We associate Cavite with history since it was here that the Philippine Declaration of Independence was signed in 1898 and where many historians believe it to have been the genesis of that country's revolution. The execution of the Spaniards to the 13 Filipino insurgents has also taken place at Cavite City. Trece Martires City, which translates as "13 Martyrs" in English, is the name given to the province's capital after this event.

Due to its closeness to Metro Manila, Cavite is sometimes overlooked as a tourism destination. Look behind the cookie-cutter developments, giant retail malls, and traditional tourist traps like Tagaytay to uncover a province rich in legacy, culture, and laid-back enjoyment that's just a short drive away from the metropolis. In the end, the only conflict you will have to fight over is where to dine in Cavite.

Filipino heritage cuisine in Cavite

Historically, Cavite City functioned as a port for the Manila Galleon trade, which had a significant impact on the cuisine served in Cavite households and the dialect that can still be heard among the province's elders to this day.

Planning to go on a trip or a quick escapade in Cavite? We have collected some of the most popular Authentic Cavite City Cuisines that are still served or sold in the city's pure Caviteñan households, carinderias / turo-turos, and certain city restaurants you shouldn’t miss on a food trip in Cavite.

The granddaughter of a coffee and rice farmer specialty, Via's Coffee

You can find several coffee shops popping up all throughout Cavite, but Olivia's in Amadeo is the one you should definitely stop by for. You should include this on your list of what and where to dine in Cavite.

What sets this cafe apart from others is the emphasis on locally sourced products. General Trias coffee and rice farmer Olivia Bawag Lansang, the granddaughter of the family's landowner, harvests from the family farm, which is the Coffee Estate. It is because of this that their frappes, iced mixtures, and traditional coffee brews all use Coffee Estate as a key component.

You can get the farm brew Olivia's Coffee is famous for by having the Via's coffee. You may also purchase Via's coffee beans to brew at home. These farm-grown beans are a lot less expensive than purchasing pre-packaged beans at the supermarket.

Cavite Express in Coconut Milk

Putting up a restaurant in Trece Martires was an easy decision for Town's Delight, a respected Cavite catering company. Since its launch on Independence Day back in 2002, Cavite Republic has been honoring our country's heritage by hosting visitors in function rooms and dining halls that were inspired by the Spanish colonial period of our country. As you savor your food, the environment provided by its timeless design is the perfect complement. In addition, traditional Caviteño cuisine will be served alongside dishes with a more modern twist.

Their Pancit Estacion Negra, where they make squid ink pasta from scratch, is an excellent contemporary interpretation of the traditional Pancit Negra. If you're in the mood for classics, you can't go wrong with the Bicol Express-inspired Cavite Express. Apart from this, the restaurant also serves the Grilled Sinampalucang Manok, and their rendition of the Paella Valenciana, which is made with tinapa fish and coconut milk. Make space for dessert because Lihim ni Lola, which appears like a typical kakanin, but contains a surprise salted egg filling when you bite, is a must. According to the owners, Mama Cel Pacumio, their grandmother, passed down this recipe to them.

Pancit Puso or Pancit de Carajay

Just like any other province in the country, pancit dishes are also popular in Cavite, thanks to the Chinese merchants who migrated there and brought their cuisine with us. Instead of calamansi, puso ng saging (banana blossoms) is used as a condiment in Pancit Puso, which is a basic sotanghon guisado variation.

Also called as pancit de carajay, from the term carajay which means the massive wok where this delicious pancit is prepared, includes toppings such as chicharron, eggs, shrimp, chorizo. The shrimp head, on the other hand, is used to make a rich sauce known as dikdikin out of broth.

Some of the restaurants in the Cavite Province that serves this kind of dish are the Asao Grill and Restaurant and Bernie’s Kitchenette.

Puchon

With the legendary ihawan, Filipinos have a fondness for grilled food. Should your travels in Cavite get too tiresome, you may want to consider stopping at Mang Jose's Rolling Kitchen. One of the most interesting aspects of this restaurant is the fact that it operates off of a mobile food truck. Their brick-oven-roasted delicacies, served with rice and broth, are a must-try.

Among the best-seller dishes of Mang Jose's Rolling Kitchen are the succulent Puchon or Pugon Lechon, as well as the delicious vinegar-basted Chicken Inasal and the boneless Lechon Belly, which meat lovers totally love as it slowly melts in your mouth. Mang Jose's is a popular hangout for the post-work crowd, so don't hesitate to order a bottle of beer when you visit here.

Tamales

When it comes to food, Cavite City pat down into one thing: they adore their tamales. The Cavite version of tamales, which are often offered during Noche Buena or Media Noche, is delicious and peppery delicacies that vary somewhat from the Mexican version, which is baked with dough or masa and steamed in a corn husk.

It's a filling meal that's often served with either pandesal or rice.

They prepared this dish using crushed peanuts, rice flour, and the achuete, and then cooked with pork, poultry, and hard-boiled eggs. Before it is cooked again, it is encased in banana leaves and wrapped in many layers. Salt and pepper should also be added to the dish for flavor.

Robinson's Tamales is the place to go if you want to sample some of Cavite's finest cuisine. The current owner's great grandpa, Henry Benjamin Robinson, was a former staff member of the USS Olympia under Admiral George Dewey and is the basis for this legendary tamale trademark. Using the same recipe that Caviteños relish, Ellen Guevarra Orence and Florencio "Boy" Robinson, who learned how to cook tamales from his mother, have carried on the family heritage of creating the labor-intensive dishes.

Pancit Pusit

A local legend says that Pancit Pusit was invented because there was too much adobong pusit left over from lunch, therefore it was used as an afternoon snack or merienda.

This noodle dish has squid instead of pork or chicken as the main meat ingredient. In order to give the noodles a deep black color and an intense taste of the sea, squid ink is used to cover them. The bright tastes of kinchay and kamias, which are sprinkled on top of the pancit, balance out the salty and saline qualities of the sotanghon noodles.

Also called as Pancit de Choca or Pancit Choco En Su Tinta, there are many more tasty garnishes to choose from for this dish, such as chicharron smashed up, spring onions, Chinese celery leaves, bilimbi, and birds eye chile. Finally, it is not complete without calamondins or key limes.

If you're planning a trip to Cavite, make sure to include this noodle dish on your itinerary. You can try this dish from Cantina de Tita A and Bernie’s Kitchenette.

Bibingkoy

For a fun cuisine adventure on a budget, visit the historic port town of Cavite City on the little peninsula between Manila Bay and Bacoor Bay. Take a walk down P. Burgos Avenue, a significant road that connects to popular carinderias and smaller restaurants like Aling Ika's Carinderia. You can find this affordable carinderia inside the Cavite City Public Market. It sells sticky rice specialties such as bibingkoy, which is one of the most famous Caviteñeñan kakanin that is like a combination of tikoy, buchi and ginataan.

Terno-terno

The "terno-terno" or "perfect pairing" notion is one of the most distinctive aspects of Cavite cuisine. It's not enough to serve just one dish at the dinner table. If you're looking for an ideal marriage of flavors, you'll find them in other dishes: salty and sweet Adobo Sa Dilaw and sour Kilawin Sa Papaya are placed next to a nutty kare-kare dish. Sunday lunches are the perfect time to offer this dish, which is designed to be shared with friends and family.

Calandracas / Kalandrakas

The thick and flavorful broth of real Caviteñan calandracas is due in part to the use of not just chicken, but also pork, beef, and ham bones. The calandracas, as it is now prepared and marketed, is far simpler and less flavorful than what used to be available on the market.

You can try this sumptuous cuisine from Calle Real Restaurant. There are numerous pre-war residences on this little street, each one older than the one before it, and this modest eatery is housed in a 1920s house.

In addition, this restaurant has a romantic environment while you enjoy their distinctive paella dishes, squid pancit, and other seafood cuisines. If you're an art enthusiast, you may fall in love with the place's aesthetics. Ventanillas in Art Deco style, intricate calado wood crafts, and stained-glass transoms are all included.

The Province of Cavite is truly rich with historical memoirs and also sumptuous local dishes. That's why living here will not only make your eyes and mind full of our brave history but also be stuffed with various delicious delicacies from the province.

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For queries on owning property in Tanza or different home options in the Philippines, you may contact: 63 999 887 3011 or email us at [email protected].