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Trying to narrow Indonesia’s incredible food scene down to just a few dishes is almost impossible. Most of our favourites happen to be Javanese dishes, which makes sense as we’ve spent most of our time exploring Yogyakarta and Jakarta specifically. Many of our friends live there, and despite several visits, we still feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what the island has to offer.
Indonesia is one of our favourite countries for food. Every region has its own specialities and local flavours. Whenever we visit a new part of the country, our Indonesian friends always have a list of dishes we need to try. Food is an important part of Indonesian culture, and you’ll never have to go hungry.
Between the two of us, these are the six Indonesian foods we keep coming back to.
1. Bakso
We both absolutely love this simple noodle soup with meatballs. It’s probably our favourite Indonesian dish.
The best bakso is usually found at small street stalls rather than restaurants. We’ve only had it in a restaurant once, and it wasn’t nearly as good. Bakso is especially popular in Central Java, and some of the best bowls we’ve had were around Yogyakarta.
My personal favourite bakso stall is in Mendut, a small town close to Borobudur that we visited while exploring Central Java.. The soup itself isn’t particularly spicy, but every stall will have sambal and kecap manis on the table so you can customise it to your taste. It’s cheap, filling and incredibly comforting.
2. Tongseng
Tongseng has been a favourite of mine ever since my first trip to Indonesia. It was the first street food I tried from a small stall outside my office in Jakarta, and from that moment I was completely sold on Indonesian street food.
This rich and flavourful dish originates from Central Java, particularly around Solo. The broth is made with coconut milk and is traditionally cooked with goat or lamb, although many places also offer chicken. I always choose lamb, while Sam usually goes for chicken.
It’s often quite spicy and packed with flavour. Like bakso, the best tongseng is usually found at street stalls rather than restaurants.
3. Ayam taliwang
Indonesia does chicken dishes exceptionally well, and Ayam Taliwang is one of Sam’s favourites.
Originally from Lombok, this grilled chicken dish is coated in a spicy chilli-based sauce that packs a serious kick. Unlike bakso and tongseng, Ayam Taliwang is more commonly found in restaurants and warungs rather than street stalls.
If you enjoy spicy food, this is one dish you shouldn’t miss.
4. Sate
You can’t travel around Indonesia without encountering sate stalls.
Depending on where you are in the country, the meat on offer will vary. In Bali and parts of eastern Indonesia you’ll often find pork, chicken or fish sate, while on Java you’ll commonly see chicken, beef and goat.
Sate is one of Indonesia’s ultimate street foods. It’s inexpensive, widely available and almost always delicious. Whether served with peanut sauce or sweet kecap manis, it’s a dish we never get tired of eating.
If you’re visiting Yogyakarta, we’ve also put together a guide to our favourite places to eat sate in the city.
5. Nasi uduk
Nasi Uduk isn’t really a dish on its own. Instead, it’s fragrant rice cooked with coconut milk and spices.
You’ll often see Nasi Uduk Komplit on menus, where the rice is served alongside chicken, tempeh, eggs and various side dishes. The dish originates from Jakarta but can now be found throughout Indonesia.
I’m a huge fan of rice in general, but Nasi Uduk is in a league of its own. The coconut flavour and aromatic spices make it one of my favourite Indonesian comfort foods.
6. Sambal
Sambal is the reason Indonesian food is never boring.
At its simplest, sambal is a chilli-based sauce, but there are countless regional variations throughout the country. Every city, island and family seems to have their own version.
One of my favourites is Sambal Colo-Colo from Maluku. It’s traditionally served with fish, but works just as well with chicken. We love trying different sambals whenever we travel around Indonesia, and honestly, we could probably write an entire article just about sambal.
Conclusion
Indonesia is one of our favourite countries in the world for food. Every region offers something different, and even after multiple trips we still discover new dishes and flavours.
If it’s your first visit, start with bakso, tongseng, sate and nasi uduk. Then follow the locals’ recommendations and be adventurous. Some of our best meals in Indonesia have come from random roadside stalls that never appeared in any guidebook.