Kamayan: The Ultimate Filipino Finger Food Feast

Full of Filipino flavours—sweet, salty, sour and ridiculously delicious—these buffet-style, communal feasts take grilling to a whole new level.

By Carolyn Chua

Updated June 12, 2025

Corn recipes: Overhead shot of A few cobs of Filipino Grilled Corn on a green leafy background

To celebrate Filipino food and cooking, we created a buffet-style, mouth-watering finger food kamayan menu featuring seafood, grilled meats, vegetables and garlic rice.

What is Kamayan?

Kamayan is a communal-style buffet of delicious Filipino food: it features seafood, grilled meats, vegetables and garlic rice served on fresh (or frozen and thawed) banana leaves. In Tagalog, kamayan means “by hand” — and refers to how the meal is eaten. To get started, simply scoop up some rice, press it into your palm, add some meat and veggies, and pop it into your mouth. Note: These recipes can be easily doubled or tripled for a truly epic feast.

Grilled corn (pinoy elote)

Corn is a primary crop in the Philippines, and a huge part of meals. With only 10 minutes of prep time, this side will become a go-to part of summer dinners. Get this grilled corn recipe.

Overhead shot of A few cobs of Filipino Grilled Corn on a green leafy background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Okra & tomato salad (ensaladang okra at kamatis)

Okra is well-used and requested all year round in the Philippines: it can be tossed in salad, stewed, or braised. Rich tomatoes and bright okra are a perfect pair for this delicious dish, plus our cooking method gets rid of the slimy texture. Get this okra & tomato salad recipe.

Overhead shot of a bowl containing sliced okra and bright tomatoes on a green leafy background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Grilled chicken legs (inihaw na manok)

A classic Filipino recipe that uses lemon-lime soda, enjoy these grilled chicken legs as part of your kamayan, or just because they're delicious. Get this Filipino grilled chicken legs recipe.

overhead shot of grilled chicken legs on a bed of rice garnished with sliced limes

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Grilled shrimp with lime (inihaw na hipon)

An accessible take on a traditional squid-based Filipino meal, these grilled shrimp will definitely become your next go-to BBQ dish. Get this grilled shrimp with lime recipe.

Overhead shot of grilled shrimp on a bed of rice on a leafy background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Pork skewers (longganisa-style)

Inspired by a hearty and rich breakfast sausage popular in the Philippines, our pork skewers are a healthier take packed with the same great flavour. Get this pork skewers recipe.

Overhead shot of skewers of meat on a bed of rice on a leafy background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Grilled adobo kalbi ribs (inihaw na tadyang)

This succulent meal is inspired by braised short-ribs, but our version is made with thinly sliced pieces for a much faster grilling time. Get this grilled adobo kalbi ribs recipe.

Filipino food-Overhead shot of Grilled Filipino Adobo Kalbi Ribs on a LEAFY GREEN background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Garlic fried rice (sinangag)

This dish is ubiquitous! No kamayan is complete without this tasty side. Get this garlic fried rice recipe.

overhead shot of a pile of fried rice on a leafy green background, garnished with garlic, limes, and green onion

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Mango slaw (atsarang mangga)

In the Philippines, this dish is usually made with grated green papaya. We’ve decided to go with mango, as it is a little easier to find. Get this mango slaw recipe.

Overhead shot of a pile of mango slaw sitting on a bed of rice on a leafy green background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

Leche flan

A beautiful way to finish off a delicious meal, this custard-like dessert has a hot caramel top and is made with both sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Get this leche flan recipe.

overhead shot of caramel-topped flan on a white cake on a leafy green background

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Rayna Marlee Schwartz.

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