🥥 Local Food to Try in Marinduque – 2025 Island Flavors Guide

🌴 Why Marinduque is a Hidden Foodie Gem

Marinduque may be famous for Moriones Festival, but its culinary offerings are equally unforgettable. Blending Southern Tagalog cooking with coastal traditions, here’s a roundup of top dishes to try in 2025 when you’re visiting the heart-shaped island of the Philippines.

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🍲 1. Ulang-Ulang

🍤 Creamy crab meat dish with coconut milk
A luxurious mix of crab meat, shrimp, and coconut cream. Sometimes served in crab shells during fiestas.

📍 Where to find: Special occasions or Gasan households
💡 Tip: Ask locals in resorts—some offer to cook it on request.

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🦐 2. Kari-Kari

🥜 Rich, peanut-based stew (not to be confused with Kare-Kare)
Marinduque’s Kari-Kari is a local specialty with pork and banana blossoms simmered in a thick peanut sauce.

📍 Best tried in: Boac carinderias or local fiestas
💡 Tip: Ask if it's the coconut milk version—more native and flavorful.

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🍘 3. Bibingkang Lalaki

🔥 Giant rice cake, smoky and festive
This oversized bibingka is grilled the traditional way with charcoal, banana leaves, and coconut. It's heavier, richer, and often studded with cheese or salted egg.

📍 Popular in: Mogpog roadside stalls
💡 Tip: Best eaten warm. Pairs great with local barako coffee!

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🐟 4. Sinaing na Tulingan (Tuna)

🥄 Slow-cooked tuna in kamias and spices
A tangy, salty, and savory fish dish traditionally cooked in clay pots.

📍 Best from: Buenavista coastal towns
💡 Tip: Buy vacuum-packed ones at pasalubong stalls if you want to take home.

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🍢 5. Adobo sa Gata

🥥 Classic adobo with a creamy twist
Pork or chicken simmered in soy-vinegar and finished with thick coconut cream.

📍 Served in: Gasan & Santa Cruz eateries
💡 Tip: Perfect with white rice and chili vinegar on the side.

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🥧 6. Arrowroot Cookies (Uraro)

🌾 Delicate cookies made from arrowroot flour
Melt-in-your-mouth texture and subtle sweetness. A Marinduque pasalubong classic!

📍 Buy from: Rejano’s Bakery in Boac
💡 Tip: Store in airtight jars—they're fragile but delicious!

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🎭 BONUS TIP: Try Local Eats During the Moriones Festival

Street vendors during the Holy Week celebration in Boac and Mogpog serve everything from fried banana cues to native kakanin (rice snacks). Great way to sample food while enjoying culture!

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📌 Final Foodie Tips

✅ Ask locals or your homestay hosts for home-cooked versions — they’ll happily share!
✅ Visit Boac public market early morning for fresh catch and local delicacies.
✅ Don’t forget to bring cash — many rural eateries are cash-only.

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✨ Experience Marinduque in Every Bite

Whether you’re here for the beaches or the festivals, let your taste buds explore too! These local dishes will give you a true flavor of Marinduque’s warm and homey island culture.