywood offers many meat and vegetarian Indian options like biryanis, curries, and tandoori dishes. They even have pani puri which I haven’t seen too often at Indian restaurants in the Philippines.
They offer several biryani dishes but we went with our favorite mutton biryani. It was delicious.
I’m a predictable guy. If I see tikka masala or butter chicken on an Indian restaurant’s menu, then I’ll order it. Tonight, we went with the chicken tikka masala and it didn’t disappoint.
No Indian curry is ever complete without good naan bread to dip into it. The trio of curry, biryani rice, and naan bread is a menage a trois made in heaven.
Bollywood Resto & Bar is conveniently located along the main road, not too far from Alona Beach.
People looking for authentic Indian food will be pleased to learn that Bollywood appears to be owned by an Indian family. The person who took our order was Indian, and at the time, most of the customers were Indian as well.
A common thread in their reviews is that they serve good food but in small portions. I can’t argue with that but we enjoyed the experience nonetheless. The service was great too.
Bollywood Resto & Bar
Address: HQ2F+XCV, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines What to Order: Indian food
10. Kun’s Stick and Bowl
Spend a day on Panglao Island and it becomes clear that Koreans are the dominant nationality of tourists in Bohol. You can’t walk 5 minutes without passing a restaurant that serves Korean cuisine!
We love Korean food so it was important for us to add a Korean restaurant to this guide. Thankfully, we found Kun’s Stick and Bowl, a restaurant that offers ala carte Korean dishes and unlimited samgyupsal for just PHP 390 per person.
Unlimited samgyupsal is a popular and hugely successful concept in the Philippines so it wasn’t surprising to find it here, especially since so many Koreans visit Bohol.
Kun’s Stick and Bowl is located more inland, in a quieter part of Panglao Island. You can walk from Alona Beach but it may be better to hire a tuk-tuk to take you there.
We were in Bohol in December and it was very difficult to secure a reservation at Kun’s Stick and Bowl. I suggest calling ahead before going.
Kun’s Stick and Bowl
Address: Purok 2, Brgy. Tawala, Municipality, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 11:30AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Unlimited samgyupsal
11. Sushihan
Sushihan is owned by the same group as Sisa Bistro. As their name suggests, they offer different types of specialty sushi rolls along with sashimi and a few rice bowls.
On their sushi menu are the usual suspects like California maki, Philadelphia roll, dragon roll, and rainbow roll. If I remember correctly, the two rolls pictured below are the spicy tuna roll and spicy salmon roll. Most of the rolls at Sushihan are made with tuna, salmon, crabstick, or shrimp.
Sushihan’s rolls are decent but what I really enjoyed was this tempura bowl. It contains four pieces of shrimp tempura along with some okra and eggplant tempura served over rice.
Sushihan is located in this building along the main road, in one of the busiest parts of Panglao Island.
Sushihan is a lovely restaurant but it’s small and can fill up quickly during peak seasons. I suggest going at slightly off-peak hours for a shorter wait.
Sushihan
Address: Panglao Island Circumferential Rd, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 11AM-9PM, daily What to Order: Sushi rolls, tempura bowl
12. Bougainvillea
There’s no shortage of delicious food on Panglao Island, but Bougainvillea was hands down our favorite restaurant in Bohol. It’s a tapas and paella restaurant owned by two Spanish guys (from Seville if I remember correctly) who import many of their ingredients from Spain.
We were celebrating our wedding anniversary in Bohol so we wanted to have dinner at the perfect restaurant. From start to finish, Bougainvillea delivered.
We started our meal with this chorizo Iberico platter. It contains 100 grams of cured Iberian pork chorizo served with toasted bread and a tomato spread.
When we visited Santiago de Compostela, one of the Spanish dishes that made the biggest impact was polbo á feira. It refers to a Galician-style octopus dish seasoned with loads of paprika. Also known as pulpo a la gallega, the version at Bougainvillea was just as good as any we had in Spain.
There are many interesting tapas dishes at Bougainvillea but it’s hard to go to a Spanish restaurant and not order gambas al ajillo!
This is another must-try. It’s called fritura and it consists of Andalusian-style fried baby squid and marinated sardines served with aioli. ¡Riquísimo!
Bougainvillea offers four types of paella served in three sizes. What you’re looking at below is the classic paella de marisco (seafood paella).
This is arguably one of the best paellas you’ll find anywhere in the Philippines. They make it with a thin layer of rice so it cooks perfectly and creates a layer of crunchy socarrat (scorched rice) at the bottom. This was AMAZINGLY delicious.
Bougainvillea is one of several restaurants located in a plaza near Alona Beach. When you have two Spanish guys running the place, you know it’s going to be good. I highly recommend enjoying at least one meal here.
Something to note, reviewers who know Spanish food heap praises on Bougainvillea but people who aren’t as familiar with tapas often complain about the small portions. Just know that the tapas portions here are the same as what you’d find anywhere in Spain.
Bougainvillea
Address: Rue de premiere Near Alona parking lot, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 5-9PM, Tue-Fri / 12-12:30PM, 5-9PM, Sat-Sun (closed Mondays) What to Order: Tapas, paella
13. Cafe Snow Park
Korean food is delicious, but so are Korean desserts. When it comes to Korean sweet treats, there’s no dessert more popular than bingsu. It’s a delicious dessert made with finely shaved ice topped with different ingredients like fresh fruit, red beans, syrup, and condensed milk.
Philippine mangoes are world-famous so the mango bingsu was an easy choice. As expected, it was delicious.
We went back a second time and tried the milk tea taro bingsu. It was good too though I still preferred the mango.
Cafe Snow Park is located on a busy side street just off the main road. Filled with restaurants on both sides, it’s the street people usually take to get to the beach.
It’s worth noting that my sister-in-law ordered mango bingsu the very next day and said that the mangoes weren’t as sweet. Just something to keep in mind if you’d like to try anything made with fresh fruits.
Cafe Snow Park
Address: GQXC+QR5, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines Operating Hours: 9AM-10PM, daily What to Order: Bingsu
LOCATION MAP
To help you find these Bohol restaurants, I’ve pinned them all on a map. Click on the link to open a live version of the map in a new window.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN BOHOL
Aside from the restaurants featured in this guide, you’ll find many more options pinned on the map above.
If you’re a vegetarian, then you may want to visit Shaka. This vegetarian restaurant serves delicious smoothie bowls, burgers, and sandwiches made with vegan ingredients.
If you want Italian food but don’t eat meat, then another good vegetarian restaurant to visit is Luna Rossa. They’re known for many delicious vegetarian dishes, including the popular Spring Lasagna made with homemade pasta sheets filled with eggplant, pumpkin, and mushroom.
One restaurant we wanted to go to but couldn’t find the time for was Barwoo. It’s an interesting Asian fusion restaurant that serves Korean food and other Asian-inspired dishes. Their seafood fried rice is a bestseller, as is their jjampong pasta which is a type of Korean spicy seafood noodle soup.
This Bohol restaurant guide focuses on Panglao Island but if you plan on exploring the capital, then we have a few recommendations for Tagbilaran City as well.
The Prawn Farm restaurant inside Island City Mall is a local favorite. All-you-can-eat buffets are popular in the Philippines and the lunch and dinner buffet spread served in Prawn Farm’s large and comfortable space is an excellent option.
If you’d prefer something a little more rustic, then the signature grilled chicken barbecue dish at Chicken Ati-Atihan is something you may want to try. People curious about boodle fights can experience one at TNTS Boodle Fight & Seafood House. It’s a bakery and cake shop that oddly enough, became famous for their seafood and boodle fight spreads.
Wherever you go, it’s clear that there’s no shortage of delicious food in Bohol. Its restaurant scene isn’t quite as developed or refined as Boracay, but it’s well on its way.
Thanks for reading and have a delicious time in Bohol!
Disclosure
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This article on JINRO Soju was written in partnership with HITEJINRO Philippines.
Recognize this green bottle?
You may recognize it from an episode of the latest Korean Drama. Your favorite character was sitting at a restaurant in South Korea while pouring shot after shot from this iconic green bottle.
This is the very same green bottle that provides you comfort in any moment of sadness or celebration. It is the one and only soju – JINRO.
What is Soju?
Soju is an alcoholic drink from South Korea that has been around for centuries. You can think of it as a Korean variation of vodka or rice wine. Traditionally, it was made with rice but these days, it’s more commonly made from sweet potatoes.
Frequent visitors to Seoul are no strangers to soju, but thanks to the global appeal of Korean food, music, cinema, and culture, soju is becoming more and more popular in other parts of the world as well.
JINRO Soju Flavors
JINRO surpassed many famous brands around the world to secure its reign as the world’s best-selling spirit. There are several flavors for you to choose from, including clean flavors and fruit flavors.
The most common clean flavors are Fresh and Original. JINRO Chamisul Fresh has a mild and clean soju taste while JINRO Original tastes slightly stronger. You can also try the fruit flavor series which includes JINRO Strawberry, JINRO Green Grape, JINRO Plum, JINRO Peach (NEW!), and JINRO Grapefruit soju.
As frequent travelers to South Korea, Ren and I are very familiar with the JINRO brand. Each soju flavor has a distinctive taste based on the different ingredients used in the process, but I can assure you that each flavor tastes just as good as the next.
Beware of Fake JINRO Soju!
Apparently, with soju being the world’s best-selling spirit in the world, there’s a risk of purchasing fake soju that you may not be aware of.
Buying green bottles of soju online without verifying their authenticity happens more often than you think. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to determine which products are real or not because the bottles are packaged in almost the exact same way as authentic JINRO soju.
Before you start purchasing soju, there are a few things you need to check to ensure that it was produced by real JINRO Soju producers. Be careful because buying fake soju can be harmful to your health!
How to Spot Authentic JINRO Soju
Just because a bottle is green and looks like the JINRO soju that you see in Korean Dramas doesn’t mean that it’s the real thing. Apparently, green bottles are universally used by soju manufacturers to help protect the alcohol content from sunlight and ensure that it lasts longer.
Here are a few things to look for when purchasing authentic JINRO Soju.
Check the Label
First, check the label on the green bottle. To experience authentic JINRO soju, look for the label with its trademark toad logo. The toad colors vary from the different flavors of JINRO Soju.
Look for the Curve
Second, if you look closely, JINRO Soju has a curved label. There are local brands that claim to be authentic Korean soju, especially when they use the exact same green bottle and similar-looking labels. But don’t be so easily fooled because they may be copycats from other brands.
In spite of some customers being fooled by copycats, JINRO remains the dominant brand among all soju brands in the Philippines. JINRO sales are at least double the sales of other local soju brands.
JINRO continues to be the world’s best-selling spirit for twenty consecutive years and counting. If you want to try the best soju, then be sure to buy authentic JINRO Soju.
How Much is Authentic JINRO Soju in the Philippines?
In the Philippines, prices for authentic JINRO Soju range between PHP 90-150 per 360 ml bottle. Depending on where you buy it from, fake soju can be priced for as low as half of that.
Don’t fall for the allure of overly cheap prices! Chances are, they’re too good to be true. You won’t be getting the same quality and richness in flavor as the real thing and you might even suffer adverse effects because of it.
Remember, the best way to purchase authentic JINRO Soju is from local supermarkets or trusted online stores. Check out JINRO Soju’s official store as well JINRO Philippines’ Lazada and Shopee accounts.
They usually have ongoing discounts or promotions so make sure to check before stocking your soju rack at home. You can also stay up-to-date with new promotions and offers by following JINRO Philippines’ Facebook and Instagram pages.
To learn more, check out the official website of JINRO Philippines.
Disclosure
This article was written in partnership with HITEJINRO Philippines. All information and photos used in this article were provided by them.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Traveleater and German food expert Ana Raicic shares with us 25 traditional dishes you need to try on your next trip to Germany.
Germany is a large country and as such, you’d expect an immense variety of traditional food. But the basics of German cuisine are surprisingly common across most regions.
Traditional German food focuses mostly on bread, potatoes, and various types of meat. Standout regions include the north, where you’ll find more fish-based dishes because of its proximity to the sea, and the southern regions of Bavaria and Swabia where you’ll find influences of Austrian and Swiss cuisines.
FOOD IN GERMANY QUICK LINKS
If you’re visiting Germany and want to learn more about German cuisine, then you may want to go on a food tour.
TOURS
German Food/Drinking Tours: Food and Drinking Tours in Germany
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Photo by sweet marshmallow
WHAT IS TRADITIONAL GERMAN CUISINE?
Traditional German food might seem simple but it has uniformity and incredible regional variety at the same time. It has also been influenced by Eastern European, Austrian, northern Italian, and Swiss cuisines.
The prevalent ingredients used in German cuisine are meats in various forms – like pot roasts, stews, and sausages. Potatoes are the most important ingredient for side dishes. Cabbage is equally important as it’s used to prepare sauerkraut and sauteed red cabbage. These simple but versatile ingredients are excellent vessels for spice mixes and regional preparations.
As for dessert, Germans are masters of fruit desserts, especially desserts made from apples which are ubiquitous in Germany. Many forms of dessert knödel filled with fruit are also popular.
Germans love a good pastry. Bakeries are full of sweet treats with quark and berry, apple, and nut fillings. They also have a special relationship with ice cream so ice cream parlor menus are always filled with a multitude of mouthwatering choices.
MUST-TRY GERMAN DISHES
This article on traditional German food has been organized by category to make it easier to go through. Click on a link to jump to any section of the guide.
Soups / Starters / Sides
Meats / Mains
Bread
Desserts / Drinks
SOUPS / STARTERS / SIDES
1. Eintopf
The German word eintopf literally translates to “one pot” and denotes German dishes that are made in one pot. These are soups and stews that represent a full meal and often contain legumes (like peas, beans, or lentils), vegetables (most often cabbage, swede, carrots, and potatoes), and grains (such as barley, pasta, or bread).
Traditionally, German eintopf is made by cutting vegetables and sauteeing them in a pot, before adding the softer vegetables, potatoes, and meat. The broth is then added and simmered for a while until the meat is cooked through and the stew has thickened to the desired consistency.
The beauty of eintopf is that it can be made from anything, so it’s often prepared as a clean-out-your-fridge dish. It’s typically seasoned with black pepper, parsley, and salt, along with cumin seeds to aid in digestion.
Photo by Viktory Panchenko
2. Maultaschen
Maultaschen are German dumpling pockets made from pasta dough filled with meat, onions, and vegetables. They are an EU-protected dish originating in the historical region of Swabia, which is now part of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
Today, at least one stage of production of the original Swabian maultaschen needs to be carried out in the region of origin, for it to be called that.
To make maultaschen, the pasta dough is first rolled out. The stuffings are prepared according to the recipe and blended into a smooth filling. The pasta dough is then filled with the stuffings and folded before being cooked in soup or salted water.
After cooking, maultaschen is typically served in one of three ways – (1) in the soup; (2) with butter and fried onions, often with German potato salad; and (3) pan-fried in slices with eggs, onions, and cheese.
The fillings for maultaschen vary significantly, from meaty versions made with pork, beef, and smoked pork belly to vegetarian variations containing just onions, parsley, leeks, and bread.
Photo by MariaKovaleva
3. Spätzle
Spätzle refers to a Swabian egg-based type of pasta or dumpling, made out of a thinner batter that’s traditionally scraped directly into boiling water and cooked. The dumplings are then scooped out and cooled in a bowl of icy water to prevent overcooking.
Today, spätzle are extremely common and can easily be found at most German restaurants and markets. They’re also a popular comfort food and come pre-packaged in supermarkets.
Spätzle can be used in a variety of German dishes. The most well-known is probably the käsespätzle, which is made with spätzle mixed with cheese and fried onions. They’re also used as a side dish with meat dishes like rouladen, sauerbraten, and pot roasts with gravy. Käsespätzle is known as käsknöpfle in Liechtenstein, where it’s considered a national dish.
Sweet spätzle are a lesser-known treat, originating in the region of Allgäu. Kirschspätzle and apfelspätzle are mixed with fresh cherries and grated apples, respectively, and then dressed with a buttery, sugary glaze spiced with cinnamon and sometimes nutmeg. Kirschspätzle is predominantly a summer dish, while apfelspätzle is most commonly served in autumn.
Photo by Brent Hofacker
4. Knödel
Knödel is a type of boiled dumpling that’s traditionally made out of flour, bread, potatoes, or quark. They’re common in many Central and Eastern European countries like Austria, Hungary, Czechia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina but they have a special place in German cuisine.
Savory options are most often served as a side dish with roasted meats and sauces, but some types – like the leberknödel (literally “liver dumplings”) – can be served in a traditional clear broth instead of maultaschen or pasta.
Some traditional savory varieties of knödel include the ubiquitous semmelknödel (bread dumplings), kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings), thüringer klöße (raw potato dumplings), and palatinate dampfnudeln (yeast dumplings).
Sweet dumplings are a lovely treat for especially cold days. Some varieties can be found all over Germany like zwetschkenknödel (filled with plums), grießklößchen (made from semolina), and quarkknödel (filled with quark). Sweet dampfnudeln is served with vanilla custard or fruit compotes while germknödel (yeasted wheat flour dumpling) is traditionally served with vanilla sauce and filled with plum jam.
Most of these German dumplings are made by mixing the main ingredient – usually flour, cubed bread (you can even buy dumpling bread in the supermarket!), cooked potatoes, or quark – with egg to act as a binder. Either flour, breadcrumbs, or coarse meal is then used to act as a thickener. The dumplings are shaped into balls before being cooked in boiling water and served as a side dish.
Today, knödel or klöße (another word for dumpling) are a characteristic feature of German festive cuisine and can be found on the Sunday menus of many traditional German restaurants.
Photo by OlgaBombologna
5. Kartoffelsalat
German potato salad is pretty much the same as any type of potato salad. It’s prepared out of boiled potatoes which are cooked with or without skin, sliced, and then mixed with a dressing and other ingredients. It’s a ubiquitous side dish that you’ll find at most German restaurants with sausages and roasted meats.
The two distinct styles of German potato salad are charcaterized based on the presence of mayonnaise in the dressing.
In southern Germany, potato salad dressing doesn’t contain mayonnaise but it’s prepared out of meat broth, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and mustard. This style of potato salad can be eaten warm or cold.
In northern Germany, potato salad dressing usually contains mayonnaise. Sometimes, it’s made with a combination of mayonnaise and yogurt as a way to lighten the dressing. The result is a smooth German potato salad that can be served either cold or at room temperature. It’s the perfect accompaniment to any type of German sausage or meat dish.
Photo by Fanfo
6. Kartoffelpuffer
Kartoffelpuffer, kartoffelpfannkuchn, or reibekuchen all refer to a type of German potato pancake, similar to American hash browns, Jewish latkes, Irish boxty, and Swiss rösti. These fried potatoes are commonly served at German restaurants as a side dish.
Kartoffelpuffer are prepared by first grating raw potatoes and onions, and then squeezing as much water out of the potatoes as possible. This step is very important because it ensures that the exterior of the pancakes remains crispy after frying.
The potatoes are then mixed with onions, flour, salt, and egg to form a batter. Typically, they’re spiced only with salt, nutmeg, and parsley. The batter is then spooned into hot oil and cooked until the fried potatoes are crispy on both sides.
Typically, potato pancakes are eaten either as a standalone dish with sauerkraut and lettuce, sour cream, or with sugar and apple sauce. They can also be served as a side dish with meat.
Photo by Timolina
7. Bratkartoffeln
German bratkartoffeln refers to a tasty dish consisting of thinly sliced pan-fried potatoes. The potatoes aren’t deep-fried like French fries. Texturally, they’re more similar to crispy roasted potatoes. A staple at any German restaurant, they make for a wonderful side dish to sausages, steaks, and roasts.
To make bratkartoffeln, potatoes are thinly sliced and left in a cold water bath for a couple of minutes to drain and wash off any starches. The potato slices are then cooked in a covered pan with clarified butter or oil. Before the potatoes finish cooking, onions are added to the pan which is then left uncovered to help crisp up the potatoes.
Germans are very particular about their bratkartoffeln, which should be cripsy on the outside but soft in the middle. The best bratkartoffeln are well-seasoned with salt and pepper. They can also be enhanced with butter, chives, and bacon.
Photo by V.Vanacore
8. Zwiebelkuchen
This German specialty dish is a type of cake made from steamed or raw onions, diced bacon, cream, and caraway seeds. The cake can be made either with yeasted dough or shortcrust pastry.
The Swabian version of zwiebelkuchen is usually round and resembles a French quiche lorraine, while zweibelkuchen from other parts of Germany can be square or rectangular. In most regional varieties, the onions are steamed or sauteed before baking, except in Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony where the onions are used raw.
Zwiebelkuchen is a characteristic fixture of autumn German food traditions. It’s commonly served at wine festivals in the German wine-producing regions of Württemberg, Baden, Rhine, Moselle, Saar, Nahe, Palatinate, Hesse, and Franconia.
Zwiebelkuchen is typically served warm, often with beer, a glass of wine, or federweißer, which is a type of German specialty wine that’s halfway between grape juice and wine.
Photo by MariaKovaleva
MEATS / MAINS
9. Labskaus
Labskaus is a traditional German dish made with potato, beef, and beetroot. It’s common in northern Germany, particularly in the cities of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck.
Traditionally, labskaus is prepared by first boiling salted or fresh meat in broth. The meat is then minced with boiled potatoes, herring, pickled beetroot, and gherkins before being fried and enhanced with bay leaves, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, pepper, and coriander.
Labskaus is typically served with fried eggs, herring filets, and gherkins. Several regional variations exist, but the essential ingredients of potatoes and cooked beef remain the same everywhere in Germany.
Lebskaus is a mainstay on the menus of traditional German restaurants in Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen, Hamburg, and northern Lower Saxony.
Photo by from my point of view
10. Bratwurst
Bratwurst refers to a type of German sausage most often made with pork, though it can also be made with veal or beef. Like most German foods, it can also come in several regional varieties.
Bratwurst of all kinds is extremely popular in Germany and is often served as a snack with a white bread roll and mustard. In German pubs and traditional German restaurants, bratwurst is served with a side of sauerkraut or potato salad and a slice of dark rye bread or pretzels. Bratwurst is also a key ingredient in a proper German grillen (barbecue).
Some of Germany’s most popular types of bratwurst include thüringer bratwurst, nürmberger rostbratwurst, schlesische bratwurst, rote wurst, and rostocker bratwurst.
11. Weisswurst
The name weisswurst means “white sausage” in German. A traditional Bavarian specialty, this German sausage is made from minced veal and bacon and gets its name from its light color. Traditionally, it’s spiced with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger, and cardamom.
Weisswurst is traditionally prepared in the morning and eaten no later than lunchtime. Originally, this was because they weren’t smoked or preserved, which meant they were highly perishable.
Weisswurst are generally small sausages, about 12 cm long and three to four cm thick. They’re cooked for about ten minutes and often served in warm water to keep them from cooling down too much.
Today, weisswurst sausages are commonly served (especially in Bavaria) with Bavarian sweet mustard, a pretzel, and a pint of weißbier.
Photo by Nickola_Che
12. Currywurst
One of Germany’s most popular snack foods, the currywurst was invented in Berlin sometime after the Second World War. The dish consists of fried or boiled sausage, served whole or sliced, and topped with a tomato-based sauce and curry powder or ketchup.
Currywurst is a national dish in Germany and you can find many street vendors selling it everywhere. It’s also a mainstay on the menus of pubs and restaurants.
This popular German food has two variants, with or without casing. In both instances, they’re first fried as a whole sausage and then either cut into rounds and served with sauce or cut into two halves and served with sauce. The sauce (or sometimes sausage first) is then sprinkled with curry powder.
Sometimes, you can ask for your currywurst to be served with cayenne, crushed chili flakes, Worcestershire sauce, or chopped raw onions with chili. Currywurst is served with either french fries, a small soft bread roll, or a slice of bread to mop up the sauce.
13. Rouladen
Rouladen in German means “rolled” and refers to a type of meat roll, usually made with either beef or veal.
Rouladen consists of one thin long slice of meat that’s stuffed with bacon, onions, mustard, and pickles, and then rolled. The rolls are then seared on the stove and cooked in a stew. The rolls can either be sliced for serving or served as individual rolls called fleischvogel, which literally means “meat birds”.
The traditional sides to German meat roll dishes are sauteed red cabbage or sauerkraut. Depending on the region, a form of potatoes (either boiled, mashed, or roasted), spätzle, or dumplings can also be served.
Rouladen can be found on the weekend or holiday menus of traditional German restaurants throughout Germany.
Photo by PosiNote
14. Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten is a type of German pot roast dish made with meat that’s been marinated for several days in a mixture of vinegar, water (or wine), onions, carrots, bay leaves, cloves, and peppercorns. Traditionally, it was stored in a cool cellar for a few days to allow the cut of meat to tenderize and become infused with flavor.
As with several other traditional German dishes, sauerbraten is highly varied regionally. However, the cooking process is mostly the same.
To make sauerbraten, the cut of meat is first seared to give it color. The pot is then deglazed with the leftover marinade and filled with water or stock for stewing. The sauce is then seasoned with traditional sweeteners like raisins, sugar beet syrup, apple sauce, and special sauce-thickening gingerbread cakes.
You can find sauerbraten on the menus of most restaurants serving German cuisine, usually with a choice of traditional side dishes like knödel and pasta.
Photo by hlphoto
15. Hasenpfeffer
Hasenpfeffer is a ragout made with rabbit or hare meat flavored with onions and a wine and vinegar marinade.
To prepare the stew, rabbit meat is first marinated in oil, brandy, and select spices. The meat is then stewed with onions, red wine, lemon juice, and chopped liver. The final and most important ingredient of hasenpfeffer is rabbit or pork blood. Stemming from the time when every part of the animal was used, the blood is added to thicken the sauce and give it a creamy, silky texture.
Today, hasenpfeffer is mostly prepared using just wine as it’s become more difficult to find blood to use in the dish. The stew is traditionally served with knödel and red cabbage.
Hasenpfeffer is delicious but you may have a harder time finding it in Germany. Unlike many of the German foods on this list, it isn’t common on the menus of even the most traditional German restaurants.
Photo by Fanfo
16. Eisbein with Sauerkraut
Eisbein in German literally means “ham hock”, but it can also refer to the way the dish is prepared. Like most German dishes, there are two main ways of preparing it. In northern Germany, the hock is cured and then boiled, while in the south of Germany, the same cut of meat is usually oven-roasted or grilled without pre-curing.
The prepared ham hock is used in simple but filling dishes. In Berlin, it’s cooked in a bean puree while in Franconia, it’s served with sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, or bread.
Like hasenpfeffer, you’ll need to exert more effort to try eisbein in Germany. Your best bet is to go to traditional German restaurants on weekends or venture outside of the big cities.
Photo by sweet marshmallow
BREAD
17. Bauernbrot
Bauernbrot is the German term for a crusty, “farmer’s” loaf that’s made from a mix of flours, usually rye and wheat flour. The bread is prepared using a sourdough starter with salt, yeast, and water.
Bauernbrot is one of the most common types of German bread and can be found anywhere in Germany. It’s usually a round loaf, not scored, and baked without a tin. Its characteristic crust is floured and crackly, giving it a rustic appearance.
Regionally, the flours and their quantities vary, but the most special regional version of bauernbrot is from Saxony. It can sometimes be made with mashed potatoes or potato flour in the dough, giving the bread an extra soft and uniform crumb to contrast with its crusty exterior.
Germans love their bread and the best bread is always found at the local baker early in the mornings. So remember to wake up early on your next visit to Germany!
Photo by hlphoto
18. Vollkornbrot
Vollkornbrot is the German term for bread that’s made with whole grain flour. This German bread is darker than other types of bread and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, with or without the addition of seeds.
Like bauernbrot, vollkornbrot is one of Germany’s best-loved breads, and the best loaves are always snatched up early from the local bakery.
Photo by Dar1930
19. Brezel
Brezel is the German word for “pretzel”. It refers to a traditional leavened dough pastry that’s beloved throughout Germany.
Pretzels are made from yeast dough that’s been enhanced with butter for softness. After proofing, it’s divided and rolled into 30 cm long strands which are then shaped into traditional pretzel form.
Before baking, the strands are boiled for about 30 seconds in a solution of baking soda or more traditionally, in lye. They’re then sprinkled with toppings and baked in an oven until that beautiful golden brown pretzel color is achieved.
Sweet pretzels are also popular in Germany, especially in the form of a St. Martin’s pretzel that’s traditionally sold around the 11th of November (St. Martin’s Day). St. Martin’s pretzels are made from yeasted dough and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar before serving.
The Palm Sunday pretzel is also a well-known sweet pretzel, sold around Palm Sunday. You can also find the so-called Olgabrezeln – named after Queen Olga of Württemberg – that are made from puff pastry.
The main difference between Bavarian and Swabian pretzels is that the former is evenly thick throughout while the latter is noticeably thicker in the middle.
Pretzels are a beloved snack all across Germany. You can typically find them sold at market stands, in supermarkets, and in bakeries.
Photo by bhofack2 via Depositphotos
20. Stollen
Stollen (or simply stolle) is a festive German spiced loaf cake that’s typically filled with dried fruit, marzipan, or poppy seeds. Stollen can be made all year round, but they’re especially popular during Christmas when they’re referred to as christstollen or weihnachtsstollen.
Stollen is made from a high-fat sweetened yeast dough filled with raisins, other dried fruits, marzipan, and poppy seeds. The dough is baked in a loaf pan and then slathered with melted butter and dusted in powdered sugar. That way, the cake stays moist and keeps for longer.
A particularly special variety of stollen is the Dresden stollen which is protected by the EU. It differs from other kinds of stollen in its higher proportion of raisins in the dough.
Stollen is a popular holiday cake but it can be found in supermarkets all year round, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding it in Germany no matter when you go.
Photo by Yevgeniya Abayeva
DESSERTS / DRINKS
21. Apfelstrudel
Originally from Austria, apfelstrudel consists of baked rolled dough filled with apples. The dough is commonly made with filo pastry but it can also be made with puff pastry, yeast dough, or quark dough.
Traditionally, the filo pastry for apfelsrudel is made at home. It’s filled with apples (cubed, sliced, or grated), dark raisins, and breadcrumbs and sprinkled with cinnamon and granulated sugar. It’s then rolled into a log and slathered with butter before being baked in an oven.
German apfelstrudel is often dusted with icing sugar and can be served cold or warm with vanilla sauce, vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream.
Apfelstrudel is a beloved dessert and its variants can be found almost anywhere in Germany. It’s commonly made at home as well, especially in autumn when apples are in season.
Photo by La Bella Studio
22. Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Schwarzwälder kirschtorte or “black forest cake” is one of the most popular German desserts. Its name is derived from the liquor that’s used to moisten the layers of chocolate sponge – schwarzwalder kirschwasser.
Schwarzwälder kirschtorte is made with chocolate sponge cake, generous layers of cream, cherry fillings, and preserved cherries. Chocolate shavings are traditionally used for decoration.
Even today, the cake is popular and widely available throughout Germany. You can find it in many German pastry shops, but especially in the Black Forest region where it’s a popular dessert on the menus of traditional German restaurants.
Photo by Anna_Pustynnikova
23. Spaghettieis
As previously described, Germans love ice cream and all ice cream desserts. Spaghettieis resembles a bowl of spaghetti with sauce and grated parmesan cheese, hence the name.
This German ice cream specialty is made with ice cream that’s been pressed through a potato ricer or spätzle-making tool. The ice cream strands are served over a mound of chilled whipped cream and then topped with strawberry sauce and white chocolate shavings.
Traditionally, spaghettieis was made with vanilla ice cream but today, there are many other flavors like chocolate or hazelnut topped with chocolate sauce, caramel, blueberry, raspberry, and other sauces. Most German ice cream parlors will serve a variety of spaghettieis flavors, as well as children’s spaghettieis, which is smaller and traditionally topped with little chocolate candies.
Spaghettieis is served all year round, as long as the local ice cream parlor is open, and is always a nice Sunday treat.
Photo by stockcreations
24. Hefeweizen (German Beer)
Hefeweizen refers to a popular type of German beer made with a high proportion of wheat malt. These beers are also referrd to as weizenbier or weißbier.
The most widely available version of hefeweizen is the Bavarian weizenbier. However, these German wheat beers don’t really differ much by region, only by brewery. Each brewer uses their own recipe but the beer must contain at least 50% wheat malt to be considered a wheat beer. Hefeweizen is usually unfiltered and cloudy, and light in color.
The proliferation of hefeweizen typically denotes that summer has started in Germany. Typically, any German pub, bar, or restaurant will have a decent selection of beer on tap so finding and tasting hefeweizen should be easy.
Photo by El Nariz
25. Riesling
Riesling refers to a German white grape variety. One of the most important grape varieties in Germany, it originated in the Rhine region but it can now be found throughout the world.
Today, Riesling is one of the most widespread German wines. German riesling is lively and fresh, often with recognizable fruity notes.
If you’re visiting any of the wine-growing regions of Germany – like the Moselle Valley, Rheingau, or Franconia – then sampling the local wines is a must.
Photo by barmalini
FINAL THOUGHTS ON TRADITIONAL GERMAN FOOD
German food is at the same time coherent and highly varied, which in a way summarizes the entire country.
Germans pride themselves on good, simple foods like bread, sausages, and fruit desserts. While German food is often overlooked in favor of its much more famous neighbor France, it’s important to recognize that Germany also has many outstanding dishes, many of which should be tasted and celebrated.
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Cover photo by sweet marshmallow. Stock images via Shutterstock.
I love Filipino breakfast food. Silog dishes like longsilog and tapsilog are among my favorite dishes to eat when we’re back in the Philippines. Not just for breakfast, but at any time of the day.
Silog refers to a group of Filipino breakfast dishes comprised of meat, garlic rice, and a fried egg. It exists in many variations and can be found pretty much anywhere in the Philippines. Like Malaysian nasi lemak, it’s an exceedingly popular Filipino breakfast dish that can be enjoyed throughout the day.
Silog is a definite must-try but early risers will have lots more to wake up for in the Philippines. If you prefer breads and pastries for breakfast, then try pan de sal and ensaymada. If thick rice porridge meals are your jam, then you can tuck into a bowl of arroz caldo or champorado.
Silog may be one of the most well-known and delicious Filipino breakfast dishes, but as this list will show you, it’s just one of many in Filipino cuisine.
If you think breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then be sure to try these twelve delicious Filipino breakfasts on your next trip to the Philippines.
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Photos by junpinzon and Loybuckz
THE MOST DELICIOUS FILIPINO BREAKFAST DISHES
1. Silog Meals (Meat with Garlic Fried Rice and Egg)
No list of the most delicious Filipino food can ever be complete without silog. As described, it refers to a popular Filipino breakfast dish consisting of some type of meat served with Filipino garlic fried rice and sunny side up eggs.
The garlic fried rice and fried eggs are constants in silog meals but this beloved breakfast dish can take on many forms depending on the meat it’s made with. Tapsilog (beef tapa), longsilog (Filipino sausage), and tocilog (sweet cured meat) are the three most popular but you’ll find plenty more in the Philippines like bangsilog (milkfish), cornsilog (corned beef), and spamsilog (SPAM).
Enjoyed with a vinegar dipping sauce, silog is one of my absolute favorite breakfast meals in the world and something that you should try when you visit the Philippines. Check out my article on silog meals for more on this delicious Filipino breakfast dish.
Photo by junpinzon
2. Tuyo / Galunggong / Tinapa
Being an archipelago of over 7,100 islands, the Philippines is home to an abundance of delicious seafood. Bangus or milkfish is the national fish of the Philippines and the main component in bangsilog, one of the most popular types of silog.
Other popular species or preparations of fish that are commonly eaten for breakfast in the Philippines include galunggong, tuyo, and tinapa. Galunggong is the Filipino word for “mackerel scad”. Considered a poor man’s breakfast dish, it’s commonly fried in oil and eaten with plain rice.
Tuyo and tinapa also refer to Filipino fish dishes that are commonly eaten for breakfast in the Philippines. However, they pertain more to styles of fish preparation than actual species of fish.
Tuyo means “dry” and refers to salted dried fish, usually herring. It’s a very salty fish dish that’s commonly paired with steamed white rice. Like galunggong, it has a reputation for being poor man’s food, though more gourmet versions of tuyo are commonly sold in the Philippines.
Similarly, tinapa means “smoked” in Filipino and refers to smoked fish, usually blackfin scad or milkfish. They’re often paired with rice and eaten as a breakfast dish.
Of course, when any of these fish dishes are eaten with garlic fried rice and fried eggs, then they become a type of silog.
Photo by MNStudio
3. Beef Pares
In the Philippines, rice is life so the most popular Filipino breakfast dishes are often paired with rice, either garlic fried rice or steamed rice. SPAM is a favorite viand for silog, as are Flipino hot dogs. Heck, I can even take you to places that serve Chinese siomai with garlic rice and fried eggs for breakfast!
One popular carinderia (humble Filipino restaurant) dish that makes for delicious breakfast food is beef pares. It refers to a type of Filipino braised beef stew that’s commonly served with garlic rice and a bowl of clear beef stock. The term pares literally means “pairs” and refers to the practice of pairing the beef stew with fried rice and soup.
When prepared well, the meat in beef pares is incredibly tender and goes amazingly well with fried rice. Often served with a chili dipping sauce, it has a savory-sweet flavor after being stewed in a sweet soy sauce.
Photo by junpinzon via Shutterstock
4. Champorado (Chocolate Rice Porridge)
As a kid, I used to watch my dad dig into bowls of champorado for breakfast. At the time, I found it odd to mix chocolate with rice but there he was, happily eating spoonfuls of this chocolate rice porridge with bits of tuyo or danggit (dried rabbitfish) for breakfast.
Champorado refers to a thick rice porridge made with boiled glutinous rice and chocolate. It’s typically eaten for breakfast or for merienda (afternoon snack) with coconut milk (or regular milk), sugar, and pieces of dried salted fish.
As weird as that combination may sound for some people, it’s a popular Filipino breakfast dish that you should definitely try in the Philippines.
Photo by Loybuckz via Shutterstock
5. Lugaw / Arroz Caldo / Goto
If you’d prefer a savory bowl of rice porridge for breakfast, then look no further than lugaw. It refers to a bowl of Filipino rice porridge made with boiled glutinous rice seasoned with garlic, ginger, and salt.
When served on its own, the bowl of porridge is known simply as “lugaw”. But when it’s made with tripe and intestines, it becomes known as “goto” (pictured below). When served with chicken, it’s referred to as “arroz caldo”.
Whatever it’s made with, lugaw is often topped with chopped scallions, toasted garlic bits, and a hard-boiled egg. It’s typically served with calamansi, patis (fish sauce), or toyo (soy sauce) as condiments.
No matter the version, Filipino rice porridge is delicious and makes for a great Filipino breakfast dish or afternoon snack.
6. Mami Siopao
If you’re into noodles more than rice, then perhaps you’d like to wake up to a bowl of chicken mami soup instead. Mami refers to a popular Filipino-Chinese noodle soup made with wheat flour noodles and some type of meat (typically chicken, beef, or pork) or wonton dumplings.
Mami can be enjoyed on its own but it’s best when paired with siopao, another Filipino-Chinese dish. A type of baozi, siopao refers to a type of steamed bun that can be stuffed with different fillings, most commonly pork asado (braised barbecued pork) or bola-bola (ground meat mixture).
Photo by ~MVI~ on flickr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Processed in Photoshop and Lightroom
7. Taho
When it comes to Filipino dishes that conjure fond memories of childhood, taho is at the top of the list. It refers to the Filipino version of douhua, a Chinese silken tofu dish that’s served in some form in many countries throughout Asia. In the Philippines, it’s typically served warm with arnibal (simple syrup) and sago (similar to tapioca pearls).
Taho is traditionally sold by Filipino street food vendors carrying two aluminum buckets strung from either end of a bamboo pole. The vendors would comb the neighborhoods yelling “tahooooo!”, either early in the morning or sometime in the afternoon.
In our village, the taho vendor would come in the afternoons so we’d have it as a snack, but it’s just as enjoyable when eaten for breakfast in the Philippines.
Photo by junpinzon
8. Suman
In the Philippines, the term “kakanin” refers to a family of Filipino dishes made with galapong or glutinous rice paste. Puto is perhaps the most well-known but suman isn’t far behind.
Suman refers to a type of kakanin made with glutinous rice that’s cooked in coconut milk and then tightly wrapped in banana leaves before being steamed. Available in many versions throughout the Philippines, it’s typically eaten for breakfast with a sprinkling of sugar or drizzled with latik (caramelized coconut cream syrup).
Like adobo, suman is one of the most important dishes in Filipino culture and cuisine. It’s something you have to try when you visit the Philippines.
Photo by hendraxu
9. Pan de Sal
As previously described, the Philippines is all about rice so Filipino cuisine isn’t known for its bread. However, the one type of bread that’s commonly eaten in the Philippines is pan de sal. It refers to soft Filipino bread rolls made with wheat flour (and/or bread flour), yeast, salt, sugar, and oil.
I’ve always found the term pan del sal to be a bit confusing. It literally means “salt bread” but pan de sal tastes slightly sweet and not at all salty.
In any case, it’s a tasty type of Filipino bread that’s commonly eaten for breakfast, either on its own with hot coffee or stuffed with a filling like corned beef or canned sardines.
Photo by junpinzon
10. Ensaymada
The Philippines was a colony of Spain for 333 years so it’s no surprise that Spanish food traditions have left a noticeable impact on Filipino cuisine. Of the many Spanish-influenced Filipino dishes, ensaymada is one of my favorites.
Ensaymada refers to a Filipino brioche bread with Mallorcan roots. The Spanish original is made with a type of reduced pork lard called saïm. Instead of lard, the Filipino version is made with butter and topped with buttercream, sugar, and grated cheese, typically queso de bola (Edam cheese).
In the Philippines, ensaymada is commonly eaten for breakfast or as a snack. It’s available throughout the year though it becomes especially popular during the Christmas season. Boxes of specially made premium ensaymada are often given as gifts between family and friends.
Ensaymada is delicious any which way but I like it best after it’s been heated for a few seconds in a toaster oven. Pair it with a cup of good coffee or Filipino hot chocolate and you’re golden.
Photo by nuitgarden
11. Bibingka
Like ensaymada, bibingka holds special significance during the holiday season. A type of kakanin, it’s available throughout the year though it’s a dish that’s traditionally associated with Christmas in the Philippines.
Bibingka refers to a Filipino rice cake made from glutinous rice flour and coconut milk. Unlike other types of kakanin that are usually steamed, bibingka is baked in a clay pot lined with banana leaves. It’s cooked between two layers of charcoal until the top of the rice cake turns a beautiful golden brown.
Bibingka can be made with just the batter but more special versions are enhanced with slivers of salted duck egg (itlog na maalat) and cheese. It’s typically enjoyed for breakfast or merienda with sugar, butter, and grated coconut.
If you visit the Philippines around the Christmas season, then you need to try bibingka for breakfast. It’s absolutely delicious and something we always look forward to in December.
Photo by junpinzon
12. De Lata
De lata is a Spanish phrase that literally means “from a can”. It refers to commercially processed Filipino foods – mostly meats – packaged in cans and sold at supermarkets and grocery stores.
Typically eaten for breakfast, some of the most popular de lata products in the Philippines include corned beef, vienna sausages, SPAM, luncheon meat, and sardines. With the exception of vienna sausages and sardines, which can be eaten directly from the can, de lata food products are usually pan-fried before being served, often with garlic rice and a fried egg.
I like all de lata food products but vienna sausages are definitely my favorite. I love eating them straight from the can as a snack. When I have them for breakfast, I usually pair them with some scrambled eggs and pan de sal.
Photo by Louella938 via Shutterstock
FINAL THOUGHTS ON FILIPINO BREAKFAST
I’m originally from the Philippines so I know Filipino breakfast like the back of my hand. One thing I was surprised about when reading other people’s articles on Filipino breakfast was how often tortang along was included.
Tortang along refers to a type of Filipino eggplant omelette that’s commonly enjoyed with banana ketchup and steamed rice. While it’s one of my favorite comfort foods in Filipino cuisine, I’ve never once had it or seen it served for breakfast. Neither has Ren.
Tortang talong may be included in some larger silog meals or hotel breakfast buffets but personally, it’s something I’d prefer to have as a side dish for lunch or dinner. It’s delicious so it’s something you should definitely try as well on your next trip to the Philippines.
In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading this article on popular Filipino breakfast dishes as much as I enjoyed writing it. We no longer reside in the Philippines so writing this article is definitely making me miss the Philippines – and Filipino food – even more.
Unless otherwise noted, stock photos via Depositphotos.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Traveleater Jenny Han shares with us 10 dishes you need to try on your next visit to Bali, Indonesia.
With its unique and delightful array of flavors, it isn’t surprising that people who travel to Bali rave about the island’s local food.
This is partially due to the fact that the Indonesian food in Bali is very different from the rest of the country. With a predominantly Hindu population, you can enjoy pork dishes in Bali that you wouldn’t normally find in other parts of Indonesia.
This province offers so much in the way of interesting culture and cuisine that it can be difficult to know exactly which dishes to try to ensure that you’ve tried the best.
To help you make the most of your Bali experience, here’s a guide to ten traditional Balinese dishes that you absolutely must try when you visit Bali.
BALINESE FOOD QUICK LINKS
To help you with your Bali trip planning, we’ve compiled links to recommended hotels, tours, and other travel-related activities here.
HOTELS
Recommended hotels in Canggu, one of the coolest areas to stay in Bali.
Luxury: COMO Uma Canggu
Midrange: Kano Canggu
Budget: Tribal Bali
TOURS
Balinese Food Tours: Food and Drinking Tours in Bali
Balinese Cooking Classes: Cooking Classes in Bali
OTHER SERVICES
Visa Services
Travel Insurance (with COVID cover)
Airport Transfers
Private Car Charter
Motorbike Rental
UBUD & BALI TRAVEL GUIDE
Before traveling to Bali, be sure to check out our detailed Ubud and Bali travel guides. It’ll tell you all you need to know – like when to go, which area to stay, which attractions to visit, etc. – to help you plan your trip.
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Photo by Ketut Mahendri
MUST-TRY BALINESE DISHES
1. Babi Guling
Babi guling or roast suckling pig is a traditional Balinese dish that breaks the norm of Indonesian cuisine. In other parts of Muslim Indonesia, pork isn’t available but you’ll find no shortage of it in Bali.
Usually a celebratory dish, babi guling was traditionally served only at religious ceremonies or large celebrations. With the growth of tourism however, this has changed and the dish is now regularly served at many Balinese restaurants.
The pig (babi) is marinated in spices and slow-roasted on a rolling (guling) spit over an open fire fueled by coconut husks or wood. When cooked, it’s served with steamed rice, vegetable salad, pork crackling, and a few other Balinese side dishes.
2. Nasi Campur Bali
A staple in Balinese cuisine, nasi campur bali is a rice meal consisting of steamed rice served with a variety of side dishes like grilled meat, shredded chicken, sate, tofu, tempe, bean sprouts, and sambal. It’s essentially a Balinese tasting platter with each chef and restaurant serving it a little differently.
While nasi campur is available throughout Indonesia, the unique blend of traditional spices found in many Balinese dishes is what makes this dish a must-try.
Photo by galuhtati
3. Tum Ayam
Tum is one of two dishes on this list that uses the technique of wrapping food in banana leaves. While pepes is the usual method, tum takes a slightly different form with the leaf stitched at one end.
Tum ayam contains a delightful mix of finely minced chicken flavored with herbs and spices. After being wrapped in banana leaves, the parcel is then steamed (or grilled) until the flavors permeate the entire dish.
Photo by sri widyowati
4. Laklak
If you’ve ever had Japanese mochi or other sweet rice cakes, then this next dish is right up your alley. A traditional Balinese pancake, laklak is made with rice flour and usually comes in just one of two colors – white or green (from pandan leaves).
Typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack, laklak is harder to find in bigger cities but in Bali, it’s a common sight at many street food stalls. It’s served with a topping of melted palm sugar and grated coconut.
Photo by Pande Putu Hadi Wiguna
5. Jimbaran Seafood
Bali is surrounded by water so it’s no surprise that seafood is a favorite on the island.
You can find delicious seafood all throughout Bali, but one of the best places to enjoy a seafood feast is Jimbaran beach. All along the beach are restaurants and stalls selling a wide variety of fresh fish and seafood.
Many western tourists enjoy seafood on its own but personally, I like it best when paired with nasi goreng or Indonesian fried rice. If you like seafood, then this an experience that you absolutely cannot miss in Bali.
I suggest visiting Jimbaran beach in the late afternoon or early evening. You’ll find tables set up along the beach offering a spectacular view of the sunset.
Sunset and seafood on the Island of the Gods, what more can you ask for?
Photo by Hanifah Kurniati
6. Ayam Betutu
Originating from Gilimanuk, Bali’s harbor city, ayam betutu refers to a slow-cooked chicken (ayam) dish that is delightfully aromatic.
Perfect for those who don’t eat pork, ayam betutu consists of a whole chicken stuffed and seasoned with a special Balinese spice paste mixture. The bird is then wrapped in banana leaves and banana tree bark before being baked for 6-7 hours. Sometimes, it’s even cooked in the coal fire itself.
After cooking, the chicken meat is so juicy and tender that it separates effortlessly from the bone. The dish has a delightfully aromatic flavor that’s unlike anything you’ve experienced before.
If you prefer duck over chicken, then you’ll be pleased to learn that this dish comes in a duck version as well, called bebek betutu.
Photo by Ariyani Tedjo
7. Sambal Matah
Sambal matah is an important and often used Indonesian dressing/salsa in Balinese cuisine. The recipe varies from chef to chef but it’s typically made with garlic, chili peppers, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Sometimes, it can contain other ingredients as well like shrimp paste, shallots, and coconut oil.
Sambal matah is used as a base or marinade for many dishes in Bali. While it isn’t a dish per se, it’s something that you’re sure to come across often while enjoying the many delicious dishes in Bali.
Photo by Odua Images
8. Sate
Sate (or satay) is one of the most recognizable dishes in Indonesian and Balinese cuisine. These skewers of grilled meat are a staple in Bali with many varieties available.
Sate lilit (wrap) refers to meat that’s been finely diced, marinated in coconut milk and spices, and then wrapped around sticks instead of being skewered. It can be made with different types of meat and is perhaps a different take on the sate that many people are familiar with. Unlike the usual sate that’s served with peanut sauce, sate lilit isn’t usually served with a sauce.
Sate plecing is a type of pork sate that’s served with a special sauce called sambal plecing. Sambal plecing is a variation of sambal matah. It’s typically made with chili peppers, shrimp paste, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Sometimes, it can be made with sugar for a sweeter flavor.
Sate pentul is similar to sate lilit in that it’s made with minced meat – typically fish – wrapped around a stick. However, instead of the traditional bamboo stick used in lilit, pentul is wrapped around rolled-up lemongrass stems. It’s also served with grated coconut for even more aroma and flavor.
This is just a brief overview of the many different types of sate you can find in Bali. If you have a taste for sate like I do, then you’ll have no problem finding many more in Bali.
9. Lawar
Lawar will blow you away with its flavors. A staple dish at warungs (traditional restaurants), it’s typically made from ground meat, sliced green vegetables, and grated coconut, though some versions are made with animal blood as well to strengthen its flavor.
This is known as red lawar and tends to have an unami-savory taste. Because it contains animal blood, this type of lawar needs to be served and consumed immediately.
Red lawar is best reserved for those with more daring palates. If you’d prefer a vegan or vegetarian option, then you’ll be pleased to learn that there’s a white version of lawar that doesn’t contain meat or blood. Instead, it’s made with jackfruit.
Photo by Ketut Mahendri
10. Pepes Ikan
As stated previously, pepes is the method of cooking food wrapped in a banana leaf. It’s most commonly used to cook fish in a dish called pepes ikan.
Unlike tum, the food isn’t minced and the banana leaf is sealed with bamboo sticks rather than being stitched closed. Ikan refers to the fish which is left whole and marinated before being wrapped in the banana leaf and steamed. This method of cooking allows the fish to fully absorb the flavors and aromas that have come to be associated with Balinese cuisine.
Any fish can be used to make pepes ikan but it’s most commonly made with mackerel, sardines, or snapper. This delicious dish will give you an authentic taste of Bali that you probably can’t find anywhere else.
Photo by Diade Riva Nugrahani
BONUS: Jamu
Balinese food is delicious but it feels wrong to leave out this healthy and refreshing multi-vitamin juice drink called jamu. It’s made from fresh turmeric root, ginger, and newly-soaked white rice that’s been ground and served with warm water, lime juice, and honey. It may not be for everyone but it’s definitely worth trying at least once.
Photo by Elizaveta Galitckaia
FINAL THOUGHTS ON TRADITIONAL BALINESE CUISINE
Overall, Balinese cuisine is a melting pot of flavors that’s underpinned by the unique aromatic spice blends they use. The food changes depending on where you are in the province and it truly does present a different gustatory experience from the rest of Indonesia.
Whether it’s street food like laklak or sate, more substantial meals like babi guling or nasi campur, or just the underlying flavors of sambal matah – there’s sure to be something in Bali to entice and please your palate.
If we had to trim this list down even further, then we would definitely say that babi guling and ayam betutu are the must-try dishes. You can’t find them anywhere else and they’re made with interesting and unique cooking techniques.
However, this list offers just a small taste of all the delightful food experiences you can have in Bali. It’s worth going beyond the touristy parts of the island and exploring the traditional markets to get a truer sense of what authentic Balinese cooking is like. Happy travels.
About the Author
Jenny Han is a writer for Essayroo and Assignment Writing Services and blogs for Big Assignments. She enjoys writing about travel when she can.
Disclosure
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Cover photo by galuhtati. Stock images via Shutterstock.
Filipino food has been getting a lot of attention lately. Restaurants like Kasama in Chicago and Musang in Seattle are helping bring Filipino food into the mainstream. Over the years, TV chefs like the late great Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern have done their part in promoting Filipino food as well.
Even if you’ve never been to the Philippines, you’ve probably heard of Filipino dishes like pork sisig and adobo. Bourdain called Filipino lechon “the best pig ever” while balut – that weird Filipino dish consisting of a developing duck embryo – is on everyone’s list of the world’s most bizarre foods.
But what about Filipino drinks? How many Filipino drinks can you actually name?
Filipino food is having its day in the sun but most people are still in the dark when it comes to Filipino drinks.
In this article, I’ll be shedding light on some of the most popular Filipino drinks to look for on your next trip to the Philippines.
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POPULAR FILIPINO DRINKS TO TRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
I’ve divided this article on Filipino drinks into two sections – non-alcoholic and alcoholic. Filipinos love to drink so no list of delicious Filipino drinks can ever be complete without mentioning a few of our favorite local brews.
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
1. Sago’t Gulaman
If you like street food, then it shouldn’t take long before you meet your first glass of sago’t gulaman in the Philippines. Short for “sago at gulaman”, it refers to a refreshing Filipino drink made with tapioca pearls (sago), gelatin (gulaman), brown sugar, and water.
Sago’t gulaman is commonly sold by Filipino street food vendors and shopping mall food court stalls. You’ll often find it on the menus of Filipino restaurants as well. Cold, sweet, and incredibly refreshing, it’s something that’s just as easily enjoyed for dessert as it is as a drink.
Photo by Jovin13
Sago’t gulaman and a few other drinks on this list belong to a family of chilled Filipino drinks called samalamig. They’re often made with jelly-like ingredients or chunks of fruit and are commonly sold in these plastic jugs by Filipino street vendors.
Judgefloro, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons / Cropped
2. Guinumis
Like sago’t gulaman, guinumis (or guinomis, ginumis) is one of my favorite Filipino drinks. It’s a type of samalamig that can be made in different ways, though the principal ingredients are gulaman, pinipig (toasted flattened glutinous rice), sugar, and water.
I was just talking to Ren about guinumis and the version I know contains just those four ingredients, but the guinumis she’s familiar with also has coconut milk. I searched online for recipes and many versions are also made with crushed ice and other ingredients, making it a variant of sorts of halo-halo. No matter what it’s made with, guinumis is delicious and a great way to quench your thirst on hot summer days.
As a side note, if you’ve never heard of halo-halo, it’s a crushed ice and condensed milk dessert served with a plethora of colorful ingredients. Some non-locals call it a drink but for me, it’s definitely a dessert – one of the best Filipino desserts ever!
Photo by richardernestyap
3. Calamansi Juice
Calamansi is one of the most important Filipino fruits. Also known as calamondin, it’s a type of citrus hybrid that’s used in many Filipino dishes. It’s naturally very sour so it’s often used as an ingredient in marinades, dipping sauces, and of course, Filipino drinks.
The most well-known Filipino drink made from calamansi is calamansi juice, which is basically the local version of lemonade. It’s a simple drink made with just three ingredients – calamansi, sugar, and water.
High in Vitamin C, calamansi juice has a sweet and sour taste that’s both refreshing and invigorating.
Obsidian Soul, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
4. Mango Juice
The Philippines is known for its tropical fruits. Of all our local fruits, the mango is definitely king. We Filipinos are abundantly proud of our mangoes which we believe to be the best in the world.
Fresh Philippine mangoes – especially Guimaras mangoes – are to die for, but so is fresh mango juice. It can be made into juice with just fresh mangoes, sugar, and water, but it can also be turned into a shake when mixed with evaporated milk.
If you can’t get a hold of fresh Philippine mangoes to make mango juice, then you can buy Gina Mango Nectar from Amazon (affiliate link). I grew up on this stuff and loved it. It’s super thick so it’s best when thinned a little with ice.
Photo by Ekaterina Pokrovsky
5. Melon (Cantaloupe) Juice
Melon juice is also one of my favorite types of Filipino drinks. It’s a popular samalamig made with slivers of cantaloupe mixed with sugar and water. It’s typically sold from those large plastic jugs pictured earlier in this article.
Sweet, cold, and refreshing, melon juice is one of my favorite types of Filipino fruit drinks because I enjoy chewing on the cantaloupe strips between sips of the drink.
Photo by sri widyowati
6. Guyabano Juice
Guyabano juice is another popular fruit juice from the Philippines. It’s made from the guyabano tropical fruit, otherwise known as soursop.
Like the other fruit juices on this list, guyabano juice is made with just a few simple ingredients – fresh guyabano, sugar, water, and calamansi juice.
Photo by Francisco Rodriguez Herna
7. Buko Juice
No list of the most popular Filipino drinks can ever be complete without buko juice. Buko is the Filipino word for “coconut”.
The coconut tree is an extremely useful and versatile plant in the Philippines. Aside from being used for food and drinks, different parts of the tree and fruit can be used to make a variety of products like oil, rope, scrubbers, brooms, thatching, and furniture.
We went on a mezcal tour in Oaxaca and I told my guide that the coconut tree to Filipino culture is like the maguey plant to Mexican culture. It’s a life-giving plant that can be processed into a number of different things, including alcoholic drinks (lambanog, #11).
As versatile as it is, the most prized part of the coconut is its juice. It requires no processing or preparation. Just cut the buko open and you’ve got an instant beverage that you can enjoy straight from the shell with a straw. If you have a spoon, then you can scoop out the soft coconut flesh and eat it as a snack.
For me, nothing screams “tropical vacation” more than drinking buko juice from a coconut with a straw.
Photo by AbElena
8. Buko Pandan Drink
Buko pandan refers to a popular Filipino dessert made with shreds of young coconut meat, pandan (screwpine) leaves, coconut milk, and gulaman. When made with more liquid, it turns into a buko pandan drink – a refreshing beverage version of the classic dessert.
Buko pandan drinks are popular Filipino drinks that can be found at samalamig stands and Filipino dessert shops. Depending on the vendor, they can be made with additional ingredients as well like sago pearls, kaong (sugar palm fruit), nata de coco (coconut gel), and pinipig.
Photo by Ika Rahma H
9. Kapeng Barako
Batangas is known for its beaches. If you like coffee, then you’ll be pleased to learn that the province is known for its own varietal of coffee as well. Known as kapeng barako (“barako coffee”) or Batangas coffee, it’s a robust type of coffee with a fragrance reminiscent of aniseed.
Batangas is about a two-hour drive south of Manila so it’s easy to get barako coffee. You can find it at local Filipino coffee shops and supermarkets. Personally, we order bags of it online and enjoy it everyday while we’re in Manila.
Yvette Tan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
10. Salabat
If you have a sore throat, then there’s no better natural remedy than homemade ginger tea. Known locally as salabat, Filipino ginger tea is made with slivers of raw ginger boiled in water and sweetened with honey (or sugar) and calamansi juice.
Aside from soothing your sore throat or relieving a cough, salabat is also believed to enhance a person’s singing voice. A useful drink indeed in the land of karaoke.
Gleb from St.Petersburg, Russia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
11. Lambanog
As previously described, coconuts can be made into a variety of alcoholic Filipino drinks, one of the most popular being lambanog. Also known as “coconut vodka” or “coconut wine”, it’s a potent type of alcoholic drink that contains about 40-45% abv.
Popular in the Luzon and Visayas regions of the Philippines, lambanog is made from tuba (#12) that’s been aged for at least 48 hours. It’s typically served pure though it can be flavored with raisins as well.
In recent years, colorful lambanog flavored with ingredients like mango, pineapple, orange, or strawberry has become increasingly popular, in an effort to appeal to younger generations.
12. Tuba
Lambanog may be more well-known but it wouldn’t be possible without tuba. Tuba refers to a family of Filipino alcoholic drinks made from fermented palm tree sap. Compared to lambanog, it has a relatively low alcohol content, about 2-4% abv.
If you’re familiar with Mexican tuba, then you may be surprised to learn that tuba arrived in Mexico by way of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. Filipino sailors brought coconuts and tuba to Mexico. Tuba became hugely popular and the same fermentation techniques were applied to the maguey plant, which helped create tequila and mezcal.
Today, a non-alcoholic version of tuba made from fresh coconut sap remains popular in some parts of Mexico, like Puerto Vallarta.
Obsidian Soul, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
13. Bignay Wine
Bignay wine (or bugnay wine) refers to a fruity wine made from the berries of the bignay tree. You don’t see it too often in Manila but it’s a common sight in the provinces where it’s often sold alongside other types of fruit wine like strawberry wine and guyabano wine.
Bignay wine is deep red in color with a sweet taste and distinctly fruity aroma.
Philippine Information Agency, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
14. Tapuy (Fermented Rice Wine)
If you visit Banaue or Sagada, then you may want to try tapuy. It refers to a type of Filipino rice wine made with glutinous rice, ginger extract, and a powdered starter culture called bubod.
Like bugnay wine, you won’t find tapuy at most bars in Manila but it’s an important drink in Cordillera culture. Containing about 14% abv, it’s an alcoholic drink that’s traditionally consumed to celebrate special occasions like weddings, ceremonies, and festivals.
Shubert Ciencia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Cropped
15. Basi
Basi refers to a type of sugarcane wine produced in the Ilocos region of the Philippines.
Basi is made by crushing sugarcane stalks to extract the juice, which is then boiled in vats and left to cool in earthen jars called tapayan. Once cooled, ground glutinous rice and fruit bark are added to the juice. The earthen jars are sealed with banana leaves and left to ferment for several years.
Basi typically contains around 10-16% abv and can be made in two types – basing babae and basing lalaki. Basing babae (“women’s basi”) has a sweet taste and contains less alcohol while basing lalaki (“men’s basi”) is stronger and tastes more bitter.
16. San Miguel Beer
When it comes to Filipino alcoholic beverages, beer is king. Filipinos love all kinds of alcoholic drinks, but beer – especially San Miguel beer – reigns supreme. Even in the age of fancier craft beers, San Miguel beer continues to dominate the domestic beer market.
San Miguel Brewery produces several brands of Filipino beers, but the most popular are San Miguel Pale Pilsen (pictured below) and San Mig Light. Both contain about 5% abv but San Mig Light has just 100 calories.
Go to any bar in the Philippines and observe what people are drinking. I guarantee that most will be drinking either Pale Pilsen or San Mig Light.
“Best Beer in the World!” by Kamoteus (A New Beginning), used under CC BY 2.0
In the Philippines, you’re either Team Pale or Team Light. Filipino Pale Pilsen drinkers will only drink Pale while San Mig Light drinkers will only drink Light. Ren and I are squarely on Team Light.
Admittedly, Pale Pilsen tastes better but it feels much heavier in the stomach.
“San Mig Light” by Alvin Chua, used under CC BY 2.0
17. Red Horse Beer
Another popular beer produced by the San Miguel Brewery is Red Horse. It’s a stronger beer that contains about 7% abv.
When Filipinos want to get drunk on beer in the Philippines, they usually do it with Red Horse. It gets the job done.
“2013 Angeles Philippines Trip Day 4” by tofuprod, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Cropped, removed watermark
18. Tanduay Rhum
Tanduay Rhum is by far the most popular brand of rum in the Philippines. Like San Miguel beer, it dominates the local market and accounts for up to 99% of domestic rum sales in the Philippines. In fact, so popular is Tanduay Rhum that it’s the world’s leading rum brand, ahead of even Bacardi.
This amber-hued elixir has a history of over 160 years and can be purchased from liquor stores throughout the Philippines.
“The one and only Tanduay” by bertconcepts, used under CC BY 2.0
19. Ginebra San Miguel Gin
What Tanduay does for rum, Ginebra San Miguel does for gin. Like Tanduay Rhum, Ginebra San Miguel dominates the domestic gin market. According to Statista, it’s the world’s top-selling gin brand, and it isn’t even close.
Pictured below is a premium bottle of Ginerba San Miguel gin. Click on the link to see what a standard bottle of Ginebra San Miguel gin looks like. You can find both at liquor stores in the Philippines.
“Ang Pambansang Ginebra” by Shubert Ciencia, used under CC BY 2.0
20. Weng Weng
If you want a cocktail that will knock you on your ass in the Philippines, then order a Weng Weng. It’s the Filipino version of a Long Island Iced Tea. It’s typically made with scotch, rum, bourbon, brandy, vodka, and tequila mixed with orange juice, pineapple juice, and a dash of grenadine.
There are two theories as to how this potent cocktail got its name. One, it was named after Ernesto de la Cruz, a diminutive Filipino action star from the 1970s known by his screen name “Weng Weng”. Two, it’s named after the Filipino slang term for getting utterly shit-faced, which is also “weng weng”.
Whatever its origin, be careful when you order this drink. Ren and I had it in Boracay many years ago and we still don’t remember how we got back to our hotel.
Photo by Joey_Danuphol
FINAL THOUGHTS ON FILIPINO DRINKS
Filipino food is having its day in the sun but Filipino drinks are definitely worthy of your attention as well. I wanted to cap this list at twenty but you may want to look for other popular Filipino drinks like dalandan juice, buko salad drink, and Filipino iced tea.
I’ve never heard of (let alone tried) many of them but depending on where you go in the Philippines, you can find a lot of lesser-known regional alcoholic drinks like bahalina, kinutil, and tuhak. Some of them are quite interesting with strong roots in the local culture.
In any case, I hope this article on Filipino drinks was as enlightening for you as it was for me. I grew up with these drinks but like many Filipinos, I often take them for granted. Reading about them definitely gives me a better understanding and appreciation for our local culture and cuisine. Mabuhay!
Unless otherwise noted, stock photos via Shutterstock. Stock photos processed in Photoshop and Lightroom.
