A chaotic Jakarta food adventure with our local friend Jarr, countless satay skewers and more chilli than any sensible person should consume.
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Why We Visited Sabang Street
One of our favourite memories from our previous trip to Jakarta was discovering the incredible food scene in Blok M. We’d spent the evening wandering between food stalls, trying dishes we’d never heard of and chatting with locals who were excited to share their favourite foods with us.
So when we returned to Jakarta, there was one place we knew we had to visit.
Sabang Street.
Known as one of Jakarta’s most famous street food destinations, we’d heard countless recommendations from our subscribers telling us that if we loved Blok M, we’d absolutely love Sabang Street too.
Even better, we’d be exploring it with our friend Jar.
We first met Jar during a previous trip to Jakarta, where he helped show us around the city. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch, and we were excited to meet again. Our subscribers absolutely loved him too, so being reunited in Jakarta felt like catching up with an old friend rather than meeting a guide.
Eating Our Way Through Sabang Street
The moment we arrived, the atmosphere was epic!
The smell of grilled satay set the scene for all the deliciousness to come. Food carts lined the streets. Locals sat on plastic stools enjoying dinner while vendors worked over smoking grills and bubbling pots.
One dish we were excited to try was Soto Betawi, a rich and creamy soup that had been recommended by countless subscribers.
And our community never lets us down! It was comforting, flavourful and packed with character.
Denz happily took charge of the meat dishes, including sate ayam and sate kambing, while Beth focused on finding vegetarian options.
As a lifelong vegetarian, street food tours can sometimes be a little challenging. That’s one of the reasons having Jarr with us was so helpful. He knew exactly which stalls would have vegetarian options and helped explain ingredients and dishes that Beth otherwise wouldn’t have been able to order confidently on her own.
It meant Beth could fully enjoy the experience rather than standing on the sidelines watching Denz eat everything.
We also tried kelepon, one of our favourite Indonesian sweet treats, along with rujak, a fruit salad covered in an incredible mixture of sweet, savoury and spicy sauces.
One version was especially spicy. Luckily, both of us absolutely love spice, so that wasn’t exactly a problem.
The real highlight, though, wasn’t any individual dish.
It was simply wandering through the streets with Jarr, chatting, laughing, trying random foods and soaking up the atmosphere around us.
Some of our favourite travel memories aren’t built around famous landmarks.
They’re built around evenings like this.
Our Verdict
Would We Recommend Sabang Street?
Absolutely.
If you’re looking for an authentic food experience in Jakarta, Sabang Street is one of the best places we’ve visited.
What We Loved
- Incredible variety of food
- Fantastic value for money
- Friendly and welcoming vendors
- Authentic local atmosphere
- Vegetarian options available
- Easy to visit from Central Jakarta
What To Be Aware Of
- Some stalls only accept cash
- Limited English at certain vendors
- Can feel overwhelming without local knowledge
Useful Information:
Best Time To Visit Sabang Street
Sabang Street really comes alive in the evening. Most food vendors begin setting up from late afternoon, with the busiest period typically between 6pm and 11pm.
How To Get There
The easiest option is to take a Grab directly to Jalan Sabang (Jl. H. Agus Salim) in Central Jakarta.
If you’re staying nearby, it’s also walkable from the Sarinah area.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at My Capsule Jakarta and found it to be a great base for exploring the city.
What To Bring
- Cash
- Water
- An appetite
- A willingness to try something new
Should You Take A Tour?
Honestly, yes.
You can explore independently, but having a local guide helps enormously when it comes to ordering food, understanding dishes and finding the best vendors.
If you’re interested, we’ll link a good option below:
Sebang Street Food Tour
Related Experiences
Here are some of our other great street food experiences in Jakarta! These are definitely for the foodies!!
Are You Keeping Up With Our Indonesia Series?
Check out our full collection of Indonesia Experiences!
Final Thoughts
Looking back, our favourite part of the evening wasn’t actually the food.
It was spending time with Jar.
Travel is often sold as ticking famous places off a bucket list, but some of the most meaningful experiences come from reconnecting with people you’ve met along the way.
That night we ate far too much food, laughed a lot, discovered some new favourite dishes and were reminded why we love Indonesia so much.
And if we’re ever back in Jakarta again, we’ll almost certainly be heading straight back to Sabang Street.
Big Love
Beth and Denz