Must-see restaurants in Indonesia

  • Sari Organik

    Ubud

    In a beautiful location on a plateau overlooking rice terraces, this cafe in the middle of a big organic farm serves a large menu of healthy food and…

  • Kopi Tiam Oey Jambi

    Sumatra

    Opposite Jambi's magnificent mosque is this reliable cafe that ticks all the boxes for excellent single-origin coffee, air-conditioning and wi-fi. It also…

  • Seven Friday

    Jakarta

    Good brunch spot in a trendy retro space with a display of vintage phones and radios and a polished factory chic feel. You can't go wrong with the croque…

  • Kapuas Riverside Restaurant

    Pontianak

    The overwater restaurant at the Grand Kartika has one of the best outlooks in the city. Watch the ferries cross Sungai Kapuas over a cold beer, or explore…

  • De' Leuit

    West Java

    The most happening eatery in Bogor. There's seating on three floors beneath a soaring, pyramid-shaped thatched roof, though the best tables are on the…

  • Earth Cafe & Market

    Ubud

    'Eliminate free radicals' is but one of many healthy drinks at this hard-core outpost for organic and macrobiotic vegan dining and drinking. The huge menu…

  • Bencoolen Coffee House

    Sumatra

    Just across from the British Cemetery is this German-owned cafe that's the go-to place if you're hankering for Western comfort food. Decide between stone…

  • Pantjoran Tea House

    Jakarta

    One of the first buildings restored as part of the government program to revitalise the Old Town, this pie-shaped 1928 beauty makes a good first…

  • Warung Menega

    Senggigi

    If you fled Bali before experiencing the Jimbaran fish grills, you can make up for it at this beachside seafood barbecue. Choose from a daily catch of…

  • Don Biyu

    Central Mountains

    Catch up on your blog, enjoy good coffee or zone out before the sublime views, while choosing from a mix of Western and interesting Asian fare. Dishes are…

  • Tempo del Gelato

    Yogyakarta

    This stone-and-glass cafe is a delightful venue for Italian ice cream. Flavours on rotation include ginger, kemangi (lemon basil), dragon fruit, 'hot and…

  • Rumah Makan Sabar Sabur

    Sumbawa

    Out by the airport, off the Trans-Sumbawa Hwy, the long wooden tables here are always crowded with locals who come to munch bandeng goreng (a flash-fried…

  • Kedisan Floating Hotel

    Central Mountains

    This hotel on the shores of Danau Batur is hugely popular for its daily lunches. On weekends tourists vie with day-trippers from Denpasar for tables out…

  • Corner House

    Seminyak

    With polished concrete floors, dangling light bulbs, distressed walls and vintage-style furniture, this cavernous cafe is almost a Seminyak cliché. A…

  • Tanjung Alam

    Lovina

    You'll see the fragrant column of smoke rising through the palms before you find this entirely open-air waterfront restaurant where grilled seafood is…

  • Daily Market

    Labuan Bajo

    Labuan Bajo's daily produce market is on the way to Batu Cermin. Things warm up after 7am, when you can browse the local bounty of fruits, vegetables and…

  • Pato Resto

    Flores

    One of Riung's best restaurants is also its most unassuming. This simple haunt with checkered tables and plastic chairs is the place to try local…

  • Rolling Fork

    Seminyak

    A gnocchi-sized little trattoria, Rolling Fork serves excellent Italian fare. Breakfast features gorgeous baked goods and excellent coffees. Lunch and…

  • Mamma Mia

    Ubud

    It can be difficult to source a decent pizza in Ubud (there are plenty of sub-par versions on offer), so the existence of Mamma Mia is something to…

  • Mama’s Warung

    Ubud

    Ultra-friendly Mama and her retinue cook up Indo classics that are spicy and redolent with garlic. The freshly made peanut sauce for the satay is silky…

  • Boogils Sunset Lounge

    Gili Air

    More ambitious than your usual beachside bamboo hang-outs, Boogils offers a nightly seafood barbecue and an ever-changing line-up of fresh fare. Good…

  • Rumah Makan Padang 2

    West Timor

    Motorbikes pull up outside this corner Padang restaurant and hint at its popularity. Specialities such as ayam rica rica (chicken fried in a sweet, spicy…

  • Dread Light Bar

    East Bali

    During the day, the atmosphere at this recently opened cafe is so laid-back it's almost comatose; at night, cocktails and reggae on the sound system pick…

  • Regina

    Gili Trawangan

    The wood-fired oven rarely gets a break at this excellent Italian joint, just inland. At busy times there's a long line for takeaway pizzas, but a better…

  • Bondy

    Balikpapan

    Dine among sculpted bonsai trees and thriving flowers in a tranquil tiered courtyard at this eclectic eatery in the heart of the city. Popular with locals…

  • Warung Turki

    South Jakarta

    Upscale Ottoman Turkish fare prepared in an enormous wood-fired clay oven with a floor-to-ceiling chimney. Dishes are served in lantern-lit dining areas…

  • Herb Library

    Ubud

    This bale (open-sided pavilion) in front of the Adiwana Resort Jembawan is an exemplar of Bali chic, with an attractive colour scheme, well-spaced tables,…

  • Arto Moro Bunaken

    North Sulawesi

    Almost directly opposite the main boat jetty in Bunaken village, open-fronted Arto Moro is a fine place to dine on chicken curry, gado gado or fish kebab,…

  • Waroeng Family

    North Maluku

    Locals push through the carved wooden doors, hunker down under pastel walls adorned with patterned fans, and scratch their heads over the choice: either…

  • Joe's

    North Bali

    The closest thing Pemuteran has to a party bar, Joe's has a dash of vintage style. Enjoy a seafood meal sitting around an old boat in the open-air dining…

  • RM Raja Mujair

    Central Sulawesi

    If it's mujair you want (it is), look no further. Choose your live talapia to be grilled, fried, or boiled in a bowl of vegetables. Chicken and prawns are…

  • Beach House

    Canggu Region

    An Echo Beach icon, this seafront restaurant-bar has front-row seats (tables, sofas, picnic tables) to enjoy the surf action. There's an impressive…

  • Mozzarella

    Kuta & Legian

    The best of the beachfront restaurants on Legian’s car-free strip, Mozzarella serves Italian fare that's more authentic than most. Fresh fish also…

  • Taco Beach Grill

    Seminyak

    As sprightly as a chilli-accented salsa, this open-fronted casual cafe is known for its babi guling tacos. Obviously merging Bali's iconic suckling pig…

  • Rumah Makan Pondok Selera

    West Timor

    A tiny, delicious menu served in a big, dining-room space. This rumah makan boasts some of the best tempe and tofu in Nusa Tengarra, a giant serve that…

  • Smiling Buddha Restaurant

    East Bali

    The restaurant at Meditasi offers tasty organic fare, much of it sourced from its own garden. The Balinese and Western dishes (mainly pastas) are enjoyed…

  • Ni Er

    West Sumatra

    To sample Bukittinggi's famed nasi Kapau, head to Pasar Lereng where Ni Er, among other food stalls, offers an assortment of ready-cooked dishes such as…

  • Indo Rasa

    Riau

    This lively food precinct in a building on the main thoroughfare across from Nagoya Hill is a good spot for local hawker-style food. There's a bunch of…

  • Alchemy

    Ubud

    A prototypical 100% vegan Ubud restaurant, Alchemy offers create-your-own salad and smoothie bowl opportunities, as well as pizzas, Mexican and Japanese…

  • Basement Café and Resto

    Central Java

    Live music every Saturday (7.30-10pm) has helped to establish this stylish basement bar and restaurant as a popular gathering point for locals and…

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