Where to eat in Jakarta when coming to Indonesia's biggest city? There are many delicious culinary options waiting for you!
Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the capital and largest city in Indonesia. It has an estimated population of over 10 million, making it the most densely populated city not only in Indonesia but also in all of Southeast Asia. Although it is not a famous tourist city like Bali, Lombok, Bandung or Yogyakarta, it also has many interesting attractions. Coming here, you have a list of places to eat in Jakarta and here are the suggestions for you!
What to eat, where to eat in Jakarta?
1. Tesate
What is the first dish that comes to mind when you think of Indonesian cuisine ? It is most likely sate - delicious spiced skewers that originated on Java Island . They are made with various meats, marinated in kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and other ingredients before baking over hot coals and served with a variety of sauces. Sate is so popular that it is widely recognized as the national dish of Indonesia.
Try searching for "best sate in jakarta" and Tesate is one of the results that catches your attention due to the good reviews of many travelers. So if you do not know where to eat sate in Jakarta , Teasate is the restaurant you must visit!
Here comes a variety of sates inspired by street food
Here they have the famous chicken, lamb and beef sate or a plate of nasi goreng buntut bumbu belacan is also an attractive option. If you are a fan of rice, try the Indonesian fried rice made from shrimp paste and oxtail. Sate is often served as a street food but as you can see at Tesate is a more upscale restaurant. It's a lovely modern space, the kind you can go to for a date, so it costs more than street sate.
2. Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih
Distinguished from Tesate, this legendary but humble street food stall has served some of the best goat fried rice dishes in Jakarta for decades. Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih is a simple outdoor area located in this alley just south of Merdeka Square.
Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih
If you do not know where to eat in Jakarta with the best specialties, go to Nasi Goreng Kambing Kebon Sirih. They offer some goat and chicken dishes but this beautiful rice ball - called nasi goreng kambing or "goat fried rice" - is what makes them really famous.
Like sate, nasi goreng is one of the most beloved Indonesian dishes . It's basically fried rice with kecap manis seasoning and other ingredients like garlic, shrimp paste, and chili. A variety of other ingredients like chicken and shrimp are added along with eggs, pickles and krupuk. In this dish, they make it with the most juicy and juicy pieces of lamb. Also if you only eat two dishes in Indonesia, then perhaps it should be sate and nasi goreng.
3. Martabak Boss
Martabak Boss is a fun chain of restaurants and eateries that specializes in martabak. Martabak is a thick stuffed pancake that can be eaten sweet or savory. Like sate and nasi goreng, it's a popular street food in Indonesia , commonly eaten in other Asian countries as well as Malaysia and Singapore.
If you do not know where to eat martabak in Jakarta , this is the destination for you! Martabak is one of those dishes that can be made in so many ways. Even the sweet and savory versions of the martabak look completely different! On the other hand, martabak cakes are almost identical to thick pancakes covered with a variety of ingredients and it is certain that this sweet martabak version is only available in Jakarta Indonesia.
Martabak
The most common topping is dark chocolate but they make them with a variety of ingredients. You can try the taro martabak and dark chocolate, both of which stand out. They are buttery and fluffy like American pancakes with beautiful crunchy edges that form when cooked in a cast iron pan.
4. Cafe Batavia
Cafe Batavia is a historic restaurant in front of Fatahillah Square in Kota Tua. It is housed in the second oldest colonial building in the square, just behind Batavia's Old Town Hall building.
Entering Cafe Batavia is like walking back in time. Inside you will find a bright and dark room made mostly of wood with chandeliers and large windows with shutters overlooking Fatahillah Square. On the wall are classic photographs of famous people from the 1930s. The building itself was built in the 1830s and used as the administrative office for the Dutch East India Company but is now transformed into a cafe for everyone to visit.
Cafe Batavia has a full menu serving Western and Asian dishes. Food is fine and maybe a bit expensive, but it's the atmosphere and history people look for. If you are visiting Kota Tua and do not know where to eat in Jakarta , this is a great place to relax and enjoy a drink to escape the oppressive heat of Jakarta.
Drinks at Cafe Batavia
5. Jakarta street food
Where to eat in Jakarta cheap? Definitely street food! There are two types of street food that are regularly available in Jakarta:
Warung - Warung usually refers to a small family run restaurant, usually located in a small canopy building, but it is usually a fixed place as opposed to a mobile street food vending machine.
Pedagang khaki lima - is a term used to describe street food vans in Indonesia . You'll find a great variety of things to eat from street food vendors in Jakarta, from curry and sate, to crispy snacks and gado gado.
If you are traveling to Jakarta but do not know where to choose to eat in Jakarta , here is a list that you can refer to when coming to this big city!