When going on holiday in Lombok, you might want to explore the local food. Each region in Indonesia has a different culture which includes various cuisines. So, don’t forget to explore Lombok food as we take you on a culinary adventure. Locally it’s known as ‘Makanan khas Lombok’.
Ayam Taliwang
Ayam Taliwang itself is actually a food that comes from Taliwang, West Sumbawa. However, the dish was first popularized in Lombok. Although not a typical original food, Taliwang Chicken has been growing as an authentic Lombok food for a long time. The dish consists of grilled ‘ayam kampung’, the local chicken, and is seasoned with a special sauce.
Plecing Kangkung
Ayam Taliwang is usually served with plecing kangkung. This is a typical Lombok dish, consisting of boiled water spinach and served cold with chili sauce. If you have tried this Lombok food elsewhere, you still have to try it on its original island. Here, the ‘kangkung’ vegetable has wider leaves, longer stems and a crunchier texture. Lombok’s water spinach is grown using the stagnant water method.
Sate Rembiga
Typical Indonesian food, satay, has many variations in each region. In short, Sate Rembiga is a spicy beef satay. The meat is marinated with spices, and sometimes even marinated with pineapple. You should eat Sate Rembiga with bone soup and ‘lontong’ or ‘ketupat’. These are both types of compressed rice cake.
Sate Pusut
Visually, this satay is very similar to the Balinese ‘Sate Lilit’. However, here beef is used as meat. Sate Pusut is made from ground beef and seasoned with a lot of spices before it’s finally grilled.
Sate Bulayak
The name 'Bulayak' itself is actually the ‘lontong’ served with this satay. It is rice wrapped in young palm leaves and shaped slightly longer and more slender than ordinary rice cakes. Sate Bulayak itself is beef satay covered in special Lombok spices. The taste of this seasoning is similar to a curry sauce with peanuts.
Bebalung
As we move on from the satay dishes, we encounter other typical Lombok food. Belabung is oxtail soup and beef ribs as they only make them in Lombok. The spices used for the soup are more complex for a rich taste. In the local tribal language of the Sasak tribe, Bebalung means 'energy'.
Beberuk Terong
Beberuk Terong is a side dish that is often combined with other Lombok food. You can find it alongside Chicken aliwang. It’s an eggplant dish with seasoning made up from tomatoes, chili, onion, and other seasoning mixed with raw long beans.
Nasi Balap Puyung
Puyung is a village in Lombok which is the home of this authentic food. The dish that is usually eaten as breakfast, is actually a serving of white rice with shredded spicy chicken, fried soybeans, plus a special chili sauce served on banana leaves. Meanwhile, potato chips, stir-fried chickpeas, and eggs are also often present to complement Nasi Balap Puyung.
Where to find authentic Lombok food?
As a tourist, it can be hard to find this typical Lombok food. You don’t often find them in the restaurants of Kuta, Senggigi or the Gili’s. However, you can try a more 'local' approach by looking for a small Warung Lombok.
We must warn you, that a foreign tongue is not always used to these local dishes. They are often very spicy and an acquired taste. For a safe choice, you can try the fusion of Western and local cuisine at the Amazing Lombok Restaurant as part of our resort. Whichever you choose, bon appetit!
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Last updated on: 13 July 2026