Pampanga is not just known for many things like the famous Mount Pinatubo, its festivals, tourist attractions, but it’s also famous because of Pampanga Food. As you guys know, our home Angeles City (Rachel’s home actually) in the Philippines can be found in the province of Pampanga.
Read here our favorite Filipino breakfast, Philippines fruits, Filipino desserts, vegetarian Filipino food and Filipino street food
Read here best hotels in Clark, top resorts in Pampanga and best places to stay at in Angeles City
In fact, many Filipinos dub Pampanga as the culinary capital of the Philippines! Amazing, right? Let’s explore and taste (just by reading ha!) some of the top Pampanga delicacies or also called “Kapampangan dishes” in this blog.
SIM CARD AT MANILA AIRPORT
I wouldn’t recommend you to buy a sim card at Manila airport. If you wish comfort you can buy eSim online and if you aren’t in a hurry just go around phone shops in the city and compare prices to buy the cheapest sim card in Manila. Read here Philippines sim card for tourist and best Philippines eSim
WHERE TO STAY IN THE PHILIPPINES
You can get accommodation starting from 800-1000 PHP (less than $20 USD) for a room in a guesthouse. Can you imagen if you are two of you traveling in the Philippines, it will be $10 USD each.
You can also book your accommodations through Agoda or Booking.
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TOP 15 PAMPANGA FOOD AND PAMPANGA DELICACIES
1. ADOBONG CAMARU
This Pampanga food (or Kapampangan dish) is not for the faint-hearted. Adobong Camaru is made from crickets (yes, the insect!) cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and onions. You must try this once in your lifetime.
2. ALIGUE
Aligue, or crab fat, is a delicious, versatile Pampanga delicacies that Filipinos love. It is very versatile that you can use it for plain rice, ingredients to other dishes, or a dip. In Pampanga, it is famously made as a paste (crab paste), which can be bought for as low as PHP 120 per jar.
3. BETUTE
Another exotic Pampanga food is betute, or stuffed frog. Deep-fried frog legs are quite common to many cuisines, but in Pampanga, a whole frog is stuffed with ground pork and then deep fried. Would you like to try that?
4. BOPIS
Bopis is not just popular in Pampanga but also in the whole Philippines. It is a tasty dish made with the lungs and heart of pig, vinegar, soy sauce, carrots, onions, garlic, and chili.
The version of Bopis in Pampanga uses the ingredients mentioned except the heart of the pig. This Pampanga food is quite popular as pulutan, or eaten with a cold bottle of beer.
5. BRINGHE
Bringhe is quite similar to Paella. It is a Pampanga food that uses glutinous rice (sometimes mixed equally with regular rice) and its taste is enhanced by native chicken, ginger, coconut milk and some spices. It is topped with slices of boiled eggs and bell peppers. Indeed, Bringhe is a yummy main course meal that you should not miss in Pampanga!
Read here the !
6. BULANGLANG KAPAMPANGAN
This dish is similar to Sinigang (sour soup) but Bulanglang Kapampangan uses guava to give its sour taste. Its other ingredients are also the same with Sinigang’s, but it smells and taste differently due to the guava flavor. Bulanglang Kapampangan is delicious and perfect for a rainy day.
7. KALDERETANG KAMBING
Kaldereta is a stew which has thick, yummy sauce. Although beef is the usual meat in Kaldereta, Kapampangans love using kambing or goat meat as a tastier option. This Pampanga food is definitely a must-try!
8. MORCON KAPAMPANGAN
Morcon or Murcon is indeed one of the popular Pampanga food that is known to the whole Philippines. It’s a special dish that is always served at gathering, because it really looks nice on the dinner table. Morcon Kapampangan, which resembles a meatloaf or meat roll, uses ingredients such as ground meat (pork and beef), chorizo, cheese, raisins, onions, and eggs.
MORE PAMPANGA FOOD AND PAMPANGA DELICACIES
9. OKOY
Okoy or Ukoy is a crispy deep-fried fritters made with small shrimps, vegetables, green papaya, and glutinous rice batter. There are many varieties of this dish. Some even use other seafood or bigger shrimps to make it tastier.
10. PACO SALAD
Paco Salad, Ensaladang Pako, or Fiddlehead Fern Salad, is a common appetizer served in restaurants in Pampanga. This will surely make your tummy happy, with its tasty ingredients such as ferns (the right kind and edible ones), tomatoes, onions, and salted eggs. It’s usually spiced with salt and pepper and dressed in vinegar. Crunchy and yummy!
11. PALABOK
We love this noodle dish so much! It is made with thin noodles and rich, orange sauce, with slices of boiled egg, onion chives, and chopped chicharon (deep fried pork skin). Sometimes, it is topped with shredded tinapa (smoked fish).
12. PALDEOT (CHICKEN BUTT)
Have you ever tasted a grilled chicken butt? If not, then you must try it in Pampanga! This tasty snack has a smoky flavor and very tender. You must try it! You won’t even know it’s chicken butt, ha! Kapampangans love to eat this with a cold bottle of beer.
13. PANARA
Panara is quite similar to empanada, but instead of ground meat, this half-moon shaped pastry is filled with mung bean sprouts and shrimp. This crunchy snack is often served with vinegar as its dip.
14. SISIG
Sisig is definitely one of the best Pampanga food you have to try. There are many varieties of this authentic dish but usually it is made with sliced ears and head of the pig mixed with fried onions and chili. It’s served in a sizzling plate with rice and calamansi (or the local lemon).
15. TOCINO
Tocino is a classic local dish usually eaten for breakfast and one of the famous Pampanga food. It’s a pork dish processed and mixed with flavorings like sugar, then soaked/marinated for some time. When cooked, it is sweet and delicious.
It is actually Rachel’s favorite! In the present, there are also chicken and beef varieties of this dish though pork tocino is still the most famous.
There you have it, guys! Which of those Pampanga food would you like to try? Our favorite of our Pampanga delicacies in the list is sisig. What about you guys? Let us know in the comments.
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Happy Travels!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.