Try Surabaya's best traditional foods! From savory dishes with unique petis sauce to delightful snacks with rich flavors, Surabaya offers a culinary adventure you won't want to miss. Perfect for food lovers, these local delicacies showcase the city's rich heritage and diverse tastes. Dive into the flavors and experience the authentic taste of Surabaya!
Surabaya’s Best Traditional Foods
Lontong Balap
Lontong Balap consists of sliced lontong, bean sprouts, fried grated coconut, cassava, fried tofu, and a special petis sauce. It is served with a clear broth and topped with fried shallots. The name "Lontong Balap" means "racing rice cake," referring to how vendors used to race to attract customers. This dish is a flavorful and filling breakfast option, perfect for starting your day in Surabaya.
Lontong Kupang
Lontong Kupang features small clams called kupang. It is made with sliced lontong and boiled kupang, served in a flavorful broth made from garlic, chili, and spices. This dish is typically enjoyed with a side of clam satay. The combination of the tender clams and the spicy, aromatic broth makes Lontong Kupang a unique and delicious choice.
Rujak Cingur
Rujak Cingur is a unique dish made with slices of cingur (cow’s snout), vegetables, tempeh, tofu, and a special petis sauce. Petis is a thick, black sauce made from boiled fish or shrimp mixed with spices. There are two types of Rujak Cingur: matengan (cooked) and campur buah (mixed with fruit). The matengan version includes lontong (rice cake), bean sprouts, water spinach, fried tofu, fried tempeh, and cingur. The campur buah version adds fruits like pineapple, young mango, bengkuang (jicama), and cucumber. This dish is a savory, tangy delight and a must-try for any visitor.
Tahu Campur
Tahu Campur is a mixed tofu dish that includes fried tofu, lontong, beef slices, lettuce, yellow noodles, and bean sprouts. It also features cassava fritters and shrimp crackers, topped with fried shallots. The mix of textures and flavors, from the crunchy vegetables to the savory beef and tofu, makes this dish a delightful and hearty meal.
Tahu Tek
Tahu Tek is a dish of sliced lontong mixed with fried tofu, potatoes, eggs, and topped with a petis sauce and bean sprouts. The name comes from the "tek, tek, tek" sound made by the vendors' scissors as they cut the tofu and lontong. This dish offers a wonderful blend of soft, crispy, and savory elements, all brought together by the rich petis sauce.
Sate Klopo
Sate Klopo, or coconut satay, is made from chicken or beef and includes innards and fat, all coated with grated coconut before grilling. This dish has a unique flavor due to the coconut, which adds a deliciously rich and slightly sweet taste to the savory grilled meat. Sate Klopo is a beloved street food in Surabaya, offering a tasty twist on traditional satay.