SatayMust-try
Meat · Snack · Dinner · Lunch
Skewers of marinated and grilled meat (chicken, beef, lamb) served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce and refreshing cucumber chunks, a perfect communal dish.
Gunawan Kartapranata (CC BY-SA 4.0
Indonesia Food: 20 Dishes to Try
Every dish ranked by how essential it is — must-try picks first, with photos and what’s actually in them.
Nasi GorengMust-try
Meat · Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
The national fried rice dish, typically featuring rice stir-fried with sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), egg, vegetables, and often chicken or shrimp, offering a comforting savory-sweet flavor profile.
shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates (CC BY 2.0
Gado-GadoMust-try
Vegetarian · Lunch
A popular Indonesian salad featuring blanched or steamed vegetables (like long beans, cabbage, bean sprouts) and hard-boiled eggs, drenched in a rich, slightly sweet peanut sauce.
Piknikdong (CC BY-SA 4.0
BaksoMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner · Snack
A warming bowl of beef meatballs served in a clear broth with noodles, tofu, and sometimes eggs, it's a comforting and widely available street food.
Li Tsin Soon from KL, Malaysia (CC BY-SA 2.0
Nasi KuningMust-try
Meat · Breakfast
A traditional Sabahan breakfast, this dish consists of fragrant yellow rice (cooked with turmeric) served with spicy fish and vegetables, often found at morning street stalls.
Gunawan Kartapranata (CC BY-SA 3.0
GudegMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner
Jackfruit stew simmered in coconut milk and palm sugar, served with rice and various side dishes — a Yogyakarta specialty, often found in Bogor restaurants catering to visitors from Java.
christian razukas from Honolulu, Hawaii (CC BY-SA 2.0)
SotoMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner
A comforting and diverse clear soup, varying regionally with chicken, beef, or vegetables and aromatic spices.
Sakurai Midori (CC BY-SA 3.0
Bubur AyamMust-try
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
A comforting Indonesian rice porridge, typically served for breakfast, topped with shredded chicken, crispy fried shallots, celery, and a drizzle of sweet soy sauce.
Sakurai Midori (CC BY 3.0
Mie GorengMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner
Similar to nasi goreng but with yellow noodles instead of rice, this hearty dish is another Indonesian standard, often made to order with your choice of protein and vegetables.
jeff~ (CC BY 2.0
Nasi CampurMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner
A plate of white rice served with small portions of various side dishes, often including vegetables, meats, and sambal, showcasing a range of local flavors in one meal.
Fei Tan (CC BY 2.0
Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup)Must-try
Lunch · Dinner
A hearty, clear broth soup featuring tender oxtail pieces, carrots, potatoes, and often fried shallots, a deeply satisfying meal.
Alpha (CC BY-SA 2.0
Sayur AsemMust-try
Lunch · Dinner
A refreshing sour and spicy vegetable soup made with tamarind, peanuts, corn, and melinjo nuts, often served as a side dish to a larger meal.
Sakurai Midori (CC BY-SA 3.0
LawarMust-try
Meat · Dinner
This traditional Balinese salad combines finely chopped vegetables, grated coconut, and minced meat (often pork or chicken, or sometimes vegetarian), all mixed with rich Balinese spices.
ybs from Jakarta, Indonesia (CC BY 2.0
Mie AyamMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner
Popular chicken noodle soup, often served with wontons (pangsit) and bakso (meatballs), a hearty and satisfying street food meal.
Midori (CC BY-SA 3.0
Nasi Goreng JawaMust-try
Meat · Lunch · Dinner
Javanese-style fried rice, characterized by its sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), often with chicken, egg, and pickled vegetables.
Gunawan Kartapranata (CC BY-SA 3.0
Sate KlatakMust-try
Meat · Dinner
Mutton satay grilled on unique iron skewers, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, giving it a distinct smoky flavor.
Danangtrihartanto (CC BY-SA 4.0
LaklakMust-try
Vegan · Snack
Small, vibrant green traditional Balinese rice cakes, flavored with pandan, and typically served with grated coconut and palm sugar syrup.
Joseagush (CC BY-SA 4.0
Babi GulingMust-try
Meat · Dinner · Lunch
Bali's signature dish, a whole roasted suckling pig seasoned with a potent spice paste (bumbu genep) and slow-roasted to crispy perfection, a specialty due to the island's Hindu majority.
I Kadek Jaya Wiguna (CC BY-SA 4.0
Bakpia PathokMust-try
Vegetarian · Snack
Small, sweet round pastry cakes with various fillings, most famously green bean paste, originating from the Pathok area.
Sakurai Midori (CC BY-SA 3.0
Sate AyamMust-try
Lunch · Dinner
Grilled skewers of marinated chicken served with a rich, sweet peanut sauce, a universally loved Indonesian street food with many regional variations.
Elly Suhailee (CC BY-SA 4.0
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons licenses. Individual credits shown on each photo where available.