Outlets and Street Food in Bandung

Part of the Bandung travel guide — see every topic in All Bandung Guides.

For many people from Jakarta, a weekend in Bandung means two things: shopping and eating. The city is famous for its factory outlets, which sell clothes, shoes and bags at low prices. It is also the home of Sundanese food, the cooking of West Java, which is fresh, light and full of vegetables, with many snacks you will not find elsewhere. Plan to shop in the morning and eat your way around town in the afternoon and evening.

Factory outlets

Factory outlets, often shortened to FO, began in Bandung as shops selling export clothing and extra stock from local factories. Today many are large stores in old villas, selling jeans, jackets, sportswear and bags from local and international brands. The main streets are Jalan Riau, also called Jalan R.E. Martadinata, and Jalan Dago. Jalan Cihampelas is known for jeans shops. Quality and prices vary a lot, so check items carefully. Weekends are very crowded, so go on a weekday morning if you can.

Batagor and siomay

Batagor is Bandung's best-known snack. The name means fried tofu and fish dumplings. Pieces of tofu and fish paste are deep fried until crisp, then covered with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce, soy sauce and lime. Siomay is the steamed version, served with potato, cabbage, egg and bitter gourd under the same peanut sauce. You find both everywhere, from street carts to famous restaurants. Ask for less chilli if you do not like spicy food. A plate is cheap and filling, and it is a good snack between shops or after a walk.

Surabi and other snacks

Surabi are small round rice-flour pancakes cooked in clay pots over charcoal. The classic topping is oncom, a fermented soybean cake, or a sweet coconut and palm sugar sauce. Modern stalls add cheese, chocolate, banana or egg. They are best hot, early in the morning or late in the evening. Other snacks to try include cireng, chewy fried tapioca with chilli sauce, and seblak, a spicy dish of crackers and noodles. Colenak, roasted fermented cassava with sweet coconut sauce, is a local dessert.

Sundanese meals

A Sundanese meal is simple and fresh. Rice is served with fried chicken or fish, tofu and tempeh, raw vegetables called lalapan and a hot chilli paste called sambal. Many restaurants let you sit on mats by a fish pond or in garden huts. You pick food from a counter and pay for what you take. Try nasi timbel, rice wrapped in banana leaf, and karedok, a raw vegetable salad with peanut sauce. Eat with your right hand like local people, or ask for a spoon and fork.

Outlets and Street Food at a glance

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