Chamorro Cuisine

Chamorro cuisine, the food of Guam's indigenous people, is a bold, zesty and sociable tradition, blending Pacific island roots with centuries of Spanish, Filipino, Mexican and Asian influence into flavours all its own. A signature is kelaguen, fresh chicken, seafood or beef zested with lemon, grated coconut, onion and fiery chilli, cool and tangy. Barbecue is central to island life, smoky grilled meats and ribs served with the essential finadene, a piquant sauce of soy, lemon or vinegar, onion and hot peppers. Red rice, tinted and flavoured with achote seeds, accompanies almost every meal, alongside dishes like kadon pika chicken stew and taro. Celebrated at the island's lavish fiestas, Chamorro food is warm, generous and full of character.

What you actually see

• Kelaguen - the zesty lemon-and-coconut chicken or seafood.
• The barbecue and finadene - the smoky grilled meats and fiery sauce.
• Red rice - the achote-tinted island rice.
• The fiesta table - the lavish spread of island celebration.

When to go

Year-round; Chamorro food is enjoyed across Guam, at everyday eateries, roadside barbecues and, most spectacularly, at the island's frequent village fiestas, where lavish spreads are shared. Zesty kelaguen, smoky barbecue with finadene, and achote red rice are the signatures to seek out.

Honest expectations

The finest Chamorro spreads appear at village fiestas, which visitors may need luck or an invitation to join, though its barbecue, kelaguen and red rice are widely available at everyday eateries. As a bold, zesty and sociable island tradition blending Pacific, Spanish and Asian flavours, from tangy kelaguen to smoky barbecue and red rice, though, Chamorro cuisine is a genuine delight.

Nearby

The barbecue stalls, eateries and fiestas across Guam serve it.