7 Indonesian Restaurant You MUST Try in NYC!
Every year, the number of Indonesian students in Columbia University, particularly at SIPA, is growing. The Columbia Indonesia Society (CIS) notes there are at least 187 Indonesian students enrolling in several programs in Columbia! There are many scholarships that make this possible including the Indonesia Endowment Funds for Education (LPDP) which is the largest scholarship opportunity provided by the Indonesian government, amongst other scholarships.
You may not be familiar with Indonesia, but you must know Bali. Well, Bali is an island and a region part of Indonesia. With the fourth largest population in the world, Indonesia is diverse with cultures, foods and more than 800 languages. For us Indonesians who live abroad, being separated from our delicious food is hard. So finding restaurants where we can taste home is important. So, here are some popular Indonesian restaurants in NYC that you should try and don't forget to check out the pictures at the bottom:
1. Wayan Location: 20 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
Wayan offers Indonesian cuisine with a modern French flair, in a sleek space warmed by teak paneling, lush plants, and whitewashed brick. The unique and varied menu combines seasonal products and savory Southeast Asian flavors. Wayan’s showpiece bar turns out innovative cocktails highlighting ingredients inspired by the region. The cozy dining room, with its soothing tones, recessed lighting, and authentic carvings, promotes the sharing of food and conversation.
2. Awang Kitchen Location: 8405 Queens Blvd Ste 1C, Queens, NY 11373
Awang Kitchen started the journey for the family consumption just to cure the homesickness of missing Indonesian culinary in The U.S. Most Indonesian food in New York City is westernized, but not for Awang Kitchen. Awang Kitchen will take you on journeys to Indonesia with their quality and flavors through the Indonesian cuisine.
3. Jakarta Munch Location: 135 W 50th St, New York, NY 10020
Jakarta Munch serves a unique vegan Indonesian bowl with Nasi Uduk (coconut rice) base, vegan beef, and all vegan toppings. You can also order and get their food for free delivery up to 2 miles from their location on orders above $30. Jakarta Munch is placed in Urban Hawker that features 17 vendor stalls from the UNESCO hawker centers of Singapore representing essential cuisines like Malay, Peranakan, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Southeast Asian, Asian-style Western favorites, etc.
4. Sky Cafe Location: 8620 Whitney Ave, Queens, NY 11373
Sky Cafe promises a taste of Indonesia that prioritizes quality over quantity with reasonable prices. It offers a variety of Indonesian cuisine from mie ayam (Chicken Noodles), nasi goreng (fried rice), sop buntut (oxtail soup), bakso campur (meatball soup) to sate padang (satya padang), and many more.
5. Asian Taste 86 Location: 86-10 Whitney Ave, Queens, NY 11373
The restaurant was established on December 11th, 2011 by Chandra Lie and Donna Liem. Asian Taste 86 serves Indonesian Halal Fusion combining Indonesian authentic cuisines and Asian cuisines using fresh ingredients and halal meats.
6. Java Location: 455 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Reflected by its name, Ibu Rofia, the Java’s owner brings cuisine of the island of Java to Brooklyn, New York. Java serves Indonesian favorites such as Nasi Goreng, Sate, Rendang, Gado Gado, Mie Bakso and the Dutch inspired Rijsttafel. Java proudly procures fresh ingredients with authentic Indonesian spices and Halal meats. It is very convenient for the muslim community in NYC because the chicken, beef and lamb on Java’s menu are all Halal.
7. Warkop NYC Location: 366 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019
In Indonesia, Warkop stands for Warung Kopi (Coffee Stall). It is a place where local Indonesians would hang out and chat relaxedly while sipping coffee. Warkop NYC brings that culture by serving the Indonesian pride of noodles, Indomie. You don’t have time to go! They offer free delivery up to 2 miles, on orders above $30.
Next time you come to NYC, make sure to check out some of my favorite spots! So, ready to start your Indonesian food adventures? Just ring me up!
