Lombok guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Lombok, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Lombok is a Muslim-majority island, so halal food is the norm and pork is rare outside tourist areas. Typical Sasak and Indonesian dishes include nasi campur, grilled chicken and fish, and vegetable dishes such as timun urap and serebuk. Chilli is central, and sauces and sambals often use shrimp paste, so ask for food without meat, fish, egg or shrimp paste: 'tanpa daging, ikan, telur dan terasi'. Fresh fruit, rice and fried tempeh or tofu are reliable.
We found no restaurant on Lombok where we could confirm a pure vegetarian, Jain or vegan menu from the restaurant's own site or a reputable directory, so we list none with a diet tag. Ashtari, west of Kuta, serves vegetarian-friendly Indian-leaning food with marked vegan dishes according to spinach.guide, though it is not an all-vegetarian kitchen. Jain food, with no onion, garlic or roots, is hard to find, and the word Jain is rarely understood. Alcohol is available at larger hotels and in Senggigi and the Gili Islands but not in most local warungs.
For a practical approach, ask your hotel to arrange vegetarian meals in advance, carry dry snacks on long drives, and use hotel restaurants where the kitchen can follow instructions. Resorts in Kuta and Senggigi are more used to special diets than village warungs. Drink bottled or filtered water.
Menus and kitchens change. If you follow a strict diet or have an allergy, confirm with the restaurant before you order.
Main road west of Kuta village, on the way towards Mawun and Selong Belanak, South Lombok
A hillside cafe-restaurant west of Kuta with an Indian-leaning, vegetarian-friendly menu and marked vegan dishes, including a vegan thali, plus views over the south coast.
Jalan Raya Senggigi, km 8, Senggigi, West Lombok
A mid-range cafe on Jalan Raya Senggigi serving ayam taliwang and Indonesian curries, with a vegetarian curry that can be made with tofu and tempeh.
Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto No. 43, Monjok Barat, Selaparang district, Mataram
A small Mataram eatery on Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto serving bubur ayam, Indonesian chicken rice porridge, at low prices according to Wikivoyage.
Jalan Raya Senggigi, opposite Senggigi Abadi supermarket and the BNI bank, Senggigi
A roadside tent cafe on Jalan Raya Senggigi, opposite Senggigi Abadi supermarket, serving barbecued fish and chicken, seafood fried rice and tomato salad from dusk.
Jalan Transmigrasi No. 99, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara
A Mataram eatery on Jalan Transmigrasi known for ayam taliwang, the spicy grilled chicken of Lombok, open daily from morning to late evening per Wikivoyage.
Near the crossroads in Kuta village, before Nuggets Corner and Kenza Cafe, South Lombok
A busy Mediterranean cafe-restaurant in Kuta serving breakfast, mezze, kebabs and tagines, with vegetarian dishes on the menu and long daily opening hours.
Jalan Raya Mangsit, on the beach or through Qunci Villas, north of Senggigi
A dinner-only restaurant on Jalan Raya Mangsit serving seafood and imported steaks, with lobster and oysters, listed by Wikivoyage as open 16:00 to 23:00 with reservations recommended.
Jalan Dr. Wahidin, Rembiga, north-east Mataram (No. 11B per Kompas)
A well-known sate rembiga eatery on Jalan Dr. Wahidin in Rembiga, Mataram, named by Kompas and described by Liputan6 for its plain, sweet grilled satay.
Jalan Pelikan, Pejanggik area, Mataram (Kompas gives No. 6)
A long-standing ayam taliwang restaurant on Jalan Pelikan in Mataram, named by both Kompas and Indonesia's tourism board for the island's signature grilled chicken in chilli paste.
Jalan Raya Senggigi, km 8, Senggigi, West Lombok
An Indian-style curry restaurant on Jalan Raya Senggigi, km 8, with a vegetarian course on the menu and outdoor seating, open Tuesday to Sunday per spinach.guide.
Northern end of Qunci hotel, Jalan Raya Mangsit, north of Senggigi, West Lombok
A local-style restaurant at the northern end of Qunci hotel in Mangsit, serving barbecued fish, squid and chicken with traditional dishes and fresh juices, lunch and dinner daily.
Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto No. 32, Monjok Timur, Selaparang district, Mataram
A sate warung on Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto in Mataram that Wikivoyage describes as popular with locals, serving skewers and other dishes at everyday prices.
