Food · Lombok · Indonesia
What to eat in Lombok
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Lombok, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Paxson Woelber, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Ayam taliwang, Plecing kangkung and Sate rembiga. Each evening stalls set up near the harbour on Gili Trawangan, grilling fish and satay and selling nasi campur and sweet martabak at low prices. Sasak food is very spicy; ask for 'tidak pedas' (not spicy) or sambal on the side.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Ayam taliwang
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 3
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in local warungs but is appreciated in tourist restaurants, spas…
- Food experiences
- 3
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Ayam taliwang
Lombok's signature dish: a young chicken flattened and grilled or fried, then coated in a fiery paste of chilli, garlic and shrimp paste, served with plecing kangkung and rice.
Where: Specialist ayam taliwang restaurants in Mataram and warungs across the island.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Plecing kangkung
Boiled water spinach topped with a raw tomato-chilli sambal, lime and sometimes peanuts and bean sprouts; the classic side dish to ayam taliwang.
Where: Almost every warung serving Sasak food; ask for the sambal on the side if you prefer less heat.
Street food
3.Sate rembiga
Sweet-spicy beef satay from the Rembiga district of Mataram, marinated in chilli, palm sugar and shrimp paste before grilling over charcoal.
Where: Satay stalls in the Rembiga area of Mataram, near the old airport.
Street food
4.Sate bulayak
Small skewers of beef or chicken served with a thick peanut-coconut sauce and bulayak, rice cakes wrapped in spiralled palm leaves.
Where: Stalls around Narmada and Lingsar east of Mataram, and on the road at Senggigi.
Dish
5.Nasi balap puyung
Rice with very spicy shredded chicken, fried soybeans and peanuts, originally from the village of Puyung in Central Lombok; a cheap, filling lunch.
Where: Warungs in Central Lombok and Mataram, and on the road to Kuta.
Dish · Vegetarian
6.Beberuk terong
A fresh relish of raw chopped eggplant, long beans and tomato tossed with sambal, eaten as a side with grilled chicken or fish.
Where: Sasak warungs serving set rice meals across the island.
Dish
7.Bebalung
A clear, spiced soup of beef or buffalo ribs (balung means bone) cooked with lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves.
Where: Sasak restaurants in Mataram and Central Lombok.
Dish
8.Grilled seafood
Fresh fish, squid and prawns chosen from ice displays and grilled over coconut husks, served with sambal and rice.
Where: The Gili Trawangan night market near the harbour and beachfront restaurants in Senggigi and Kuta.
Dish
9.Nasi campur
Rice with a choice of small portions of curries, vegetables, tempeh, egg and sambal from a warung display, the everyday lunch across Indonesia.
Where: Warungs everywhere on Lombok and the Gilis; point at what you want.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Lombok coffee (Kopi Lombok)
Robusta and arabica grown on the slopes of Rinjani, often served thick and sweet with the grounds settled at the bottom of the glass.
Where: Village warungs around Sembalun and Senaru, and cafés in Kuta.
Food experiences
Gili Trawangan night market
Each evening stalls set up near the harbour on Gili Trawangan, grilling fish and satay and selling nasi campur and sweet martabak at low prices.
Ayam taliwang in Mataram
Eat Lombok's signature chilli chicken where it is cooked best, at one of Mataram's specialist restaurants, with plecing kangkung on the side.
Warung lunch
Simple roadside warungs serve nasi campur and Sasak dishes for a fraction of tourist-restaurant prices; the busiest ones have the freshest food.
Quick bites and street food
- Sate rembiga — Satay stalls in the Rembiga area of Mataram, near the old airport.
- Sate bulayak — Stalls around Narmada and Lingsar east of Mataram, and on the road at Senggigi.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 3 are usually vegetarian: Plecing kangkung, Beberuk terong and Lombok coffee. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Sasak food is very spicy; ask for 'tidak pedas' (not spicy) or sambal on the side.
- Lombok is mainly Muslim, so pork is rare outside tourist restaurants and alcohol is sold mainly in tourist areas.
- During Ramadan, many local warungs close in daytime, though tourist areas stay open.
- Mid-range and upmarket restaurants often add tax and a service charge to the bill; check the menu.
- Drink bottled or refilled filtered water, and use the refill stations common on the Gilis.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected in local warungs but is appreciated in tourist restaurants, spas and by drivers. Trekking guides and porters on Rinjani rely on tips and expect them at the end of a trek.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Terima kasih | Thank you (Indonesian) |
| Tampi asih | Thank you (Sasak) |
| Selamat pagi | Good morning |
| Berapa harganya? | How much is it? |
| Tidak pedas | Not spicy |
| Tidak, terima kasih | No, thank you |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Lombok famous for?
Ayam taliwang, Plecing kangkung, Sate rembiga and Sate bulayak. Lombok's signature dish: a young chicken flattened and grilled or fried, then coated in a fiery paste of chilli, garlic and shrimp paste, served with plecing kangkung and rice.
+Is Lombok good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Plecing kangkung, Beberuk terong and Lombok coffee.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Lombok?
Tipping is not expected in local warungs but is appreciated in tourist restaurants, spas and by drivers. Trekking guides and porters on Rinjani rely on tips and expect them at the end of a trek.