Traditional Siquijor Cuisine: Dishes You Can't Find Anywhere Else

The Flavors of a Mystic Island

Siquijor’s food tells the same story as its culture: rooted in the land and sea, shaped by isolation, and quietly unlike anywhere else in the Philippines. While the island shares the broad strokes of Visayan cuisine — grilled seafood, rice at every meal, coconut-based stews — it has developed its own distinctive dishes and preparations that you simply won’t find in Manila, Cebu, or even neighboring Dumaguete.

This isn’t a restaurant guide (we have one of those). This is about the food itself — the traditional dishes that Siquijodnons have cooked for generations, where to find authentic versions, and how some of them are made. If you want to understand Siquijor beyond its beaches and waterfalls, start with what’s on the plate.

The Foundation: Siquijor’s Pantry

Before diving into specific dishes, it helps to understand what makes Siquijor’s culinary base unique:

Coconut Everything

Coconut palms cover the island, and coconut appears in nearly every traditional dish — as cooking oil, milk (gata), cream, vinegar, wine (tuba), and sugar. The freshness of Siquijor’s coconut products is immediately noticeable if you’re used to canned coconut milk from a supermarket.

Tuba (Coconut Wine)

Tuba is fermented coconut sap, collected by mananggete (coconut sap harvesters) who climb the palms at dawn. Fresh tuba is mildly sweet and slightly fizzy. Left to ferment longer, it becomes bahalina — a stronger, tangier drink aged in wooden containers.

But tuba’s culinary importance goes beyond drinking: aged tuba becomes sukang tuba (coconut vinegar), the primary souring agent in Siquijor cooking. It has a mellower, more complex flavor than the white cane vinegar used elsewhere in the Philippines, and it gives Siquijor’s adobo and kinilaw their distinctive taste.

Where to try fresh tuba: Ask at any local carinderia or sari-sari store. It’s sold in recycled plastic bottles for ₱20–40. Best consumed the day it’s collected.

Abundant Seafood

Siquijor’s surrounding waters produce an impressive variety of fish, squid, crab, shrimp, and shellfish. The local fishing boats (bancas) bring in daily catches that go from ocean to plate within hours. The most commonly used fish in traditional cooking include:

• Tamban (sardines) — grilled, dried, or made into ginamos
• Bangus (milkfish) — stuffed or grilled
• Lapu-lapu (grouper) — for special occasions
• Tuna — abundant; tuna belly is a local favorite
• Pusit (squid) — grilled or made into adobo

Ginamos (Fermented Fish Paste)

Perhaps the most distinctive ingredient in Siquijor cooking, ginamos is a pungent fermented fish paste made from small fish (usually tamban) salted and aged in clay jars. It’s used as a condiment, a cooking base, and a dipping sauce. The smell is… assertive. The flavor, once you get past the initial shock, adds an incredible umami depth.

Siquijor’s ginamos is traditionally made in the municipalities of Lazi and Maria, where families have been producing it using the same method for generations.

Signature Dishes

Kinilaw na Isda (Siquijor-Style Ceviche)

Every coastal town in the Philippines makes kinilaw, but Siquijor’s version is distinctive because of the sukang tuba (coconut vinegar) used to “cook” the raw fish.

What makes it different:

• The coconut vinegar gives a softer, rounder acidity compared to the sharp bite of white vinegar
• Siquijor kinilaw typically uses more ginger than other versions
• Fresh coconut milk is sometimes added, creating a creamier texture
• Chilies (sili labuyo) are used sparingly — the dish is more about the fish than the heat

Traditional preparation:

1. Dice fresh tuna, tangigue (Spanish mackerel), or lapu-lapu into 1-cm cubes
2. Soak in sukang tuba for 10–15 minutes (not longer — overcuring makes it rubbery)
3. Drain and toss with sliced onion, ginger, chilies, salt, and a squeeze of calamansi
4. Optionally add coconut milk and chopped lato (sea grapes)
5. Serve immediately on banana leaf

Where to try: Any seaside carinderia in Larena or Siquijor town. The best versions come from roadside stalls where the fish was caught that morning. ₱80–150/serving.

Dinuguan sa Gata

Dinuguan (pork blood stew) is a Filipino staple, but Siquijor’s version adds coconut milk, transforming a dark, heavy stew into something richer and more nuanced. The coconut milk tempers the metallic edge of the blood and creates a velvety texture.

Ingredients:

• Pork belly and offal, cut into small pieces
• Fresh pig’s blood
• Coconut milk (two extractions: first pressing is thick, second is thin)
• Sukang tuba, green chilies, onion, garlic
• Long pepper (optional — some families use it, others don’t)

The stew is simmered slowly until the coconut oil separates and the sauce thickens. It’s served with hot white rice and sometimes accompanied by steamed puto (rice cakes).

Where to try: Best found at local fiestas and family gatherings. Some carinderias in Lazi and Maria serve it on weekends. ₱60–100/serving.

Ginataang Kalabasa at Hipon (Squash and Shrimp in Coconut Milk)

This dish is found across the Visayas, but Siquijor’s version stands out because of the quality of the coconut milk (freshly pressed from island coconuts) and the small, sweet shrimp caught in the waters around the island.

The Siquijor difference:

• Uses first-press coconut cream, which is richer and thicker
• Shrimp are tiny and sweet — heads on, which adds flavor to the sauce
• Some families add malunggay (moringa) leaves and young sitaw (string beans)
• Flavored with ginger and sometimes lemongrass

Where to try: Nearly every carinderia serves a version. The best are in the public market carinderias in Siquijor town. ₱50–80/serving.

Torta sa Saging (Banana Cake)

Not the banana bread you know from Western bakeries. Torta sa saging is a dense, caramelized banana cake traditionally cooked in a clay pot lined with banana leaves. The bananas used are saba (cooking bananas), which caramelize beautifully and have a starchier, less sweet flavor than the bananas used in typical banana bread.

Traditional method:

1. Mash ripe saba bananas with sugar, eggs, and a little flour
2. Line a clay pot (kulon) with banana leaves
3. Pour in the batter
4. Cover and cook over low charcoal heat, with coals placed on the lid as well (creating an improvised oven)
5. Cook for 45–60 minutes until set and deeply caramelized on the edges

The result is dense, fragrant, and slightly smoky from the banana leaves and charcoal. Modern versions use regular ovens, but the clay pot method is unmistakably superior.

Where to try: Bakeries in Siquijor town and San Juan. Homemade versions occasionally appear at the public market. ₱30–50/slice.

Linarang (Soured Fish Soup)

Linarang is Siquijor’s take on sinigang — a sour soup — but it uses local souring fruits instead of tamarind. The most traditional versions use:

• Batuan (Garcinia binucao) — a small, intensely sour fruit native to the Visayas
• Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi) — another local souring agent
• Sukang tuba — added at the end for extra acidity

The fish (usually whole, head and all — the head is the best part) is simmered with tomatoes, onions, ginger, chilies, and the souring fruit. Vegetables like kangkong (water spinach), okra, and string beans are added near the end.

What makes it special: The batuan gives a more complex, slightly bitter sourness compared to tamarind. If you’ve only ever had tamarind-based sinigang, this is a revelation.

Where to try: Lazi and Maria carinderias. Ask specifically for linarang — it’s not always on the menu board. ₱70–120/serving.

Biko (Sticky Rice Cake)

Biko is common throughout the Philippines, but Siquijor’s version uses caramelized coconut cream (latik) that’s cooked until it turns deep amber, giving the sticky rice an almost toffee-like richness.

Traditional preparation:

1. Soak malagkit (glutinous rice) overnight
2. Cook the rice until tender
3. In a separate pan, simmer coconut milk with muscovado sugar (from nearby Negros) until thick and caramelized
4. Combine the rice and caramel coconut mixture
5. Press into a lined pan, top with latik (coconut cream curds)
6. Serve at room temperature

Where to try: Public markets, especially on weekends. Also commonly served at fiestas and family gatherings. ₱20–40/piece.

Inun-unan (Vinegar-Stewed Fish)

A simple but deeply flavorful dish where whole fish is stewed slowly in sukang tuba with garlic, ginger, onion, whole peppercorns, and bay leaves. The long, gentle cooking breaks down the bones (especially in smaller fish) and concentrates the sauce.

The key: Patience. Inun-unan is not rushed. The vinegar slowly transforms from sharp acidity to a mellow, almost sweet sauce as it reduces. Some cooks add a knob of coconut cream at the very end.

Where to try: Home cooking — this is a daily household dish. Some carinderias serve it, particularly in Maria. ₱50–80/serving.

Street Food & Snacks

Budbud (Sticky Rice Rolls)

Glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, flavored with sugar, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed. Siquijor’s budbud is paired with sikwate (local hot chocolate made from tablea — roasted cacao tablets).

Best pairing: Budbud + sikwate for breakfast. Found at public markets and bakeries in the morning. ₱10–15/piece.

Puto Maya

Similar to budbud but shaped into small cylinders and traditionally colored with ginger, giving it a golden hue and a subtle warmth. Served with ripe mango slices and muscovado sugar.

Where to find: Morning markets in Siquijor town and Larena. ₱10/piece.

Grilled Pusit (Squid)

Whole squid, scored and grilled over coconut shell charcoal, basted with a mixture of soy sauce, calamansi, and garlic. Served with a vinegar-chili dipping sauce. Simple, smoky, and utterly addictive.

Where to find: Beach-side stalls along San Juan’s coast, especially near Tubod. ₱40–80 per squid depending on size.

Bibingka

A traditional rice cake cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves, topped with salted egg slices and grated coconut. On Siquijor, bibingka is most common during the Christmas season (Simbang Gabi), but you can find it year-round at some bakeries.

Where to find: Bakeries in Larena and Siquijor town. ₱15–25/piece.

Drinks

Tuba & Bahalina

As mentioned earlier, tuba (fresh coconut wine) is the island’s signature drink. Bahalina is aged tuba — stored in wooden barrels for months or even years. Good bahalina has a complex, wine-like character with notes of caramel and mild acidity. It’s an acquired taste, but it’s also genuinely interesting — a natural wine made from coconut sap.

Where to try: Ask at local stores or carinderias. Some families sell bahalina directly. Fresh tuba: ₱20–40/bottle. Bahalina: ₱80–200/bottle depending on age.

Sikwate (Hot Chocolate)

Made from tablea — hand-rolled tablets of roasted cacao beans — dissolved in hot water and whisked until frothy. Siquijor’s cacao trees produce rich, slightly bitter beans that make a chocolate drink far more complex than any commercial hot chocolate.

How it’s made:

1. Toast tablea in a dry pan until fragrant
2. Dissolve in boiling water, stirring constantly
3. Whisk vigorously with a traditional wooden whisk (batirol) until frothy
4. Sweeten to taste with muscovado sugar

Where to try: Morning markets, some cafés in San Juan, and any household where you’re invited for breakfast. ₱20–30/cup.

Calamansi Juice

Fresh-squeezed calamansi (Philippine lime) with water and sugar. Ubiquitous, refreshing, and perfect after a day in the sun. ₱15–25/glass.

Where to Find Authentic Traditional Food

Public Markets

The Siquijor Town Public Market and Lazi Public Market are the best places to find traditional food. The carinderias (small eateries) inside the markets serve home-style cooking at rock-bottom prices. A full meal of rice, a meat or fish dish, and a vegetable costs ₱50–80.

Best time to visit: Morning (6:00–10:00 AM) for the freshest food and the widest selection.

Carinderias

Small, family-run eateries found in every barangay. The food is cooked fresh daily and displayed in serving trays. Point at what you want — no menu needed. These are the places where you’ll find the most authentic traditional dishes.

Notable carinderias:

• Lazi market carinderias — Best for linarang and inun-unan
• Siquijor town market — Best variety, especially in the morning
• Maria roadside eateries — Simple but excellent home-style cooking

Fiesta Food

If you’re lucky enough to visit during a barangay fiesta, you’ll experience Siquijor cooking at its best. Fiestas feature elaborate home-cooked spreads including lechon (whole roasted pig), special versions of dinuguan, kinilaw, and desserts. Visitors are generally welcome — Filipinos are famously generous with food during celebrations.

Major fiestas:

• Healing Festival — Late February/March
• San Juan Fiesta — June 24
• Lazi Fiesta — Variable dates

Home Cooking

The honest truth: the best traditional Siquijor food is cooked at home. If you befriend locals (not hard to do), you may be invited for a meal. Accept enthusiastically. These meals are where the dishes in this guide reach their peak expression.

Try It Yourself: Simple Recipes

Kinilaw (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 400g fresh tuna, diced into 1-cm cubes
• ½ cup coconut vinegar (sukang tuba)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3-cm piece of ginger, julienned
• 2–3 calamansi, juiced
• 1–2 sili labuyo (bird’s eye chili), sliced
• Salt to taste
• Optional: ¼ cup coconut cream, handful of sea grapes

Method:

1. Toss fish with vinegar. Let sit 10 minutes.
2. Drain off most of the vinegar.
3. Add onion, ginger, chili, calamansi juice, and salt.
4. Fold in coconut cream and sea grapes if using.
5. Serve immediately on banana leaf or a plate. Don’t refrigerate — eat it fresh.

Sikwate (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablea discs (available at Philippine grocery stores or Siquijor markets)
• 2 cups water
• Muscovado sugar to taste

Method:

1. Toast tablea in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Bring water to a boil. Add tablea and stir until dissolved.
3. Whisk vigorously until frothy (use a batirol if you have one, otherwise a regular whisk).
4. Add sugar to taste. Serve hot with budbud.

A Food Lover’s Day in Siquijor

• 6:00 AM: Budbud and sikwate at the public market in Siquijor town
• 8:00 AM: Browse the wet market — see the day’s catch, local vegetables, and homemade sweets
• 12:00 PM: Lunch at a carinderia in Lazi — rice, linarang, and a vegetable dish (₱70 total)
• 3:00 PM: Fresh tuba from a roadside vendor, with grilled pusit as pulutan (bar snacks)
• 6:30 PM: Kinilaw and grilled fish at a beachside eatery in San Juan (₱200–350)
• 8:00 PM: Biko or torta sa saging from the market for dessert

Total food cost for the day: ₱400–600 for two people eating well.

Bringing Siquijor Flavors Home

What to buy as food souvenirs:

• Tablea — Lasts months, makes excellent hot chocolate at home. ₱50–100/pack.
• Sukang tuba — Coconut vinegar in recycled bottles. Note: may not pass through airport security in carry-on. ₱30–60/bottle.
• Bahalina — Aged coconut wine. Same liquids restriction applies. ₱80–200/bottle.
• Dried fish — Available at any market. Fragrant (your seatmates on the ferry may have opinions). ₱80–150/pack.
• Muscovado sugar — Dark, unrefined cane sugar from nearby Negros. ₱40–80/pack.

Final Thought

Siquijor’s cuisine won’t win any Michelin stars, and it isn’t trying to. It’s cooking born from an island’s specific geography, climate, and history — food that tastes like the place it comes from. In an era of globalized menus and Instagram-driven restaurant culture, that authenticity is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.

Eat where the locals eat. Try the things that look unfamiliar. Say yes when someone offers you something you can’t identify. The best meal of your trip probably won’t be at a restaurant — it’ll be at a plastic table in a market, or in someone’s kitchen, eating food made with ingredients that were growing or swimming a few hours earlier.

That’s Siquijor cooking. Simple, honest, and impossible to replicate anywhere else.