I have truly embraced the food culture here in the Philippines, and it is incredible to see it finally making serious international headway. The world is waking up to what some of us already know. In the official TasteAtlas global rankings, Filipino cuisine secured the 25th spot in the entire world.
To put that into perspective for my fellow foreigners, Philippine food officially ranks higher than the traditional cuisines of Germany, Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. In fact, Chicken Inasal was voted the 3rd best chicken dish in the world! It’s a personal favorite of mine that I eat on a weekly basis, costing me a mere 140 to 200 PHP depending on where I pick it up.
Yet, despite this global recognition, a relevant question remains: How come so many foreigners and expats still struggle to handle it?
We all know the stereotypes. Walk into any expat forum or bar, and you’ll hear people talking down about the local food, complaining it’s too sweet, too salty, or missing the complexity of neighboring countries. Yes, Thailand has absolutely spectacular food—no one is denying that. But the Philippines has an equally amazing culinary identity that deserves respect, especially when it officially outranks the home countries of the very people criticizing it.
I think a lot of the hesitation comes down to a lack of guidance. If you only look at the surface-level fast food or standard carinderia dishes, you miss the incredible depth of Filipino cooking—the perfect balance of sourness in a slow-simmered Sinigang, the rich comfort of Adobo, or the smoky, lemongrass-infused perfection of a properly grilled Inasal.
My advice to anyone living here or visiting is simple: dive into what this country has to offer. Step outside your comfort zone, leave the Western menus behind for a night, and actually explore the local food culture with an open mind. It is affordable, full of heart, and officially recognized as world-class.
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