Jakarta is rarely a city travelers are enthusiastic about visiting.

And that’s exactly why I wanted to spend 3 full weeks in Jakarta, exploring the city, eating incredibly delicious Indonesian food, and just experiencing “the Big Durian.”

That’s not to say Jakarta is hassle free, it has its share of problems and crazy traffic, but if you’re up for it, Jakarta will reward you with some unforgettable meals and smiles. Let’s get started…

Restaurants and Street Food

Indonesia is a country that’s made up of over 17,000 islands. Not all of them are inhabited, but there are still many that are, and so the diversity of people, culture, and different foods is astounding. One of the best things about eating in Jakarta is that, being the largest and most influential capital city of Indonesia, people come from all different islands, and so you’ll be able to discover food from all over Indonesia somewhere in Jakarta.

Sometimes when I was eating at street food stalls and restaurants in the city, I hardly even knew what island or culture cuisine I was eating, until finishing my meal and doing some research – and that’s a wonderful thing, because there’s so many different styles of Indonesian food.