Welcome to Our Filipino Street Food Feast!
In Manila night market in the Philippines, we tried Lechon for the first time.

One of our favourite experiences during our first visit to Manila was eating our way through Mercato Centrale, a popular night market located in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). If you’re looking for authentic Filipino food, local street food, and plenty of unique flavours all in one place, this market is a great introduction to the food scene in the Philippines.

Mercato Centrale brings together dozens of food vendors serving everything from traditional Filipino dishes to international favourites. Whether you’re visiting Manila for a few days or you’re a serious foodie looking to try local specialties, it’s an excellent place to sample a wide variety of dishes without spending a fortune.

Here are some of our favourite foods we tried during our visit.

Update (2026): Since our visit, Mercato Centrale’s BGC location has permanently closed. We’re keeping this article online because it documents our experience and many of the foods we tried can still be found throughout Manila today. While this specific market is no longer operating, it still provides a great example of the delicious street food, local specialties, and unique flavours you can expect to find while exploring the Philippine capital. We’ve also included a few alternative places below where you can try similar Filipino street food.

Here’s what we ate

Filipino Barbecue

One of the first things you’ll notice when walking through Mercato Centrale is the incredible smell of barbecue cooking over open flames. Grilled meats on sticks are a staple of Filipino street food culture, and there are plenty of vendors serving their own versions.

We started with pork barbecue, which is one of the most popular choices among locals. The meat was tender, smoky, and coated in a sweet and savoury glaze that caramelized beautifully on the grill. The combination of smoky char and slightly sweet sauce made it incredibly delicious.

We also tried chicken barbecue, which was equally delicious. The chicken was juicy and flavourful with a subtle sweetness that is common in many Filipino barbecue marinades. It wasn’t spicy, making it an easy choice for almost any traveller.

If you’re visiting Manila for the first time, barbecue skewers are one of the easiest and most delicious Filipino street foods to try.

Crispy Chicken Skin

One of the more unusual (and unexpected!) foods we sampled was crispy chicken skin.

After being fried until golden and crunchy, the chicken skin was tossed in a seasoning bucket and shaken until fully coated with flavouring. We chose the garlic parmesan version, which turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the night.

The texture was incredibly crispy, almost like eating potato chips. The garlic and parmesan seasoning added a rich savoury flavour that made it difficult to stop eating.

We had previously tried chicken skin in a restaurant, but enjoying it fresh from a bustling night market felt like a completely different experience.

Tacos at Chocos

While we came to Mercato Centrale looking for Filipino food, we couldn’t resist stopping at Chocos after spotting beef slowly simmering away behind the counter.

Mexican food is one of our personal favourites, so we ordered both a beef taco and a chicken taco to compare.

The beef taco was served in a crunchy shell and topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sauce. The slow-cooked beef was rich and flavourful, making it our favourite of the two.

The chicken taco came in a soft tortilla and featured well-seasoned chicken with a creamy white sauce that paired perfectly with the spices.

Although tacos aren’t traditional Filipino street food, they demonstrate the variety of international flavours available at Mercato Centrale.

Lechon – The Philippines’ Most Famous Dish

No food tour of the Philippines would be complete without trying lechon.

Often considered the country’s national dish for celebrations and special occasions, lechon is a whole roasted pig known for its incredibly crispy skin and juicy meat.

We ordered a spicy version and immediately understood why lechon is so beloved throughout the Philippines. The skin was perfectly crunchy, while the meat underneath was tender, juicy, and packed with flavour.

Some bites were rich and slightly fatty, while others were lean and meaty, creating a great mix of textures. However, the real star of the dish was unquestionably the crispy skin.

Of all the foods we tried that evening, lechon was one of the most memorable and a dish we’d happily order again.

Tipsy Ice Cream

After sampling so many savoury dishes, it was time for dessert.

We finished the evening with a stop at Tipsy Ice Cream, a vendor known for creating ice cream infused with alcohol.

We chose the Chocolate Brandy flavour, which was rich, creamy, and surprisingly sophisticated. The dark chocolate flavour was intense and slightly bitter, while the brandy added warmth and depth that made it stand out from traditional ice cream flavours.

The texture was smooth and decadent, making it the perfect way to end our night market food adventure.

Is Manila Worth Visiting for Food?

Absolutely.

One of the things we enjoyed most about Manila was the food. From traditional Filipino favourites like lechon and barbecue to modern food markets and international cuisine, there is no shortage of great places to eat throughout the city.

Although Mercato Centrale is no longer operating, the dishes we tried there can still be found across Manila at restaurants, food parks, night markets, and local eateries. In fact, one of the best parts of visiting Manila is discovering how diverse the food scene really is.

Whether you’re trying Filipino street food for the first time or searching for local specialties, Manila offers plenty of opportunities to eat well without spending a fortune.

Planning a Trip to Manila?

If you’re thinking about visiting Manila, make sure you leave plenty of room in your itinerary (and your stomach) to explore the city’s incredible food scene. From bustling night markets like Mercato Centrale to local restaurants, street food stalls, and hidden gems, Manila is a destination that’s best experienced through its food.

Before you go, here are a few resources we personally use when planning our own travels that can help make your trip easier and more enjoyable.

Stay Connected in the Philippines

Having reliable mobile data makes navigating Manila much easier, especially when you’re using Grab, Google Maps, translating menus, or researching your next food stop.

Holafly eSIM for the Philippines
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Travel Insurance We Trust

Travel doesn’t always go according to plan. Delayed flights, lost luggage, and unexpected medical expenses can quickly turn into expensive problems.

SafetyWing Travel Insurance
This is the travel insurance we always use and recommend for all of your trips

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Find Hotels Near Mercato Centrale

Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is one of the most modern and convenient areas to stay in Manila. It’s clean, walkable, and packed with restaurants, shopping, and nightlife.

Use the interactive map below to compare hotels, apartments, and vacation rentals near Mercato Centrale and throughout Manila.

Find Accommodation in Manila

Book Tours and Experiences

Want to explore more of Manila beyond the food scene? There are plenty of great experiences available, from historic walking tours of Intramuros to food tours, day trips, and cultural experiences.

Browse Manila Tours & Activities

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Watch Our Manila Food Adventure

Want to see everything we ate at Mercato Centrale? Check out our video below where we take you along as we explore one of Manila’s most popular night markets and try some of the best street food we could find.