Surabaya's Most Desirable Street Food to Try – Get Ready for a Flavourful Journey

What makes Klopo Satay different from the usual satay varieties you find at street food stalls? It’s seasoning! Klopo means coconut, so Klopo Satay means coconut satay. Coconut isn’t the main ingredient here, but the sprinkling of coconut added to the meat before being grilled makes a world of a difference. This delicious version of satay is typically served on a warm bed of rice with a side of pickles and peanut sauce.

You can find this delicious Indonesian specialty almost anywhere, but nothing compares to Rawon served up at a street food stall or hotel in Surabaya, Indonesia. There’s something quite familiar, different, and also comforting about a bowl of Rawon. Made of beef, Rawon has a black colour achieved from the addition of black keluak. The soft slices of meat, coupled with ingredients such as garlic, coriander, chillies, and galangal, have a unique and delicious flavour profile. Whether you’re staying at a stylish hotel like YELLO Hotel Jemursari Surabaya, Indonesia, or trying new dishes at a street food stall, be sure to order a bowl of Rawon.

Another brothy flavour bomb that you must try, Soto Gubeng is made of a variety of ingredients that give it a varied yet complementary flavour profile. Beef or chicken is the main component of the soup, and added to that are condiments like lime, chilli sauce, and green onions. It’s delicious, comforting, and filling, and it’s one of the most popular comfort foods in Indonesia.

A popular dessert item in East Java, Madura Porridge is made of sticky rice powder and brown sugar with a base of coconut milk. It’s a traditional food enjoyed on special occasions, but you can order up a bowl of Madura Porridge whenever you feel like it. It’s sweet and soft and can be eaten at any time of the day.

Think you're an expert on Indonesian food and can boast about it to your friends? You haven't earned those bragging rights unless you've tried Sego Sambel. Sego means rice, and Sambel means sambal, so Sego Sambel means rice with sambal. If you’re not used to spicy food, this is not for you, but it would be regrettable to miss out on the delights of this delicious dish. A plate of Sego Sambel typically contains warm, soft rice, shredded chicken, fried tempeh and tofu, fish, and scrambled eggs with a generous amount of chilli sauce. 

A traditional rice dish, Lontong Balap is a combination of rice cake, bean sprouts, fried tofu, sambal petis, and sweet soy sauce. The rice cake has a cylindrical shape, which is a result of the rice being wrapped in a banana leaf. The history of Longtong Balap goes back to 1956 when the Lontong Balap vendors ran around in an attempt to serve the customer efficiently. Lontong Balap is popular for its combination of textures and flavours. The softness of the Lontong and tofu contrasts beautifully with the crunchy bean sprouts and crackers, while the savoury sauce complements the mild taste of the rice cakes and the richness of the tofu.

Often associated with Surabaya, Almond Crispy is a popular snack often purchased by tourists as reminders of their time spent in Indonesia. It’s a crispy, thin biscuit made of almonds, eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. Even though it’s an Indonesian dish, the biscuit is thought to have been inspired by Western almond biscuits. Its popularity among both locals and tourists stems from its balance of crunchiness and sweetness. The traditional version of Almond Crispy calls for almonds as the main ingredient, but there are different varieties with other nuts and seeds and even chocolate chips.