10 Essential Cebu Streetfood

For those of you feeling adventurous when it comes to gastronomical cravings, we have scoured the streets of Cebu for a list of the must-try road cuisine. These push carts and hole-in-the-walls can be found in almost all busy junctions and sidewalks. If you have the case of the munchies with only loose change to spare, these food choices will fill your gut without burning a hole in your pocket.

1. Peanuts (Mani)

– Salted, fried, spiced, or steamed, there are a variety of peanuts to suit your taste. These sell around P10 – P25, depending on the size of the bag.

2. Green Mango with Bagoong

– Nothing gets your appetite going than a combination of sour and salty flavors. Green mango dipped in shrimp paste is a flavorful experience that will surely awaken your taste buds. P10 for Indian mango, and  P25 for Carabao mango (since it’s bigger than the former).

3. Sweet Corn

– Corn kernels in a cup mixed with orange cheesy powder. Don’t let the artificial coloring of the cheese fool you – it goes really well with the corn’s sweet taste. P12 for small, P15 for medium, P20 for large, and P25 for extra-large.

4. Tempura and Fishball

– Probably the most popular of street foods, these fried treats skewered on a stick can be bought for P10. Dip in sweet & sour or spicy sauce. Remember, once you put it in your mouth – no double dipping, please.

5. Puso

– Hanging rice, in itself, is not eaten alone. But it has become a staple for fast, convenient, finger food. It rightfully deserves a spot on this list. After all, what would the next dishes be without this? Depending on the size of the puso, it’s priced between P2.50 to P5.

6. Ngohiong

– It is made of gabi and potato slices inside a lumpia wrap. It’s then deep fried to give it that golden brown crisp look. Pair it with the special hot gravy-like sauce to add to the ngohiong’s distinct taste. A stick will cost you P6.

7. Siomai

– Drown it in chilli and soy sauce for a slice of nirvana. Siomai sa Tisa is the best of all. But you don’t have to go all the way to Tisa to get your fix, these are sold almost any where around Cebu. A piece of siomai is around P7.

8. Pungko-pungko

– Although not really a food, think of it as the king of all value-meals. Pungko which literally means to squat on those low rise wooden benches, as you choose from a basket full of ngohiong, fried chicken neck, chorizo, and ginabot. The price for each piece is around P8-P10.The best seller is ginabot, a.k.a chicharon bulaklak which is deep fried pig intestine. Once you are done eating, wash it down with Sparkle.

9. Ice Candy

– The most basic of frozen treats comes in an array of flavors ranging from mango, buko, to fruit salad. It brings us back to our childhood days. Bite off the end and chew the ice. Just find a sari-sari store or a cooler with the words “Ice-Candy 4 Sale” written on them. The price range is around P7 – P10.

10. Banana-cue, Pinaypay, and Turon

– Ok, food number 10, 11 and 12 (The title lied). If you have a sweet tooth, then caramelized bananas on a stick should do the trick. Or try the Pinaypay which are sliced bananas sprinkled with white sugar formed like a fan. While Turon are banana slices covered with a crunchy wrap with a caramel glaze. It costs around P10 – P20, depending on the number of pieces per stick.

*Streetfood may not be 100% sanitary, so please use caution and common sense when eating. It may not be the healthiest nor the cleanest, but once in a while, we just have to give in to some good ol’ Cebuano cuisine.