Crispy pata is one of the most common Filipino dishes served on special occasions. It consists of a whole pork leg that is cooked until tender. It is then dried and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. The leg is usually cooked alongside various spices such as bay leaves and peppercorns.

It is traditionally rubbed with a spice mixture before it is fried. Served sliced, it is often accompanied by pickled papaya and a tart sauce which combines vinegar, soy sauce, and a variety of spices.

Kare-kare is a traditional stew consisting of meat such as tripe, pork leg, ox tail, goat or chicken, vegetables, and a thick, savory peanut sauce flavored with annatto seeds. Shrimp paste (bagoong) is often served on the side in order to enhance the flavors of the dish.

Kare-kare is traditionally cooked in a clay cooking pot known as palayok, and the vessel also acts as a serving bowl once the dish is properly cooked. Nowadays, it is often served at numerous Filipino festivities. Some believe that kare-kare has origins in the Pampanga region, while others claim that the name of the dish is derived from the Indian word curry, and that it was introduced to the Philippines by Indians from the Rizal province. 

Pancit is a staple Filipino dish found at numerous feasts and celebrations, consisting of stir-fried noodles with meat and vegetables such as chicken, pork, shrimp, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and cabbage. The dish has Chinese origins, and the name of the dish is derived from the Hokkien phrase pian i sit, meaning something convenient, cooked fast.

Over time, pancit evolved and became a signature Filipino dish, so today, there are numerous variations of pancit such as pancit canton and pancit bihon. Egg noodles are used for pancit canton, while thin, translucent rice noodles are used for pancit bihon. 

Sisig is a popular Filipino dish made by boiling, chopping, and grilling parts of pig's head such as ears, cheeks, and jowls, which are then seasoned with salt, pepper, and vinegar. The meat is combined with fried onions, sili, and chicken livers, and the whole concoction is traditionally topped with a raw egg.

Some cooks like to add mayonnaise or pork cracklings into the dish for extra flavor. Originally, sisig had no meat in it, and was first described in a 1732 Kapampangan dictionary by Fr. Diego Bergano as a salad consisting of guava or green papaya.

The name of the dish is believed to derive from the word sisigan, meaning to make sour. 

The lightly sweetened puto are popular Filipino steamed rice cakes traditionally consisting of finely ground soaked rice that is steamed in round containers and served sliced. The popularity of these versatile cakes has caused the development of many modern puto varieties, which often vary in texture, color, shape, size, and flavor.

Because of their neutral flavor, they can be enjoyed as a quick snack or a dessert, but they are also served as an accompaniment to savory dishes such as hearty Filipino stews.

Lumpia is a simple and flavourful Filipino finger food that evolved from the Chinese spring rolls. Each lumpia consists of a rice or flour dough wrap that is stuffed with meat (most often ground pork or beef) and vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, onions, and garlic.

It is then sealed with egg wash and fried. Once it has been prepared, its crusty, crunchy exterior and tender interior are perfectly complemented with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish, and it is almost impossible to see a Filipino feast without at least one variation of lumpia, such as unfried lumpia, lumpia with bean sprouts, hearts of coconut palm, bangus, or saba bananas (ripe plantains).

Adobo is the closest thing to a national dish in the Philippines, consisting of seared and browned chunks of meat, seafood, fruit, or vegetables mixed with white vinegar or soy sauce (or both), bay leaves, garlic, salt, sugar, oil, and black pepper.

The combination of these ingredients is left to simmer over low heat, resulting in succulent, juicy, and tender ingredients covered in thick, rich, and savory sauce. Adobo got its name from the Spanish word adobar, meaning marinade or pickling sauce. 

The refreshing halo-halo (lit. mix-mix) is a summer dessert or a snack of mixed fruit and beans, topped with finely crushed ice and either milk or ice cream. Some of the most common halo-halo ingredients include bananas, jackfruit, coconut, sweet potatoes, red mung beans, chickpeas, sugar palm fruit, purple yam jam, leche flan, and - in recent times - even sweet corn or corn crisps.

Originally, halo-halo desserts were sold by Japanese vendors in halo-halo parlors or at numerous street stalls before the occupation of the Philippines in the 1940s. In fact, this Filipino specialty is often said to have been inspired by a shaved-ice cooler called anmitsu, another Japanese summer drink.

Lumpiang Shanghai is the most popular variety of lumpia, the crispy deep-fried Filipino snack that evolved from Chinese spring rolls. Even though lumpia appears in numerous variations, the Shanghai version is characterized by a savory filling which combines ground pork or beef with carrots, onions, various seasonings, and (occasionally) shrimps.

Lumpiang Shanghai is usually sold at numerous street stalls throughout the country, but it is also a staple dish served on special and festive occasions. This delicious and crispy snack is usually served accompanied by sweet and sour dipping sauce.