Bandung Indonesia – Best Places to Eat and Dishes to Try

Bandung is the food capital of Java – there is no doubt. Whether you are after local classics, fusion food, inventive desserts, sky bars, vegan hamburgers or the regular ones, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Local food

During the day you’ll find yourself stopping constantly for small snacks. Where you ask? Pretty much on every street corner and along the busy streets. You’ll fill your stomach will all the deep-fried treats. Then you’ll probably buy some more. If you’re looking for something a little heartier, you’ll want to head to one of the many street-side warungs that very often run out of the front of people’s houses. Grab a seat on a plastic chair, fill up on some home-cooked fare and give thanks for the little things.

If you’re looking for the local dishes that you know and love, there are a few great spots that come alive at night. They will easily satiate your desires and may even surprise you with a few dishes you’re yet to come across.

The ubiquitous Nasi Goreng and other such local delights will of course be on offer. Have a look for Kuo Tie – Chinese fried dumplings – and if you’re up for it, some frog dishes.

Just a few metres south of the train line, the stalls will line the street. If you continue walking down Jalan Gardujati and find Jalan Cibadadk, you’ll find a whole other street worth exploring and great for having a few drinks with friends.

A slight step up from the surrounds of your table at a warung are those that you experience at Purbasari. At this restaurant you’ll dine in a hut that is perched on the edge of small lake. Indonesian classics will be served to you in way that is so memorable, special and worth the journey for the meal.

Western and International food

A fun way to fill up your tummy is with Brother Jonn and Sons retro burger truck. They serve the quintessential American burger, made the way it should be. They also have corn dogs and a couple of other sides, but mostly stick to making outrageously indulgent, cholesterol filled burgers. Yum. They van is surrounded by a small little park, decorated with vintage vibrant furniture. It is located on Jl. Ciumbuleuit road. The experience is good for your tummy and soul, not so much for your blood pressure.

There are many Western spots scattered all over Bandung. Paris van Java is a good place to head if you’re looking for the original rather than an attempt at something you hold dear. There are a couple of great bars here for the manly men out there. There is also a Starbucks. It unfortunately costs as much as it does in America which makes for a begrudging purchase in these parts of the world.

Cafés and Coffee Houses

Without a doubt the most picturesque spot on this list is Café D’Pakar. It feels a little bit like you stepped into The Shire, what with the surrounding green mountains, and the tranquil tables nestled amongst small bushes and pretty flowers. Located amidst the Dago highlands, getting to the café requires a good bit of effort. As such, you shouldn’t be trying to head there for your first cup of the day. You can enjoy some homemade treats like sweet stuffed pancakes with your cup of Jo. The café is open from 11-6pm, and would be best visited in the late hours of the afternoon as the golden afternoon light catches the tips of the mountains.

A coffee shop where you actually can get your first cup for the day is the Morning Glory Café, located on top of the Mitra Hotel in central Bandung. While you could get your first cup here, wouldn’t you rather be there for sunset? Your answer should be “Yes” as it doesn’t get much better than watching sunset stretch across the sky as you calmly wade around the rooftop pool. This café also serves up some really inventive fusion food and some special desserts. The coffee shop is open to 11.00 PM and should run you 210,000 IDR a head.

Dessert is, quite obviously, as important as your meal. If you like ice cream and gardens, Baileys, and beautiful looking desserts, then Cremeria di Dee and you would make a good fit. They serve Italian Gelato in flavours like Chocolate Earl Grey, Blueberry Cheese Cake, Dragon Fruit, and Baileys Sweet Cream. It’s difficult to say how delicious everything is. The ice-cream bar is located on Jln. Ranca Bentang 2C and is open until late (10.00 PM), which leaves you with very little reason not to go. Expect to pay around 125,000 IDR per person here.

Drinking and nightlife

Bamboo Shack is well known in Bandung as the being the hangout in the early hours of the evening. It is a great place to meet fellow travellers, get a little loose, and sing Karaoke. If you get there early enough, you can grab a book from the shelf and spend some time living that life that your traveling Godmother used to tell you about at Christmas. They also have bonfires pretty regularly, which is a night you don’t want to miss out on.

After a visit here, Braga Street is where you should be heading. There are more than enough pubs and lively spots here to dance, drink and make some mistakes - Oops, we mean memories! The fun can continue beyond this if you want it too. OJ’s is a small little pub that cranks out old-school 70’s tunes until the early hours of the morning.

Looking for more than just a beer? Not so keen on the background noise and drunken teenagers? The 18 Restaurant sits on top of the Trans Luxury Hotel is an alternative. The bar is nothing short of spectacular; the views from it much the same. The bar serves high-end cocktails and does dinner too. There is, of course, a bit of dress code – you’re flip flops won’t go down well here. Drinks can cost anywhere between 40,000 IDR and 150,000 IDR.

Fine Dining

While it is always difficult to pit one restaurant against another when their food is cooked at this level of expertise, for us, Welfeld really stood out. On one hand, we are ready to admit that it may actually just have been the space that they have cultivated that has us saying this. On the other hand, we are entirely sure that this is not the truth and that the food is nothing short of exquisite. We’re prepared to say that we were overwhelmed by the experience and are now left at a bit of a loss for words, or a coherent understanding of what happened, it seems. The restaurant has a large terrace that looks over their small bit of untouched forest. The interior is designed to exude a sense of pure decadence, and intentional attempt at emulating the lusciousness that the restaurant is surrounded by.

From the vintage furniture, to the wooden details, Waygu Beef, Lamb Rack, and the overhanging crystal chandelier, this place is phenomenal. The meals range in price from as little as 80,000 IDR to as much as 700,000 IDR.

Good alternatives to this that are entirely unique in their own right include Cantigi Dining that has a very cosy feeling, and Bridge Coffee Boutique and Dining which more like a tasting experience than it is like dinner.

Conclusion

As stated, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Fussy eaters are welcome.