Most Popular Yogyakarta Local Food in Yogyakarta Indonesia

Eating local Indonesian food in Yogyakarta wasn’t my priority when I visited this culturally rich city. I was supposed to catch the sunrise at the majestic Candi Borobudur Temple, take a picture of myself at Prambanan Temple, and meet my cousin there. However, Yogyakarta offered much more; I learned the art of batik making and visited the Keraton palace, the mystique Taman Sari water castle, and the royal bathing complex. I also rediscovered the much-loved traditional Indonesian food.

Here are some of the traditional Indonesian foods that are famous in Yogyakarta and have been the local favourite for generations:

Ayam Bakar (Sweet Grilled Chicken)

Yogyakarta’s grilled chicken is sweeter than Jakarta’s, which is good if spicy is not your thing. Unfortunately, this meant something other than what I would like to try again.

Gudeg

Gudeg is a traditional Yogyakarta food loved by my Indonesian friends. It’s a coconut milk-based dish made by stewing jackfruit with various local spices for hours. It’s the single must-eat Indonesian food when you visit Yogyakarta. Though I appreciated it, similar to the grilled chicken above, it was too sweet for my chili-loving taste buds.

Mie Ayam Jogja (Yogyakarta Roadside Chicken Noodle)

Mie Ayam is the quintessential Indonesian street food. The taste slightly varies in each city, and Mie Ayam Jogja is one of my favourite Indonesian foods.

Here’s the improved version:

All kinds of Sambal (Chilli paste condiments)

Sambal is the quintessential condiment that accompanies almost all Indonesian food. It’s made of various chillies (but only sometimes with chilli) together with other ingredients, depending on the region in Indonesia. Sambal enhances the flavour of the food and is relatively easy to make. You can DIY within minutes with a few spices in your kitchen whenever needed. And I honestly can’t remember the last time I ate Indonesian food without sambal on the side. It’s the key to enjoying your Indonesian food.

It’s hard to find unpalatable food in Indonesia, as most dishes are delicious, so take advantage of Indonesian food the next time you visit Indonesia.

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