The short answer
Gado-Gado Cemara: what visitors should know first
A traditional lunch for travellers happy with egg and peanut sauce, since gado-gado is usually vegetable-based. It is not a vegetarian specialist: other dishes include fish, and the sauce may contain shrimp paste, so ask.
History and context
The story behind Gado-Gado Cemara
The Jakarta Post says Niawati Setiawan opened the restaurant in 1947 on Jl. Cemara in Menteng, and that it moved three times before reaching Jl. Tanah Abang 5.
Useful facts
Gado-Gado Cemara facts at a glance
- Location
- Jl. Tanah Abang 5, Central Jakarta
- Dining style
- Traditional gado-gado restaurant
- Price signal
- Budget; 2016 prices out of date
- Signature order
- Try: gado-gado with cashew sauce
- Opened
- 1947, per the Jakarta Post
Why it matters
Why Gado-Gado Cemara is worth your time
Gado-gado is among the dishes most associated with Jakarta, and this restaurant has a documented family story: opened in 1947 by Niawati Setiawan on Jl. Cemara and moved three times before settling at the present address.
For a vegetarian visitor it is one of the few classic Betawi dishes that works with small adjustments. Even so, treat it as a traditional meal with checks, not a guaranteed vegetarian one. Because the evidence is a single 2016 newspaper feature, confirm the current address and opening hours before you plan a lunch around it.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
Cashew peanut sauce
Described by the Jakarta Post as a house feature.
- 02
Lontong choice
Order with or without the rice cake.
- 03
Asinan
A pickled salad also named in the article.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
The Jakarta Post article describes the gado-gado as having a peanut sauce enriched with cashews, and offered with or without lontong, the compressed rice cake. Asinan, lontong Cap Gomeh and fish pesmol were also named, so the menu is not meat-free, and you should choose the salad.
Gado-gado means a mix of boiled vegetables, tofu, tempeh and egg under peanut sauce. Ask for no egg if you avoid it, and ask if the sauce uses shrimp paste or fish ingredients, which many Indonesian kitchens add.
The feature gave prices from 2016, which are out of date, so do not rely on them. Expect a simple local restaurant and not a polished dining room, and allow a short wait at the lunch hour.
Plan with confidence
Small checks that make a better meal.
- Ask about shrimp paste in the sauce
- Ask for no egg if needed
- Confirm the restaurant is open
- Check the address
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Jl. Tanah Abang 5, Central Jakarta
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Best time
- Lunch
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- The source does not describe seating or steps. Jl. Tanah Abang is a busy central road, so go by taxi and ask the driver to wait at a quiet hour.
- Tickets and access
- Walk-in. A 2016 Jakarta Post feature gave the address and founding story, but it is old, so please confirm that it is open and check the address before visiting.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Gado-Gado Cemara
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
The source does not describe seating or steps. Jl. Tanah Abang is a busy central road, so go by taxi and ask the driver to wait at a quiet hour.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Is gado-gado vegetarian?
Usually yes, but it contains egg and may include shrimp paste.
Is the restaurant still open?
The source is from 2016, so confirm.
Does the menu include fish?
Yes, ikan pesmol is named.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
