🥘 Top Must-Try Ilocano Dishes: Bold Flavors of Northern Philippines 🇵🇭

🇵🇭 A Taste of Ilocos: Rich Culture, Richer Cuisine

Ilocos is more than just stunning windmills, baroque churches, and scenic coastlines—its food scene is a treasure trove of bold, hearty, and deeply rooted flavors. Whether you're road-tripping up North or planning a food crawl across Laoag and Vigan, these iconic Ilocano dishes are must-try bites for foodies, tourists, and curious locals alike.

Here’s your essential guide to the top Ilocano dishes you shouldn’t miss:

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🍖 1. Bagnet – Crispy Pork Perfection

This iconic Ilocano dish is like lechon kawali on steroids. Bagnet is deep-fried pork belly—twice-fried to golden, crunchy perfection.
Best With: KBL (kamatis, bagoong, and lasona) or sukang Iloko (local vinegar)

📍 Where to try: Johnny Moon Café (Laoag), Dap-ayan ti Ilocos (Vigan)

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🍆 2. Pinakbet – Veggie Medley with Bagoong

Pinakbet Ilocano-style uses local vegetables like eggplant, bitter gourd, and okra sautéed in bagoong (fermented fish paste), not shrimp paste.
Why it's special: It’s a healthy dish packed with bold flavors—distinctly earthy and salty.

💡 TIP: If you're a meat-lover, ask for it with Bagnet on top!

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🥟 3. Ilocos Empanada – Street Food Favorite

These bright orange, rice-flour-crusted empanadas are filled with grated papaya, longganisa (native sausage), and egg—then deep-fried!
Must-Try Variants: Vigan vs. Laoag styles—Vigan is garlickier, Laoag is richer.

📍 Where to eat: Batac Riverside Empanadahan or Irene’s Vigan Empanada

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🧄 4. Ilocos Longganisa – Garlicky Sausage Goodness

Ilocano longganisa is unlike any other in the Philippines. It's garlicky, slightly sour, and best served with rice and sukang Iloko.
Best Time to Eat: Breakfast with egg and garlic rice.

🔥 Pro tip: Bring home vacuum-sealed packs from Laoag or Vigan markets.

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🌶️ 5. Dinakdakan – Grilled Pork Face Salad

This dish features chopped pig’s head (ears, cheeks) with calamansi, onions, and sometimes pig brain for creaminess.
Think: Ilocano sisig—but smokier and tangier!

🍻 Perfect pulutan with beer or cold soft drinks.

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🌱 6. Poqui-Poqui – Smoky Eggplant Delight

A humble yet comforting dish made from grilled eggplants, tomatoes, onions, and eggs.
Texture + Taste: Soft, smoky, and incredibly satisfying. A vegetarian favorite!

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🍲 7. Sinanglao – Local Beef Soup with a Twist

This Ilocano soup made with beef innards has a bitter, gingery broth and strong flavors.
Not for the faint of heart—but very flavorful and authentic.
📍 Often served in Vigan carinderias for breakfast!

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🐟 8. Igado – Spanish-Inspired Pork & Liver Stew

A savory pork dish with liver, green peas, and bell peppers, cooked in vinegar and soy sauce.
It’s the Ilocano answer to adobo, but tangier and with organ meats.

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🍚 9. Tinubong – Sweet Sticky Rice in Bamboo

A traditional sticky rice dessert made with coconut milk and sugar, cooked inside bamboo tubes.
Find it: Sold along the roadside in Ilocos Norte—especially in Pasuquin.

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✨ Tips for Your Ilocano Food Trip

• 🛒 Bring cash! Some of the best eats are from carinderias or roadside stalls.
• 🌶️ Ask for less bagoong if you’re not used to strong fermented flavors.
• 🕒 Go early! Empanada stalls and markets sell out fast, especially on weekends.
• 🍱 Try a “turo-turo” (point-point) eatery for affordable, home-cooked Ilocano meals.

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📍 Where to Try the Best Ilocano Food

• Laoag City Public Market – For authentic longganisa, sukang Iloko, and bagnet.
• Vigan Heritage Village – A must-visit for empanada and sinanglao.
• Pasuquin – Famous for biscocho (local pastries) and tinubong.
• Batac – Great for empanada and local street food.

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🏁 Final Bite

Ilocano food is a vibrant celebration of northern heritage—rooted in simplicity, frugality, and flavor. Whether you're here for a feast or a quick roadside bite, your tastebuds are in for a treat.

Don’t leave Ilocos without trying at least three of these dishes—you won’t regret it!

🔗 Read more on Ilocos Norte Travel Itinerary >>