One of the biggest fears many Americans have before moving to the Philippines is:

“What am I going to eat?”

The concern is understandable.

Will there be:

• hamburgers?
• pizza?
• steaks?
• Mexican food?
• breakfast food?
• cheese?
• peanut butter?
• barbecue sauce?
• decent coffee?

The answer is simple:

Yes.

Relax.

You’re not moving to the moon.

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I also turned this article into a short video for my My Philippines Retirement YouTube channel.

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After living in the Philippines since 2012 and traveling extensively throughout the country, I’ve discovered that if there’s one thing expats have accomplished here, it’s ensuring that nobody has to suffer from a lack of American food.

Puerto Galera: My Current Home

People sometimes assume that because Puerto Galera is on an island, American food must be impossible to find.

Not true.

The Verandah Restaurant

Excellent Western dishes, appetizers, and one of the best molten chocolate cakes you’ll find anywhere.

Resto Veranda

Burgers, salads, and hearty Western comfort food right on White Beach.

Pirata

A pirate-themed expat favorite serving good burgers, pizza, and cold beer.

BADLADZ

One of my personal favorites.

Excellent:

• burritos,
• chimichangas,
• huevos rancheros,
• loaded nachos,
• breakfast quesadillas,

plus spectacular ocean views.

Robbi’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar

This place deserves special mention.

You can order:

• steaks,
• pasta,
• lasagna,
• calzones,
• tortellini,
• bruschetta,
• and traditional Filipino dishes.

Then you can shop their imported food selection and buy:

• black forest ham,
• turkey breast,
• salami,
• frozen meats,
• imported cheeses,
• wine,
• imported beer,
• and hard liquor.

Grocery Shopping in Puerto Galera

One of the biggest surprises for me was discovering how much American food was available locally.

Candava Supermarket

Here I routinely find:

• cheesecake,
• mozzarella,
• parmesan,
• pickles,
• pasta sauces,
• salad dressings,
• American ketchup,
• V8 juice,
• Starbucks cold coffee,
• Duncan Hines cake mixes,
• Krusteaz pancake mix,
• Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce,
• canned tuna,
• Spam,
• Hormel chili,
• Campbell’s soup,
• Bush’s baked beans,
• Eggo waffles,
• real butter,
• cream cheese,
• Tostitos,
• salsa,
• Lays chips,

and a whole lot more.

If Puerto Galera has it, larger cities almost certainly have even more.

Don’t Forget the Wet Market

One thing Americans often underestimate is the quality of fresh food available in Philippine public markets.

You can routinely find:

• fresh fish,
• shrimp,
• vegetables,
• lettuce,
• broccoli,
• green beans,
• tomatoes,
• onions,
• apples,
• oranges,
• bananas,

often fresher than what many Americans buy back home.

Need a Costco Fix?

The Philippines has its own versions.

S&R Membership Shopping

Think:

Costco meets Sam’s Club.

You’ll find:

• imported foods,
• frozen foods,
• pizza,
• burritos,
• Hot Pockets,
• breads,
• cookies,
• snacks,
• meats,
• fresh produce.

Landers Superstore

Another excellent membership chain featuring:

• imported groceries,
• fresh foods,
• pharmacy services,
• fuel discounts,
• restaurants,
• and surprisingly good coffee.

Cebu: An American Food Paradise

During my years living in Cebu, I never lacked for American food.

Favorites included:

• TGI Fridays
• KFC
• Krispy Kreme
• Ayala Mall restaurants
• Marriott buffet
• Radisson Blu buffet
• Shakey’s Pizza
• Crown Regency’s 1950s-style diner

Angeles City

Some excellent American-style options include:

• Marquee Mall
• Yaki Mix buffet
• TGI Fridays
• The Duke Hotel
• VFW Post restaurant

The VFW breakfast alone is worth the trip.

Manila

Of course, Manila has virtually everything:

• Burger King
• McDonald’s
• KFC
• Wendy’s
• pizza
• steakhouses
• American bars
• imported grocery stores
• S&R pizza

And yes:

No In-N-Out Burger.

Yet.

Online Shopping

Today, if you can’t find something locally, you can often order it through:

• Lazada
• Shopee

and have it delivered directly to your home.

The Bottom Line

One of the biggest fears Americans have before retiring to the Philippines is:

“Will I ever eat normal food again?”

My answer after more than a decade here is:

Absolutely.

You’ll eat:

• burgers,
• pizza,
• steak,
• Mexican food,
• barbecue,
• breakfast food,
• imported snacks,
• and enough American comfort food to satisfy almost any craving.

The real danger isn’t starving.

The real danger is discovering that retirement in the Philippines allows you to eat like an American while spending like a Filipino.

And honestly?

That’s not a bad problem to have.

📬 BUNKER NOTICE

One of the biggest myths about retiring in the Philippines is that you’ll have to give up the foods you love.

The truth is that the Filipino people love Americans, if there’s a demand for American food in a particular area, somebody in the Philippines is probably already cooking it.

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