Rendang (Slow-Cooked Beef Curry)

Originally from West Sumatra, rendang is a dish that many food lovers around the world rave about. Beef is slow-cooked for hours in coconut milk and spices until it becomes tender and packed with flavor. It’s rich, slightly spicy, and best enjoyed with plain rice.

Gado-Gado (Indonesian Salad with Peanut Dressing)

If you’re looking for something lighter, gado-gado is a great option. It’s a warm salad made of blanched vegetables, boiled eggs, tofu, and tempeh, all generously topped with peanut sauce. It’s both healthy and filling, an easy way to eat more vegetables while still enjoying bold flavors.

Bakso (Indonesian Meatball Soup)

Bakso is a beloved street food. Imagine a warm bowl of broth with bouncy meatballs (made from beef or chicken), noodles, tofu, and sometimes boiled egg. It’s simple comfort food and a favorite among students and workers alike.

Pempek (Savory Fishcakes from Palembang)

A true local specialty, pempek is made from fish and tapioca flour, it can be steamed or deep-fried until crispy, and served with a tangy vinegar-based sauce. It’s chewy, savory, and addictive. Some versions even have egg filling inside.

Gorengan (Fritters with Whole Chili)

A variety of deep-fried snacks such as fried tempeh, tofu, banana, or cassava, usually eaten with a whole bird’s eye chili for an extra spicy kick. A true local street food experience.

Risoles (Indonesian Rissole)

A deep-fried snack with thin crepe-like skin filled with vegetables, chicken, or sometimes ragout. Crispy on the outside, soft and savory inside, usually served with chili sauce or whole bird’s eye chili.

Lapis Legit (Indonesian Thousand Layer Cake)

Lapis Legit is a rich Indonesian cake made with butter, egg yolks, sugar, and warm spices, baked layer by layer to create its signature thousand-layer appearance. Often served on festive occasions as a special treat, it highlights Indonesia’s proud baking tradition. Variants include the plain version or topped with prunes for extra sweetness.

Klepon

Glutinous rice balls filled with molten palm sugar, rolled in grated coconut. When you bite into it, the sweet palm syrup bursts in your mouth, a delightful surprise for first-timers.

Es Campur (Traditional Iced Dessert)

A refreshing iced dessert made with a colorful mix of tropical fruits, jelly, fermented cassava, avocado, grass jelly, and shaved ice, topped with syrup and condensed milk. Perfect for Jakarta’s hot weather.

Es Cendol (Traditional Iced Dessert)

For dessert or a refreshing drink, try es cendol. It’s made with green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup, served with ice. Sweet, creamy, and cooling—it’s perfect for Jakarta’s hot weather.

Kunyit Asam (Turmeric Tamarind Drink)

A classic Javanese herbal drink made from turmeric, tamarind, and palm sugar. It’s slightly sour and earthy, known for its health benefits like boosting immunity and digestion.

Wedang Uwuh (Herbal Drink)

A traditional herbal drink from Yogyakarta, made with ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg leaves, and rock sugar. The name literally means "spiced trash drink" because of its appearance, but it’s aromatic, soothing, and great for digestion.