Filipino Breakfast in Coron: What Should You Try?

Before heading out for a day of island hopping, forget the croissant for one morning.

Try breakfast the Filipino way.

In Coron, that usually means rice, egg and something salty, sweet or savory beside it.

And yes—rice for breakfast is completely normal in the Philippines.

Start With a Silog

You'll see the word silog everywhere.

It comes from:

Si – sinangag, or garlic fried rice
Log – itlog, or egg

Add a meat or fish and you have one of the Philippines' classic breakfasts.

Tapsilog

Probably the best introduction.

Tapsilog = tapa + sinangag + itlog.

Tapa is thinly sliced marinated beef, usually savory with a slightly sweet flavor.

It's served with garlic rice and a fried egg, often accompanied by vinegar or another dipping sauce.

Simple, filling and excellent before a long boat day.

Longsilog

Longsilog replaces the beef with longganisa, Filipino sausage.

But don't expect every longganisa to taste the same.

Recipes vary around the Philippines. Some are garlicky and salty; others are noticeably sweet.

If you enjoy sausage for breakfast, try it.

Tocilog

Another favorite is tocilog.

Tocino is cured pork with a characteristic sweet-savory flavor and slightly caramelized exterior when cooked.

Combine it with garlic rice and a runny fried egg and you have one of the country's most recognizable comfort breakfasts.

Bangsilog

Prefer fish?

Try bangsilog, made with bangus or milkfish.

The fish may be marinated before frying and is particularly good with vinegar, garlic rice and egg.

Watch for bones, although many restaurants use boneless bangus.

Pandesal for Something Lighter

If you don't want a full rice breakfast, find a local bakery.

Pandesal is the everyday Filipino bread roll, traditionally eaten in the morning.

It's inexpensive, simple and best when freshly baked.

Pair it with coffee and you have a very different breakfast from a hotel buffet.

Eat Before Your Tour

Many Coron island tours leave in the morning, so don't assume you'll have time for a leisurely breakfast.

If your hotel doesn't include breakfast, check the previous evening where you can eat early.

A proper Filipino breakfast is particularly well suited to an island-hopping day:

rice, protein and egg—and you're unlikely to be hungry again an hour later.

You came to Coron to experience the Philippines.

Start before you even get on the boat.

Discover more local food and places to eat with ilovecoron.com.

Because I Love Coron.