Lovina
Despite the vaguely Catalan name, this family-run restaurant has an ambitious and good Balinese menu. Choose a table on the open-air terrace and order…
Must-see restaurants in Indonesia
Papua
Offers cold Guinness and Bintang as well as plenty of good-quality Chinese and Indonesian dishes, including braised frog and stirred papaya flowers. It’s…
Tana Toraja
You may think you know how delicious fried ubi (cassava) soup could be, but you ain't tried Ma'Uni's sop ubi yet. Come here when you're ready to dive…
Malang
A dressed-up warung dangling with lovely rattan lanterns and lined with bamboo wallpaper, serving fried chicken and duck meals to the Malang masses…
Sumbawa
Clean and popular, this Chinese seafood house plates tender fish fillets, prawns, squid, crab and scallops in oyster, Szechuan or sweet-and-sour sauce…
Jakarta
Arabian themed with pretty floor tiles, this Middle Eastern restaurant has a large menu of more than 100 dishes – everything from kebabs and felafel to…
Seminyak
The woks roar almost from dawn to dusk amid the constant hubbub on this busy corner of Jl Raya Seminyak, where several stalls cook food fresh under the…
Senggigi
An ideal family choice, this place spans the culinary globe from tuna carpaccio to burgers to Lombok’s own Sate pusut (minced-meat or fish sate). It also…
Sanur
A nice place with wicker chairs on a large terrace and cool air-con inside. The menu has a healthy range of fresh detox juices and salads, plus comfort…
Denpasar
The name here says it all: fried chicken (ayam goreng) named for a Javanese temple (Kalasan) in a region renowned for its fiery, crispy chicken. Note the…
Kuta & Legian
An attractive oasis just off the madness of Jl Legian, this sweet little open-fronted cafe serves excellent coffee drinks, smoothies and casual fare such…
Ubud
Gelato made from local fruits and spices (dragonfruit cinnamon or cashew black sesame) are on offer at this outlet of the popular gelato chain. There's…
Sulawesi
Enjoy your fish while the rest of its family swim beneath your feet at this breezy open-sided restaurant on stilts over the water. As ocean views go, this…
Canggu
Beautiful French-style baked goods (the almond croissant, wow!) are the speciality at this small Bali chain of cafes. Enjoy pastries, sandwiches on…
West Sumatra
This old-school Bukittinggi traveller haunt offers a smattering of Western dishes with the odd inclusion of mie goreng (fried noodles), beef rendang,…
Semarang
Fine Chinese-style noodles and babi sate (pork satay) are local favourites at this weekend market. The sociable atmosphere is helped along by a bit of low…
Sumbawa
Those craving things like French-press coffee, avocado toast, salads, granola or burritos – all exceptionally rare on Sumbawa – will love this cheap open…
East Java
It's only right that this, one of the oldest restaurants in Sumenep, is considered the best place to try the local speciality sate kambing (lamb sate),…
Central Sulawesi
This is perhaps the city's most famous kaledo restaurant, a bustling place where its spicy beef soup – a festival of cholesterol – is served in a bowl…
Seminyak
The best feature of the Seminyak Sq open-air mall is this bakery with its shady tables and long menu of baked goods, salads, sandwiches and other fine…
Ubud
Sure, Mexico is almost exactly on the opposite side of the globe, but its culinary delights are popular here in Bali. Tasty versions of burritos, tacos…
North Bali
Grab a table and a cold Bintang on the outdoor lawn and choose from a menu with a classic holiday mix of thin-crust wood-fired pizzas plus Western and…
Sumatra
On the road to the airport, 4km from Jambi's city centre, this industrial-chic cafe run by motorcycle enthusiasts is worthy of a pit stop if you're in the…
Flores
At sunset the smell of grilled fish wafts through the air at this beachside market. Browse the many stalls and feast on what looks best. Remember to shop…
Gili Air
With a menu full of creative Indonesian and Western fusion fare, an ideal sunset location on the beach and chill EDM tunes after dark, Mowie's is the kind…
Central Sulawesi
Hands down the most dependable fish restaurant in town, RM Surabaya is constantly busy and has a high rate of throughput. Select your fresh fish and have…
Sanur
You can hear the surf and see the moonlight reflected on the water at this welcoming beachside seafood grill, set on the sand amid palm trees and fishing…
Ubud
Run by the Swiss-based NGO, Fair Future Foundation, this eatery donates 100% of its profit towards healthcare in the local community. Food ranges from…
Aceh
Mama Donut has been a local institution for at least a couple of decades, walking the sand selling delicious vegetable samosas, doughnuts and fried…
Ubud
Kelapa serves Indonesian classics plus more unusual dishes from around the archipelago. Its vegetarian rijsttafel is made with produce grown in the on…
East Bali
Known for its homemade cakes and ice cream (we can vouch for the decadently rich banoffee pie and the 'Tropical fresh' ice cream sundae), this cute cafe…
East Bali
The food at this pavilion restaurant is of average quality but the view is anything but – the panorama of rice fields and verdant hills is absolutely…
Bukit Peninsula
Tucked away at the north end of the southern group; the staff serving their narrow patch of tables on the beach here radiate charm. Go for one of the…
Denpasar
Don't be deceived by the small dining room at the entrance: there's another vastly larger one out the back. The top-notch nasi campur (rice with side…
Banda Islands
Bolted on to a family home, sleepy and shuttered Nutmeg Cafe is a charmer. It serves noodles, juices, fish and rice, a good soto ayam and thick pancakes…
Sumbawa
A tasty fish shack teetering on the rocky shore at the island’s midway point. Dine on fresh catch, grilled or fried, in the ‘dining room’, or in one of…
Sumatra
Just across from the beach is this Australian-owned place that does primarily Western pub food, along with seafood dishes and Indonesian staples. They…
Lovina
Near the beach, this small cafe serves a fine grilled-seafood platter (which was probably caught by the guy next to you). There's live acoustic music many…
Malang
This cheerful spot with plastic chairs and tables has tasty, inexpensive local food, including martabak (pancake-like meat, egg and vegetable dish), rice…
Nusa Penida
A cute little breezy place right on the beach. Enjoy well-prepared Indo classics and seafood (plus the odd international item) while taking in the views…
