A visit to Indonesia wouldn’t be complete without tasting its unique culinary offerings. Besides traditional dishes, Indonesia boasts a rich variety of street food that you shouldn’t miss. While in Indonesia, you’ll find it easy to discover these street food vendors almost everywhere, whether in bustling markets, on sidewalks, or at busy intersections.
You don’t need to worry about going hungry in Indonesia, as these street foods are not only delicious but also quite affordable and tourist-friendly. Most vendors display the prices on their menus, but if not, feel free to ask, and they’ll gladly inform you. So, don’t hesitate to dive into Indonesia’s street food scene.
In this article, I’ll take you through 15 of the best street foods that will tantalize your taste buds and offer you an unforgettable culinary experience.
Best 15 Street Food In Indonesia
1. Sate (Satay)
Sate is one of the most popular street foods in Indonesia. It consists of skewered and grilled meat, similar to a barbecue, but what sets it apart is the delicious peanut sauce it’s often served with. The meat used can vary from chicken to goat or beef. A portion of sate typically costs between IDR 15,000 and IDR 80,000, depending on the type of meat used.
A standard serving includes 10 skewers, often enjoyed with lontong (rice cooked and rolled with banana leaves). There are several regional varieties of sate in Indonesia, such as:
- Sate Madura: Skewered and grilled chicken or goat meat served with peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce.
- Sate Padang: Diced beef, tongue, or offal cooked with spices, skewered, and grilled over coconut shell charcoal. It’s served with a thick, yellow sauce that doesn’t contain peanuts.
- Sate Kambing: Made from goat meat, often from younger goats to ensure tenderness. It’s served with sliced shallots, chilies, tomatoes, and sweet soy sauce.
- Sate Buntel: Ground goat meat mixed with spices, wrapped in a thin layer of goat fat, and grilled. This is commonly found in Surakarta, Central Java, or Bali, where it’s sometimes made with pork.
- Sate Maranggi: Grilled beef skewers served with sambal, pickled oncom, and grilled sticky rice, typical of West Java, particularly in Purwakarta and Ciamis.
- Sate Taican: A simpler option with meat marinated in salt, garlic, and a touch of pepper, often served with chili sauce for a spicy kick. This variant is also suitable for those on a low-sugar diet.
2. Martabak
Martabak is a street food favorite, and almost everyone in Indonesia loves it. It comes in two main varieties: sweet martabak and savory egg martabak.
- Sweet Martabak: Made from flour and sugar batter cooked in a round, special pan, then topped with butter, sugar, and various toppings like chocolate, cheese, nuts, or jam. The shape and texture have earned it the nickname ‘Terang Bulan’ (Bright Moon) in some regions, as it resembles a full moon with its pale, cratered surface.
- Egg Martabak: A savory option made from a spiced egg mixture sometimes filled with minced meat, then wrapped in a thin, wide dough. Watching the vendor expertly stretch the dough is often part of the fun of buying egg martabak.
3. Gorengan (Fritters)
Gorengan is a popular street snack in Indonesia, consisting of various ingredients like tempeh, tofu, sweet potatoes, and vegetables coated in batter and deep-fried. It’s best enjoyed hot with chili or sauce. However, if you’re on a diet or avoiding oily foods, it might be best to steer clear of gorengan.
4. Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)
You’ll likely fall in love with this dish. Nasi goreng is a stir-fried rice dish cooked with a bit of oil, spices, scrambled eggs, and various toppings such as meatballs, sausages, shredded chicken, pete (stink beans), and vegetables. You can usually request specific toppings from the vendor.
Fried rice vendors often also sell other dishes like kwetiau (stir-fried flat noodles), capcay (stir-fried mixed vegetables), and fried or boiled noodles, all of which are just as delicious as nasi goreng.
Nasi goreng is also on our list of vegetarian dishes in Indonesia. Read 12 Traditional Vegetarian Food in Indonesia + How to Order
5. Seblak
For spice lovers, seblak is a must-try street food. It consists of boiled crackers served with a spicy broth and can include various add-ins like eggs, noodles, meatballs, sausages, mushrooms, vegetables, chicken feet, and seafood. Many vendors offer a buffet-style service, allowing you to choose your ingredients.
6. Angkringan
An angkringan is a small roadside eatery that offers a wide variety of traditional Indonesian foods and drinks like coffee, ginger tea (wedhang jahe), and tea. Angkringan are usually found in Java and operate from sunset until the early hours of the morning.
One of their most unique offerings is nasi kucing, a small portion of rice with toppings like stir-fried tempeh or anchovies and sambal. Despite its name, which translates to “cat rice,” it has nothing to do with cats—it’s just a reference to the small portion size. You can also enjoy various skewers like chicken intestines, quail eggs, and chicken satay.
7. Warung Lamongan (Pecel Lele)
A Warung Lamongan, more commonly known as Pecel Lele, is a street food stall that serves hearty meals. This stall serves main meals and is usually eaten as dinner.
Foods in Warung Lamongan are typically rice with fried meals like chicken, duck, or catfish. It’s served with sambal (spicy sauce) and lalapan (raw vegetables like cabbage, cucumber, and basil). Most people eat this dish with their hands, but utensils are available if you prefer.
Warung Lamongan usually does not provide a menu or price list, so it’s best to ask the owner before ordering food.
8. Roti Bakar (Grilled Bread)
This might be familiar to those from Europe. Roti bakar is grilled bread filled with various spreads or cheese, based on your preference. The bread used is usually large and block-shaped, grilled on a flat iron pan to create a crispy outer layer while keeping the inside soft. This snack is especially popular in the evenings.
9. Cilok
Cilok is a low-fat snack made from tapioca flour mixed with spices. Unlike other fried snacks, cilok are steamed, making them a healthier option.
It has a round shape, usually filled with fillings such as shredded chicken, minced meat, or egg, and has a chewy texture. They are best enjoyed with peanut sauce or chili sauce.
10. Bakso (Meatballs)
Bakso is a popular Indonesian street food made from ground beef, mixed with spices, and shaped into balls. It’s typically served like soup in a bowl with noodles, fried shallots, and celery, all drenched in hot broth.
Bakso have a wide variety of fillings in them, such as tendons, eggs, minced meat and cheese. Bakso is a favorite among locals and is perfect for lunch or dinner.
11. Soto
Soto is a comforting soup dish with regional variations across Indonesia. It usually features shredded meat in a clear or coconut milk-based broth. Each region has its own take on soto, such as Soto Betawi in Jakarta, Soto Semarang and Soto Sokaraja in Central Java, and Coto Makassar in Sulawesi. Despite the differences, all versions of soto are delicious and satisfying.
12. Siomay
Siomay is a steamed street food snack made from tapioca flour mixed with ground fish, giving it a unique flavor. This dish, adapted from Chinese dim sum, is served with peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce, and often comes with additional items like tofu, potatoes, cabbage rolls, and eggs. Siomay is popular for its distinctive taste and is a healthier choice since it’s steamed.
13. Batagor
Batagor is an acronym for Bakso Tahu Goreng (fried tofu meatballs). This dish consists of tofu filled with meatball paste, then deep-fried and served with peanut sauce. It has a crunchy outside and a soft inside. Some places also offer fried dumplings as an additional crunchy treat.
14. Rujak/Lutis
Don’t miss this refreshing street food. Rujak is an Indonesian salad made from a variety of tropical fruits like jicama, cucumber, pineapple, and mango. The sauce is a mix of roasted peanuts, palm sugar, and chili for those who prefer it spicy.Rujak can be served two ways: mixed with the sauce (rujak), or with the sauce on the side (lutis). Though the ingredients are the same, the experience of eating them differs depending on how it’s served. In rural areas, people often prefer lutis, dipping the fruit in the sauce as they eat.
15. Asinan
Asinan is another refreshing street food made from fresh fruits or vegetables soaked in a sweet and sour brine. Despite its name, which means “salty,” asinan is more like a dessert with a tangy flavor. It’s most commonly found in West Java, particularly in Bogor and Jakarta. Elsewhere in Indonesia, it’s less common.
Like rujak, asinan is usually sold during the day to help cool off from the heat. Sellers often operate from carts along the roadside.
Where you can discover street food in Indonesia
Street food in Indonesia is available day and night, with vendors often setting up in high-traffic areas to attract more customers. While some sell in designated spots, many occupy sidewalks or busy intersections, which can be illegal and inconvenient for pedestrians.
Despite government efforts to organize vendors into more hygienic zones, the allure of prime locations often leads to unregulated setups. Additionally, many vendors use modified carts or motorbikes to sell on the go, ensuring that food is always within reach, even in residential or school areas.
Night markets have become popular tourist spots, especially in big cities like Jakarta, Yogyakarta, or Ubud. You’ll find plenty of food tours that let you dive into the flavors of local Indonesian cuisine.
These are 15 of the most popular and must-try street foods when you visit Indonesia. And a quick final tip: if you’re buying street food or shopping in traditional markets, make sure to carry some cash.
Enjoy your holiday and happy eating!
