March 31, 2025

Filipino Food (faves all) Month

1 hour

“Food is our love language. It's those types of food memories that are straight from the motherland — these are the things we carry with us.”

Did you know April was Filipino Food Month? While we’ve all got a Filipino friend (or three), can you name more than one Filipino food besides those amazing tiny spring rolls (Lumpia FTW)? Either way, we’ve got something special for you. Co-host Lisa Angulo Reid (DearFlor.com) put up the Halo-halo Signal and got some amazing Filipino favorite food and restaurant recos from around the country, and unpacks the really really for the rest of us.

FILIPINO FOOD MENTIONS

Filipino Food & Terms to Know:

Lumpia – Thin, crispy spring rolls filled with meat and veggies.

Pancit – Stir-fried noodles with julienned carrots, celery, cabbage, and your choice of pork, shrimp, or chicken.

Sinigang – A tangy, comforting tamarind-based soup with tomato, onion, and often pork, shrimp, or fish.

Caldereta – Hearty beef stew with tomato sauce, liver paste, black pepper, and olives.

Pinakbet – A vegetable stew made with eggplant, bitter melon, tomatoes, green beans, and squash, flavored with shrimp paste. Often topped with crispy pork belly (bagnet).

Lechon Liempo – Roasted pork belly stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, and onions, slow-cooked until the skin is perfectly crispy.

Halo-Halo – A colorful shaved ice dessert with sweet beans, jackfruit, coconut, and palm fruit, topped with ube (purple yam) ice cream and leche flan.

Kare-Kare – A rich peanut-based stew featuring oxtail or fried pork belly, served with shrimp paste (bagoong).

Dinuguan – Known as "chocolate meat," this savory stew is made of pork and offal simmered in pork blood, vinegar, and garlic.

Carinderia (Turo-Turo) – Casual eateries with dishes displayed in steam tables—just point at what you want!

FILIPINO FOOD VOICES & THEIR PICKS

Lydia Querian (@ellekarayan) – Broke Da Mouth (HI) – Oxtail Adobo (brokedamouthgrindz.co)

Brian Velasquez Reid (@breid40ohz) – Naks NYC – Lechon Liempo (naks.nyc)

Nicole Ponseca (@nicoleponseca) – Orient Valley (CA) – NYT Best-selling cookbook (amzn.to/4iTosiQ)

Geraldine Mae Cueva (@ohhhmygeeg) – Lasita (LA) – Mushroom Sisig: A sizzling dish traditionally made with pork jowl and ears, replaced here with mushrooms. (lasita-la.com)

Patricia Dingalasan (@patriciadinglasancomedy) – Kabisera (NYC) – Lumpia Shanghai: Mini crispy spring rolls with seasoned pork.

Susie Quesada (@ramarfoods) – Alda’s Kitchen (CA) – Silog Breakfast Plates: A combo of garlic fried rice, egg, and meats like tocino (sweet cured pork) or longganisa (Filipino sausage). (aldaskitchenandbakery.com)

Aebbey (@chicagotestkitchen) – Ruby’s Fast Food (Chicago) – Sisig & Pancit Palabok: A noodle dish with a bright orange annatto-based sauce, topped with shrimp, pork, crispy chicharrón, and boiled egg. (rubysfastfoodchicago.com)

Ron Dizon (@teofilocoffeecompany) – Teofilo Coffee (Long Beach) – Filipino-imported coffee (teofilocoffeecompany.com)

This conversation was co-hosted by FrieMMd of the Pod Lisa Angulo Reid —sharing conversations with Filipino and Asian American changemakers. Lisa also happens to be the Co-Founder & CEO of Dear Flor - the first infused gummy with classic Filipino flavors. Learn more @ DearFlor.com

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By Sharon Thony & Raman Sehgal

4.8

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