Puerto Princesa's food scene goes well beyond grilled fish and steamed rice. This is one of a handful of cities on earth where you can eat tamilok — a shipworm that lives inside mangrove wood — and crocodile sisig, two dishes you simply cannot get anywhere else. On top of that, the Palawan Sea delivers some of the highest-quality seafood in the Philippines every single day.
#1 Tamilok (Woodworm Kinilaw)
Tamilok is a bivalve mollusc that bores into mangrove wood. The body is long and soft, resembling a sausage, and is served raw as kinilaw — marinated in vinegar, calamansi, onion, and chili. The flavor is similar to oyster but silkier. Locals say once you taste it, the novelty completely disappears. It is one of Palawan's signature dishes and exists nowhere else.
- Go to Kinabuchs Grill and Bar on Rizal Avenue — the most popular spot for tamilok in the city
- Order a soda or fruit juice alongside; the sweetness balances the sourness of the vinegar
- Ask the staff to explain before you order — many visitors assume it's a worm, but it is actually a mollusc
#2 Crocodile Sisig
Sisig is a classic Filipino dish, and Puerto Princesa's version swaps the usual pork for minced crocodile meat, stir-fried with onion, chili, and calamansi on a hot plate. The flavor is mild and delicate — closer to chicken but with a firmer, chewier bite. It arrives on a sizzling iron plate, half-crisping at the edges, the aroma doing its job before the fork even touches it. Most travelers order it, photograph it, then realize they actually like it.
- Order it with hot steamed rice — the mellow crocodile meat pairs perfectly
- Ask the kitchen to adjust the heat level; the standard recipe has a mild kick
- Try it alongside regular pork sisig if available — a side-by-side comparison is worth it
#3 Fresh Seafood at KaLui Restaurant
KaLui is the most celebrated restaurant in Puerto Princesa. The interior is bahay kubo style — you sit on the floor on mats or cushions. The menu is a changing seafood set that depends entirely on the day's catch: grilled fish, prawns, crab, sautéed vegetables, soup, and rice. The kinilaw here stands out. The walls are hung with work by local artists, and the atmosphere is warm enough that many diners say this is the best meal they have in all of Palawan.
- Always book a table in advance — the restaurant fills every service, especially at lunch
- Remove your shoes before entering; floor seating is the traditional Filipino style here
- Tell the staff about any allergies or preferences — the chef can adjust the set accordingly
#4 Kinilaw (Filipino Ceviche)
Kinilaw is the Filipino equivalent of ceviche — fresh fish or seafood cut into pieces and marinated in vinegar or calamansi, mixed with onion, ginger, and chili. The acid 'cooks' the fish without heat. In Puerto Princesa, tuna, prawns, and fresh abalone are all used. Many restaurants make a new batch every hour based on incoming catch. The bright, sharp flavor is the best palate-opener before a main of grilled seafood.
- Ask whether the fish came in today before ordering — kinilaw requires fish that is genuinely fresh
- Try different versions: some restaurants use coconut water instead of vinegar for a softer, rounder flavor
- Best ordered as a starter before a grilled seafood main — the acidity primes the appetite
#5 Badjao Seafront Restaurant
Badjao is a landmark restaurant in Puerto Princesa, open for decades. The structure is a wooden house on stilts over the water, with views of Honda Bay in the evening light. The menu centers on charcoal-grilled seafood ordered fresh: lobster, hairy crab, ocean fish, and squid. You order by the kilo at market price. Both locals and travelers come to sit by the water into the late evening.
- Arrive between 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM to catch the sunset while eating
- Pick your own ingredients from the ice-filled tubs and specify how you want them cooked
- Seafood prices change daily with the market — ask for the current price before ordering to manage your budget
#6 Local Pastries and Kakanin
Puerto Princesa has a wide range of local sweets made from coconut, glutinous rice, and palm sugar. Bibingka is a rice cake baked on a banana leaf tray — crisp outside, soft inside — best eaten hot in the morning. Hopia with bean filling and the coconut bread from Baker's Hill are well known. They travel well in their clear-lidded boxes and make easy carry-on souvenirs at a very modest price. You can find them at Baker's Hill and at the central market every morning.
- Buy from Baker's Hill in the morning for the freshest selection and the widest variety
- Bibingka is best eaten immediately, straight off the heat
- The clear-box packaging fits easily in carry-on luggage — a practical souvenir to bring home
Where to stay in Puerto Princesa for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Puerto Princesa — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort
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Hibiscus Garden Inn
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Four Points by Sheraton Palawan Puerto Princesa
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Hue Hotels and Resorts Puerto Princesa Managed by HII
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Tours, tickets & activities in Puerto Princesa
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Puerto Princesa, Palawan — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
Food in Puerto Princesa is a core part of what makes a trip here memorable — whether you go all-in on tamilok or stick to straightforward fresh seafood, the flavors of Palawan stay with you long after you leave.