Must-see restaurants in Indonesia

  • Café Batavia

    Jakarta

    This 200-year-old building overlooking Kota's old Dutch quarter pulls crowds. It certainly looks the part, with its classy bistro styled with colonial…

  • Tree Top

    Labuan Bajo

    This open-air, double-decker restaurant is a fantastic place to watch the sunset, especially if you nab the table that juts out to the harbour. While both…

  • Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih

    Jalan Jaksa Area

    Named after the alley that this much-loved food stall occupies, this Jakarta institution has been cooking up its unique take on Indonesia's national dish,…

  • Sate Khas Senayan

    Jalan Jaksa Area

    Air-conditioned Indonesian chain restaurant known for its decent sate (skewers of chicken, beef and lamb), plus Indonesian favourites like ayam goreng…

  • Cosy Beach Club

    Sumba

    Owned by the people behind luxurious glamping resort, Watukaka, this casual club is the only place to eat, grab a beer and even dance for miles around…

  • Sama-Sama Cafe

    East Bali

    Junkungs (outrigger canoes used for fishing) lined up on the sand provide a picturesque backdrop when enjoying a casual meal or drink at this beachside…

  • Sibolang Durian

    Medan

    If you haven't tried durian, then stop by this 'aromatic' open-air eating establishment dedicated to the world's smelliest fruit. It's not just some…

  • Tipsy Toby Cafe

    Aceh

    Sharing space with Bubble Addict is this lively hang-out in Gapang Beach where divers gather in the evenings to socialise over cold beers, bagel burgers,…

  • Rumah Makan Selera

    Papua

    It looks like a run-of-the-mill Chinese and seafood joint, but when the heaping plate of ayam masak Lombok (a spicy duck dish) arrives, you might just…

  • Medan Vegetarian

    Medan

    No more food envy from vegetarians who miss out on those famous Padang dishes – here you'll get the full array of delicious mock beef rendang, satay…

  • Lulu & Kayla Cakes

    Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta

    Éclairs, cupcakes, croissants and other irresistible goodies are baked on site at this cute mint-green stand-alone cafe. Cakes are beautifully presented…

  • Milas

    Yogyakarta

    Offering a surprise haven from the traffic, this secret garden of a restaurant is part of a project centre for street youth. It focuses on meat-free…

  • Monster

    Aceh

    A part of the Spanish-run Monster Divers dive shop, this relaxed beachside cafe does Catalonian-influenced dishes such as yellowfin-tuna burgers with…

  • Waterstones

    Bukit Lawang

    This stylish restaurant sits directly on a dramatic bend of the river and features a mishmash of designer furniture and industrial light fittings. While…

  • Cafe Lava Resto

    East Java

    Attached to the Cafe Lava Hostel, this is about the best place to eat around the volcano, though that's not saying much. It has a menu of Indonesian…

  • House of Sampoerna Café

    Surabaya

    This cafe is adjacent to the House of Sampoerna museum and occupies a gorgeous colonial structure complete with stained-glass windows and brash and…

  • Kopi Oey

    Sumatra

    With its birdcage lights, outdoor terrace and Shanghai glamour posters, this offshoot of the Jakarta-based empire conjures up an old-world vibe. The menu…

  • Tip Top Restaurant

    Medan

    At this colonial-era relic, perfect for nostalgia buffs, only the prices have changed. Medan's oldest restaurant dates to 1934 and is great for a taste of…

  • D'Sumba Ate

    Sumba

    This cool, bamboo restaurant serves up wood-fired pizzas, pasta and burgers alongside the usual Indo suspects.

  • Restoran Garuda Sabang

    Jalan Jaksa Area

    A smoky, no-frills, fluorescent-lit, all-day, all-night depot of locally loved Padang food goodness. It's sometimes throbbing with Bollywood tunes or Indo…

  • Bu Ageng

    Yogyakarta

    Traditional Javanese dishes including eyem penggeng (chicken simmered in spiced coconut cream) are served in this tasteful interior space with wood…

  • Ashtari

    South Lombok

    Perched on a mountaintop 2km west of town on the road to Mawan, this breezy, Mediterranean-themed lounge-restaurant has spectacular vistas of pristine…

  • Ralana

    Solo

    Most notable for the setting in a restored Dutch colonial compound (with some puzzling modern touches such as a ceiling of umbrellas), this enormous…

  • Saleko

    Kuta & Legian

    If you haven't tried Masakan Padang food yet, you haven't eaten proper Indonesian. Saleko is a great place to sample this simple, delicious and cheap…

  • Maiwali

    Flores

    On the main road beneath an unmarked white canvas gazebo, between the tourist office and Cinnamon Guesthouse, is a smiling lady selling traditional sweets…

  • Martabak Har Sudirman

    Sumatra

    A change-up from your typical Indonesia cuisine is this local institution famous for its martabak (fried roti stuffed with egg). Opened by an Indian owner…

  • Omar Duwur Restaurant

    Yogyakarta

    Located in the Kota Gede area, this is considered by locals to be one of Yogya’s best restaurants, with a lavish setting in a 150-year-old colonial…

  • Warung Baru

    Solo

    A classic backpackers' hangout, the Baru is also a good spot to try local Solonese specialities such as nasi liwet (coconut-milk rice with chicken and egg…

  • Se'i Babi Om Ba'i

    West Timor

    The first place in Timor to serve se'i babi (smoked pork) in a rumah makan, and not just to families on special occasions. If you want to see the process,…

  • Taman Tanggo Rajo

    Sumatra

    This is Jambi’s essential evening destination for promenading along the attractive, curved pedestrian bridge across the river that lights up at night…

  • Gudeg Tu Djum

    Yogyakarta

    Foodies seeking out Yogya's most prized dish, gudeg – a slow-cooked, caramelised jackfruit curry – won't want to miss out on this much-celebrated…

  • Clear

    Ubud

    Known for its theatrical decor and crowd-pleasing menu, Clear is one of Ubud's most popular eateries. The relentlessly healthy dishes feature local…

  • Lani’s Resto

    Sumatra

    The foil to Tanjung Setia’s warungs, this stylish joint is run by a Hawaiian-Californian expat who serves all the comfort food you’ve been craving after a…

  • Wreck

    Sumbawa

    A beached Sumbawanese boat, its prow pointing to Lakey's famous breaks, has been turned into a breezy, open-sided restaurant that does surprisingly good …

  • Nusantara

    Ubud

    Can't score a table at acclaimed Locovore? You might have more luck here at the same team's stylish Indonesian restaurant. Nusantara means 'archipelago',…

  • Bundo Kanduang

    West Timor

    If you’ve been waiting to find a fresh spot to try Padang food, originally hailing from West Sumatra, this is it. Point-and-choose from dishes stacked in…

  • Rumah Makan Cha Cha

    Flores

    Named after the owner's daughter, Ruteng's best restaurant is all wooden with framed Flores attractions on the walls and gingham table covers. The Indo…

  • Resto Mama

    Nusa Tenggara

    This wood-and-bamboo dining room is perched over the bay on stilts, 50m west of Pasar Kedelang. There's plenty of seafood and Indo fare, but the house…

  • Om Burger

    Bukit Peninsula

    'Superfood burgers' – that's the come-on at this joint with nice 2nd-floor views. The burgers are indeed super and supersized. The shaka burger (with…

  • Delfika Cafe

    Banda Islands

    Attached to the penginapan of the same name, Delfika serves seasonal fruit juices, delicious nutmeg-jam pancakes, soto ayam (chicken soup), nasi ikan …

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