Bandung isn't just about natural scenery and factory outlets. This "City of Flowers" has an incredible culinary richness—from street snacks to homemade Sundanese dishes passed down through generations. The good news is, you don't have to travel to Bandung to enjoy all of this. Many authentic Bandung recipes can be made right in your own kitchen!
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Bandung cuisine has a character that sets it apart from other regions. Sundanese cultural influence makes the food here tend to be fresh, with lots of raw vegetables (lalapan), sambal, and local spices. The dominant flavors are usually savory, spicy, and touched with sweetness from palm sugar or sweet soy sauce (kecap manis).
Beyond that, Sundanese people are also known for their creativity in turning simple ingredients into incredibly delicious food. Cassava becomes misro, fermented cassava (tape) becomes colenak, and rice cracker (kerupuk gendar) becomes seblak with a serious kick of spice!
10 Favorite Bandung Recipes
1. Seblak Basah (Spicy Wet Seblak)
Seblak is Bandung's most iconic street food. It's made from kerupuk gendar (rice crackers) cooked in a spicy broth along with egg, meatballs, and various toppings. The spice level can be adjusted—from level 1 all the way to "god-tier" heat!
2. Batagor (Fried Tofu and Fish Dumplings)
Batagor, short for Baso Tahu Goreng (fried fish dumplings and tofu), is fried until crispy then drizzled with a creamy peanut sauce. Who doesn't know batagor? This dish has become a Bandung icon famous throughout Indonesia.
3. Surabi Bandung (Bandung-Style Rice Pancakes)
Serabi or surabi is a traditional pancake made from rice flour. What makes Bandung's version special is the savory-spicy oncom (fermented soybean cake) topping. These days, you'll also find modern variations like chocolate-cheese, banana, and jackfruit.
4. Nasi Liwet Sunda (Sundanese Coconut Rice)
Nasi liwet is rice cooked with coconut milk, lemongrass, and bay leaves. It's eaten together with salted fish, sambal terasi (shrimp paste chili sauce), and fresh raw vegetables. It's the kind of comfort food that makes you homesick.
5. Lotek (Sundanese Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)
Boiled vegetables drizzled with spicy peanut sauce. Unlike gado-gado, Bandung's lotek uses kencur (aromatic ginger) that gives it a very distinctive aroma.
6. Karedok (Raw Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)
Similar to lotek, but the vegetables are raw! Fresher and crunchier. The peanut sauce also uses kencur, which makes the flavor one of a kind.
7. Colenak (Grilled Fermented Cassava with Coconut Sauce)
Grilled tape (fermented cassava) drizzled with a palm sugar-coconut milk sauce. Super simple, but the flavor is amazing, especially when eaten in cool weather.
8. Mie Kocok Bandung (Bandung Beef Tendon Noodle Soup)
Yellow noodles in a savory beef tendon broth. Topped with bean sprouts, tender tendon, and fried shallots. A hearty, filling dish that's hard to stop eating.
9. Soto Bandung (Bandung Beef and Radish Soup)
Soto with a clear broth containing beef and white radish. Fresh, light, and perfect for lunch.
10. Kupat Tahu (Rice Cake and Tofu with Peanut Sauce)
Ketupat (compressed rice cake) and fried tofu drizzled with peanut sauce and topped with red crackers. A favorite breakfast among Bandung locals since long ago.
Tips for Cooking Bandung Food at Home
The ingredients for Bandung dishes are actually easy to find at any traditional market. Here are a few tips to get results similar to what you'd find in Bandung:
First, use real palm sugar (gula aren)—not regular brown sugar. The flavor and aroma are quite different. Second, sambal terasi (shrimp paste chili sauce) is the key to many Sundanese dishes. Third, don't forget fresh raw vegetables (lalapan) as a side—cucumber, Thai basil, cabbage, and tomato.
All of the Bandung recipes above can be found in full, complete with step-by-step instructions and tips, on our recipe page. Happy cooking, and enjoy!
