Summer in the Philippines can get a little too warm as being in the tropics might suggest, which is why thoughts instead turn to a cool treat to beat the heat.  Althugh available all year round, the sorbetes is most especially welcome in the summer.  The sorbeteros who peddle them become welcome sights and their bells become music to the ears to those who just need a delightful treat on a particularly warm day.


Sorbetes is a Filipino version of ice cream usually peddled from street carts in the Philippines. It is distinct from the similarly-named sorbet. It is usually served with small wafer or sugar cones and recently, bread buns. It is made from coconut milk, unlike other ice creams that are made from cow's milk or any other animal milk.


Ice cream was introduced in the Philippines during the time of the American colonial period when refrigerators and other cooling devices were introduced. While American ice cream was made with cow's milk, using the milk of the carabao, a kind of water buffalo, resulted in a cheaper product which became known as "sorbetes." Both kinds of milk are widely used today. Coconut milk and cassava flour are two other ingredients used that make sorbetes unique from ice cream made in other countries. Flavors also varied from the usual natural fruits such as mango, avocado, melon, jackfruit, coconut to flavors imitating commercial ice cream such as chocolate, cookies and cream, cheese, mocha, ube, among many others.

Sorbetes is peddled by sorbeteros using colorfully painted wooden carts which usually can accommodate three flavors, each in a large metal canister. Peddlers get their carts from makers scattered around the cities of the Philippines in the morning and walk the streets the whole day, calling consumers from their houses by ringing a small handheld bell.


The wooden cart has two large wooden wheels at the front part to easily push the cart though latest carts are already attached to bicycles.

The cart is stuffed with shaved ice sprinkled with salt to produce a lower temperature around the metal canisters and keep the sorbetes frozen longer.

The whole sorbetes cart is also available for private gatherings when negotiated with the sorbetero. It is usually cheaper that buying gallons of ice cream to be served to guests.

Peddlers of sorbetes provide several serving options. It may be served in a small plastic cup, a wafer cone, a sugar cone or a bread bun, at varying prices. A serving can include one flavor or, for no extra charge, a mixture of available flavors.

Sorbetes is usually consumed as a snack while travelling. It can also be served as dessert.