Food may be the only reason why you should visit Java and Indonesia. Get ready to indulge in this mouthwatering street food extravaganza!

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Java does not only boast many hidden natural treasures, it is also jam-packed with tons of varieties of food. And street food is especially at the heart and soul of its cuisine.

In terms of food, Java is a true melting pot. Many different kinds of food are brought in by people from other islands that moved to Java. An example of this is Nasi Padang, which originally comes from Padang (Minangkabau) in Sumatera.

However, as a native of Java, I would like to specifically share with you some truly authentic indigenous Javanese street food dishes. In my opinion, these dishes are unique and certainly worth exploring. Therefore, I also will try to provide you with information where you can try them if you happen to be in Jakarta or Surabaya.

Needless to say, this list is by far not comprehensive, and it also does not aim to be one. Without further ado, now I hope that you are ready to indulge in this mouthwatering street food extravaganza! Here we go!

 

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Indonesian Food: 12 Must-Eat Street Food Dishes in Java & Where You Can Try Them

 

 

#1 – Nasi/Mie Goreng Jawa (Javanese style fried rice/noodle)

Fried rice and fried noodles are quintessential of Indonesian street food. There are many versions of them and you can find them almost in every corner of the streets.

However, there is something special about the Javanese style fried rice and fried noodle. It uses a special concoction of garlic and other mixed spices and herbs that are turned into a paste. And this special paste creates a bursting umami flavor, which makes it unrivaled to other versions of nasi and mie goreng. Javanese style fried rice/noodles are always served with shredded chicken, instead of pork.

Moreover, the street vendors interestingly still use charcoal to cook, instead of a gas burner. This gives a hint of smoky flavor to the dish.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Bakmi Jawa Pak Minto, Stasiun Gondangdia, Jalan KH. Wahid Hasyim, Kebon Sirih, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Nasi Goreng Pak Jo (Depot H. Tarjo), Jalan Embong Belimbing, Surabaya

Nasi Goreng Jawa Pak Jo, Surabaya (courtesy of Opensnap.com)

#2 – Bakso

Bakso is the most widely available street food dishes and dearly loved by Indonesian. Even former US President Barack Obama fell in love with this Indonesian meatball soup that he frequently enjoyed during his time growing up in Indonesia.

Next to meatballs, you can also add other items in a bowl of bakso such as gorengan (deep fried dumpling) and stuffed tofu. After adding rice or egg noodle, fried shallots and parsley as garnish, the bowl is then completed with a pour of clear beef broth. And don’t forget to put a bit of sambal. Delish!

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Bakso Solo Samrat, Jalan Boulevard Raya WAB 2 No. 1, Kelapa Gading, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Bakso Ketabang Kali, Jalan Ketabang Kali, Surabaya

Bakso (courtesy of Indonesia-tourism.com)

 

#3 – Sate (or satay)

Who doesn’t love skewered meats? Throughout Java, you’ll find many different types and varieties of sate, but two of the common versions are sate ayam (chicken sate) and sate kambing (goat sate).

Sate ayam is usually served with peanut sauce and shallots, while sate kambing is only served with sweet soy sauce. Both, however, are always grilled to perfection on a hot charcoal, making it smoky, juicy and irresistible.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Sate Haji Romli, Jalan Kyai Maja 21, Melawai, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Sate Ayam Ponorogo Pak Seger, Jalan Dharmawangsa 117, Surabaya

Sate Ayam (courtesy of bacaresepdulu.com)

#4 – Martabak (or martabak telor/asin)

Martabak is one of the street food dishes that are just indescribably good. It is sort of flatbread, stuffed with a mix of minced meat (usually lamb or goat), eggs and green onions. It is then fried with oil until golden brown.

Crispy on the outside, juicy and savory with a hint of curry on the inside, martabak is too good to resist and it should be on the top of your must-eat street food dishes. By the way, in Jakarta, they call this dish martabak telor or martabak asin, while in Surabaya it is simply called as martabak.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Martabak 65A, Jalan Pecenongan Raya 65A, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Martabak & Terang Bulan Abdullah, Jalan Kapasari, Surabaya

Martabak Abdullah, Surabaya (courtesy of burpple.com)

#5 – Terang bulan (or martabak manis)

I call this dish the sweet evil twin of martabak. Terang bulan (or popularly known in Jakarta as martabak manis) is a sweet round griddle pancake, commonly stuffed with roasted peanuts, chocolate sprinkles, condensed milk and lots of butter.

Its soft texture, sweet and hearty taste will make you get addicted to it. Recently there are many flavor varieties of terang bulan coming up, such as green tea, red velvet or taro flavors. Also, you can increasingly customize the stuffing with a wide range of choices such as Kraft cheese, Nutella or Toblerone chocolate.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Martabak Bandung Asli 65A, Jalan Pecenongan Raya 65A, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Martabak & Terang Bulan Abdullah, Jalan Kapasari, Surabaya

Martabak Manis Pecenongan 65A, Jakarta (courtesy of Diddy Chen) 

#6 – Bubur ayam (chicken rice porridge)

Bubur ayam, or chicken rice porridge, is not only delicious and popular, but it is also regarded as a comfort food dish.

Simply made from rice that is cooked through until it becomes a smooth porridge, it is then topped with shredded chicken, fried shallots, parsley and slices of Chinese crispy breadstick (or cakue). It’s a perfect dish for a rainy, cold day.

Optionally you can also add a raw free-range chicken egg in the porridge to make it even more creamy and hearty. To eat along, there are also different varieties of sides such as skewered chicken livers or organs.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Bubur Ayam Barito, Jalan Gandaria Tengah 3, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Bubur Ayam Bang Udin, Jalan Kedungdoro 12, Surabaya

Bubur Ayam Barito, Jakarta (courtesy of pegipegi.com)

#7 – Ayam geprek

Ayam geprek is the current rising star in Javanese street food recently. It is a simple dish, combining only 2 of the most favorite food staples in Indonesia: fried chicken and fresh chilies.

Take a crispy fried chicken, blend it with fresh chilies and garlic, smash them together, and serve them on top of rice. The crispy texture of the chicken and hot sensation from the garlic chilies make this dish definitely a winning star.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Ayam Geprek Wong Sugih, Jalan Pangeran Antasari 67J, Cilandak, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Kakkk Ayam Geprek, Jalan Dharmawangsa 115, Surabaya

Ayam Geprek (courtesy of kongkoblog.com)

#8 – Rujak

Rujak is a traditional fruit and vegetable salad dish, which have many varieties throughout Java. But commonly there are 2 varieties of rujak: sweet and savory.

Sweet rujak (or rujak manis) typically is a mix of different type of fruits and served with sweet and sour peanut sauce poured over it.  Meanwhile, the savory version (known also as rujak petis or rujak cingur) is a mix of vegetables, tofu, tempeh, and rice cake, which are then served with shrimp paste peanut sauce poured over it.

Both are delicious, and you are free to choose depending on whether you feel like to eat more sweet or savory.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Rujak Manis Kolam Medan, ITC Mangga Dua, 3^rd floor, Jalan Mangga Dua Raya, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Rujak Cingur Delta, Jalan Kayon 46D, Surabaya

Rujak Cingur Delta, Surabaya (courtesy of infomakan.com)

 

#9 – Soto

Soto is another soup dish that has rich varieties throughout Java.

In Jakarta, the most popular and beloved soto is Soto Betawi, which is a beef soup in a creamy coconut milk broth.

Meanwhile, in Yogyakarta and Central Java, Soto Kudus is the most famous one, but instead of beef, it is a chicken soup with much clearer broth (see here one of my favorite Youtuber’s, Martin Johnson, tasting Soto Kudus). At last, in East Java, Soto Ayam Lamongan (chicken) and Soto Madura (beef) are the most popular ones.

Soto is often served with rice or rice cake (lontong) and complemented with a squeeze of lime and sambal.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Soto Betawi Haji Husein, Jalan Padang Panjang 6C, Pasar Manggis, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Soto Ayam Cak To Undaan, Jalan Undaan Wetan 10, Gang Ngemplak I/36, Surabaya

 Soto Ayam Lamongan (courtesy of cookpad.com)

 

#10 – Rawon

Rawon is a beef soup dish originally from Surabaya, East Java. The soup’s broth has a dark color due to a unique ingredient called black nuts (or kluwek in Javanese). This ingredient gives the dish its interesting blend of savory, sweet, and nutty flavor.

Rawon is often served with rice, and complemented with baby bean sprouts, a squeeze of lime and sambal. You can also enjoy it together with different assortments of sides like fried tempeh, tofu or skewered organs.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Rawon Nguling, Jalan Cikajang Raya 49, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Rawon Setan, Jalan Embong Malang 78I, Surabaya (across JW Marriott Hotel)

Rawon Setan, Surabaya (courtesy of wisatalah.com)

#11 – Nasi Pecel

Nasi pecel is a humble traditional Javanese rice dish, consisting of cooked vegetables and peanut sauce poured over rice. The vegetables served are usually a mix of water spinach, bean sprouts, and cassava leaves. To complement the dish, nasi pecel is always served with yellow-colored savory cracker made from rice flour called rempeyek, and different assortments of sides, such as fried tempe, scrambled egg, and fried tofu.

Nasi pecel is very popular in East and Central Java as breakfast item, so many vendors are usually already open around 6 am and it is often sold out before noon. However, there are also many other vendors that sell nasi pecel throughout the whole day, even during the night.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Pecel Pincuk Kalibata, Jalan Pahlawan Kalibata, Jakarta
• Surabaya: Pecel Pandegiling, Jalan Pandegiling 318A, Surabaya.

Nasi Pecel (courtesy of brilio.net)

#12 – Es campur

Let’s close our list with a delicious dessert item: es campur. Literally translated into English as “mixed ice”, es campur consists of many different things: different type of fruits, jelly, sweet coconut milk, syrup, condensed milk and topped with shaved ice.

Every vendor from a street cart to restaurants will have its own mix of things they put in es campur. That is why it is such an interesting and beloved sweet treat. A bowl of es campur is guaranteed to make you feel refreshed and satisfied.

Where to try:

• Jakarta: Warung Solo, Jalan Madrasah 14, Jakarta
• In Surabaya: Es Campur Tidar, Jalan Tidar 20A, Surabaya

Es Campur (courtesy of kulinersehat.com)

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So there you go! I hope you try one of these delicious street food dishes. If you try them, I would love to hear your experience and what you think about it. Please do so in the comment below, or send me a message.

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