Carcar’s Chicharon is considered one of the best Cebuano snacks, thanks to its flavor and crunchiness.
The City of Carcar has many Filipino delicacies. The suckling pig Lechon might be the most popular, while other local snacks are sold by traveling street vendors.
Another snack has garnered much of an impression for its flavorful taste and unforgettable crunch. Sold in many other parts of Cebu, it is synonymous with its heritage city – the famous Carcar Chicharon.
These flavorful pork rinds are a favorite local snack to bring home.
WHAT IS CHICHARON?
These are essentially pork rinds – thinly sliced pig skins that are cooked for a few minutes before being deep-fried in a large cooking pot of hot oil.
The history of Chicharon in the Philippines dates back to pre-Spanish colonization. The Spaniards brought many things from their culture to Cebu, and that included this scrumptious pork dish.
The City of Carcar is renowned for having a lot of Chicharon vendors. You will mostly find them on the sidewalks, carrying baskets of this tasty snack on the streets and highway.
Chicharon is filled with flavor, perfect to pair with a rice meal, as a road trip snack, or even pairing it with alcohol during those late-night drinking sessions.
Each store or vendor sells its own version of the snack, varying in taste, size, and flavor. As of today, they remain one of the most popular snacks sold locally in Cebu.
This is the aisle where you can buy this delicious delicacy and other famous local snacks.
The most notable place in Carcar to buy Chicharon is in a short aisle of stalls near the city’s rotunda. These vendors have been selling packs of pork rinds for many years now, welcoming travelers coming from the different areas in southern Cebu.
You have many options, and you can ask the vendors to try out their version before buying. You can choose to have more lean meat, more skin, or some more spice.
Aside from pork rinds, they also sell an assortment of native delicacies. These include Ampao, Peanut Turon, Bukarilyo, Buko Pie, Piaya, and some of Titay’s famous biscuits like Rosquillos.
Carcar City is about 40 kilometers from Cebu City, and traveling all the way south to buy Chicharon can be tiresome. Luckily, there are alternatives you can try out in the nearby supermarkets at the city’s shopping malls.
HOW TO GET THERE
The aisle of stalls is located a few meters from the city’s iconic rotunda. It is in front of the old public market where they used to sell Lechon. The market may have been relocated, but the line-up of vendors still stands to this day.
The Carcar City rotunda is near the old public market, where they used to sell their famous Lechon.
BUS
Your best option to get there is to take a bus from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Take the one that goes to Carcar, as it will pass right in front of the aisle of vendors. Your fare will be around ₱70 for non-air conditioned mini buses and around ₱90 for air conditioned Ceres Liners.
JEEPNEY
Jeepneys might be slightly cheaper, but you have to take more rides. First, you have to take a jeepney to Tabunok or Minglanilla, and then look for a jeepney going to Carcar. This will cost a total of around ₱60 to ₱70.
The list of scrumptious delicacies you can try out in Carcar makes it one of the best cities in the Philippines for foodies. You can indulge your cravings for some juicy lechon or try out some local flavors.
Chicharon, however, is the go-to snack for travelers going to southern Cebu. Its crunchy exterior and rich flavor make it a treat you must taste for yourself.
