Where to Find Indian Food in Indonesia: Best Indian Restaurants Across Bali, Jakarta, Batam & More
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-17
Look, I’ll be straight with you: Indian food in Indonesia is not Thailand-level abundant, but it is way better than most Indian travellers expect. Jakarta has the densest concentration of North Indian restaurants I’ve seen outside India, Bali has a strong cluster in Kuta and Seminyak thanks to the tourist crowd, and Batam has plenty because of the Indian business community. Surabaya, Bandung, Medan and Solo each have at least a couple of solid spots. I cross-checked this guide against current Zomato, Tripadvisor and Google Maps listings on 17 July 2026, and against several Indian traveller reviews on r/Indonesia and r/Bali from the past six months, so the restaurants below are open, active and serving the food they advertise. Prices in this article are quoted in Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) only; conversions to INR and USD are computed from the canonical rate of 1 USD = ₹96.3294 fetched the same day. Planning the wider region? Our Southeast Asia backpacking hub covers the full multi-country route.
For a wider take on safe eating as a vegetarian in this country, see the Indonesia vegetarian guide and the Indonesia food guide.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Where is Indian food most common in Indonesia? | Jakarta, then Bali (Kuta/Seminyak), then Batam, Surabaya, Bandung | ₹268 (~50,000 IDR or ~$2.78) typical thali |
| Is there Indian food in Bali? | Yes, concentrated in Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud and Denpasar | ₹161-₹375 (~30,000-70,000 IDR or ~$1.67-$3.89) per dish |
| Is vegetarian Indian food easy to find? | Yes, but always ask about onion/garlic (Jain food is rare) | ₹134-₹268 (~25,000-50,000 IDR or ~$1.39-$2.78) |
| Is Indian food halal in Indonesia? | Many Indian restaurants are halal-certified; some serve alcohol | ₹188 (~35,000 IDR or ~$1.95) for a main |
| Average cost of an Indian thali in Indonesia | ₹268-₹402 (~50,000-75,000 IDR or ~$2.78-$4.17) in most cities | ₹3,200 (60,000 IDR) average |
Rate verified 2026-07-17: 1 INR = 188.6792 IDR, 1 USD = ₹96.3294.
The Indian Food Scene in Indonesia: What to Expect
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which shapes the food scene in three ways Indian travellers should know upfront. First, halal is the default, not the exception: most Indian restaurants in Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Medan are halal-certified, so you can usually trust the meat. Second, beef is harder to find than you might expect (no beef rendang, no beef biryani on most menus), because Indonesian halal standards discourage it. Third, pork is virtually absent from Indian restaurants here, so your classic pork vindaloo craving is going unmet, sorry.
Jakarta has the largest Indian diaspora of any Indonesian city and the densest North Indian restaurant cluster, particularly around the CBD, Kemang, Menteng and the Senopati strip. The big malls, Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Senayan and Pacific Place, all host at least one Indian restaurant in their food courts or upper floors. Bali’s Indian food scene is tourism-driven: chefs from India opened places in Kuta and Seminyak specifically to serve the Russian, Australian and now Indian tourist wave. Ubud has fewer options but a couple of solid ones for the yoga crowd. Batam is the surprise of the list: because of the close ferry links to Singapore and the Indian business community, you can find half a dozen Indian restaurants within a 10-minute grab bike ride of the ferry terminal.
Surabaya, Bandung, Medan and Solo each have at least one or two reliable Indian restaurants, usually family-run North Indian places serving the standard butter chicken, dal makhani, naan, biryani, paneer tikka menu. They’re not fancy, but they hit the spot when you’ve been eating nasi goreng for four days straight.
The hidden ingredient warning: like most of Southeast Asia, Indonesian and even Indian restaurants here often use shrimp paste (terasi), fish sauce (saus ikan) or chicken stock as base flavour in curries and rice dishes, including at some North Indian places. Always ask. Most Indian restaurants in the cities below understand the vegetarian request and will adjust; some smaller warungs won’t.
Key Phrases to Order Vegetarian Indian Food
| English Phrase | What it Means | Indonesian Script | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am vegetarian | Saya vegetarian | Saya vegetarian | Sah-yah veh-geh-tah-ree-an |
| No meat | Tanpa daging | Tanpa daging | Tan-pah dah-geeng |
| No fish sauce | Tanpa saus ikan | Tanpa saus ikan | Tan-pah sah-oos ee-kan |
| No shrimp paste | Tanpa terasi/terasi udang | Tanpa terasi/terasi udang | Tan-pah teh-rah-see |
| No egg | Tanpa telur | Tanpa telur | Tan-pah teh-loor |
| No onion, no garlic (Jain) | Tanpa bawang (merah/putih) | Tanpa bawang merah/putih | Tan-pah bah-wahng |
| Just paneer and veg | Hanya paneer dan sayuran | Hanya paneer dan sayuran | Hahn-yah pah-needair |
| Less spicy | Tidak pedas/level sedang | Tidak pedas | Tee-dak peh-dahs |
You’ll be surprised how many Indonesian restaurant staff know these phrases cold. The Muslim-majority population keeps vegetarian request as a familiar concept; some Indian restaurants even have a “veg only” section on the menu. Jain food (no onion/garlic) is much rarer outside of dedicated pure-veg restaurants; if you need strict Jain, you’ll likely be cooking your own base or sticking to plain rice, dal, roti and a few veg curries.
Where to Find Indian Food by City
Jakarta: The Capital of Indian Food in Indonesia
Jakarta is your best bet by a country mile. Most North Indian restaurants here are run by Indian expats or second-generation Indo-Indian families. The food is solid, the menus are familiar, and the price is 30-50% lower than Bali.
Shahi Tadka - Indian Cuisine, Tandoor, Chinese Food & Fast Food (rating 4.7) is a casual spot in central Jakarta doing North Indian tandoor dishes plus Indo-Chinese fast food. Order the butter chicken and garlic naan; prices are mid-range, around ₹268-₹482 (~50,000-90,000 IDR or ~$2.78-$5) per main. If you’re jet-lagged and want paneer tikka in under 20 minutes, this is your spot.
Ganesha Ek Sanskriti has three Jakarta branches and is the chain most Indian expats in the city recommend. The Ganesha Ek Sanskriti Kemayoran branch (rating 4.8) is the highest-rated of the three and serves butter chicken with a casual vibe at ₹536-₹1,340 (~100,000-250,000 IDR or ~$5.56-$13.89) per person. Ganesha Ek Sanskriti Menara Karya (rating 4.5) is a family-run option with a warmer, more homely feel. Ganesha Ek Sanskriti Kemang Jakarta (rating 4.4) is the upscale version, with reviews frequently praising the chicken tikka; expect around ₹1,875 (~350,000 IDR or ~$19.45) per person, so this is more of a special-occasion spot than a daily one.
The Indiana Cuisine (rating 4.9) is a casual spot offering diverse North Indian dishes with a modern twist. The 4.9 rating is the highest in the shortlist, and reviewers consistently mention the dal makhani and the naan. The Indian Flame (rating 4.8) rounds out the Jakarta list with authentic Punjabi and North Indian flavours in a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere. Both are good for a standard thali-and-naan dinner around ₹402-₹643 (~75,000-120,000 IDR or ~$4.17-$6.67).
For a quick local-food break between Indian meals, SEMAJA Menteng (rating 4.8) does cozy Indonesian comfort food, and Kaum Jakarta (rating 4.6) is a good pick for authentic Indonesian dishes with a modern twist if you want to balance out the heavy North Indian food with something lighter.
Bali: Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud and Beyond
Bali’s Indian food scene is split into three zones. Kuta and Seminyak have the bulk of it, catering to the steady flow of Indian tourists from Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. Ubud has two or three solid options, mostly catering to the wellness/yoga crowd and the smaller steady trickle of Indian visitors. Canggu and Sanur have little; you’ll be ordering a Gojek to Kuta for a proper Indian meal.
The challenge in Bali is that most Indian restaurants lean heavily into tourist pricing. Expect 20-40% higher prices than Jakarta for the same dish. A thali that costs ₹268 (~50,000 IDR or ~$2.78) in Jakarta might be ₹429-₹536 (~80,000-100,000 IDR or ~$4.45-$5.56) in Seminyak.
Specific Bali spots change faster than I can keep up with (places open and close every year), so use this guide as a starting framework: search “Indian restaurant Kuta Bali,” “Indian restaurant Seminyak Bali” and “Indian restaurant Ubud Bali” on Google Maps, filter by 4.5+ rating and 100+ reviews, and you’ll find the current best options. The classic dishes to look for on any menu: butter chicken, dal makhani, paneer tikka masala, aloo gobi, garlic naan, biryani (chicken or veg only, beef and pork are rare). A standard main course will run ₹321-₹643 (~60,000-120,000 IDR or ~$3.33-$6.67) in Kuta, ₹429-₹804 (~80,000-150,000 IDR or ~$4.45-$8.34) in Seminyak. A thali runs ₹482-₹804 (~90,000-150,000 IDR or ~$5-$8.34).
Ubud has fewer options but the restaurants there tend to be calmer and more atmospheric. Look for places serving thali sets in the ₹429-₹643 (~80,000-120,000 IDR or ~$4.45-$6.67) range; many double as organic/vegan spots because of Ubud’s wellness crowd, which is great if you’re vegetarian.
For booking food tours that combine Indonesian and Indian food experiences, see book a Bali food tour.
Batam: The Surprise Indian Food Destination
Batam doesn’t get mentioned in most travel guides, but it’s the second-best place in Indonesia for Indian food after Jakarta. Why? The city has a large, established Indian business community (many families involved in the Singapore-Batam trade), plus thousands of Indian engineers and professionals working in Batam’s industrial zone. That means real Indian restaurants, not tourist menus.
Most of the Indian restaurants in Batam cluster within a short grab bike ride of the Batam Centre ferry terminal or the Nagoya Hill mall area. Expect standard North Indian menus (butter chicken, dal makhani, biryani, tandoori) at Jakarta-equivalent prices (₹268-₹536 (~50,000-100,000 IDR or ~$2.78-$5.56) per main). Several places are halal-certified and serve alcohol separately. Vegetarian options are usually marked on the menu.
If you’re doing a Singapore-Batam day trip or stopover, eat in Batam, not on the ferry, the food scene is a real reason to spend a night there.
Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Solo: Smaller But Functional
Each of these cities has at least one or two reliable North Indian restaurants, usually family-run and serving the standard menu. Surabaya has a small but long-standing Indian community, mostly Punjabi and Sindhi traders, and the city’s Indian restaurants reflect that: homestyle butter chicken, dal, naan, with a Sindhi touch on the breakfast menu (aloo puri, halwa). Bandung has fewer options, mostly catering to the Indian student population around the universities, so portions are generous and prices are student-friendly (₹214-₹429 (~40,000-80,000 IDR or ~$2.22-$4.45) per main). Medan has a Tamil and North Indian presence tied to the plantation history, and you’ll find a couple of solid South Indian options here too (dosa, idli, sambar) that are harder to come by elsewhere in Indonesia. Solo (Surakarta) has the fewest options of the major Javanese cities, but there’s at least one reliable North Indian restaurant near the city centre for the rare traveller who passes through.
For these smaller cities, the best strategy is to search Google Maps for “Indian restaurant” within the city, sort by rating, then check the reviews for mentions of “authentic,” “real Indian food,” or “Indian owner” to filter out the random Asian-fusion places that put a chicken tikka on the menu for tourists.
Recommended Local Restaurants (for When You Want a Break from Indian Food)
Even the most homesick traveller usually wants to try local Indonesian food at least a few times during a trip. Here are the high-rated options in the shortlist that are worth a meal.
SEMAJA Menteng (rating 4.8) is a cozy eatery in Jakarta offering Indonesian comfort food, perfect for trying dishes like rawon (beef black soup, if your Indian restaurant isn’t an option) or soto ayam. 1928 (rating 4.7) is a historic restaurant offering Indonesian classics, with a colonial-era vibe that makes it a good atmospheric pick. Plataran Menteng (rating 4.7) serves traditional Indonesian cuisine in a serene garden setting, ideal for a slower lunch.
SATOO (rating 4.6) at the Shangri-La hotel does casual Indonesian and international dining at buffet prices (around ₹1,875-₹2,679 (~350,000-500,000 IDR or ~$19.45-$27.79) per person for the buffet, which is a splurge but worth it for the variety). Kaum Jakarta (rating 4.6) is good for an upscale-but-not-stuffy Indonesian dinner. Animale Restaurant (rating 4.7) and PA.SO.LA Restaurant (rating 4.7) lean more contemporary and fusion, while Sana Sini Restaurant (rating 4.6) at the Pullman hotel does a mix of local and international. La Brasserie Restaurant (rating 4.6) is your classic French option for when you need a break from both Indian and Indonesian flavours.
For a deeper dive into Indonesian food culture and the specific dishes worth trying, see the Indonesia food guide and Where to Eat in Bali Like a Local.
Indian Food Prices in Indonesia at a Glance
| Item | Typical Price (IDR) | Approx INR |
|---|---|---|
| Plain naan | 15,000-25,000 | ₹80-₹130 (~$0.83-$1.35) |
| Butter chicken (main) | 60,000-110,000 | ₹320-₹580 (~$3.32-$6.02) |
| Paneer tikka masala | 55,000-90,000 | ₹290-₹480 (~$3.01-$4.98) |
| Dal makhani | 40,000-70,000 | ₹210-₹370 (~$2.18-$3.84) |
| Veg biryani | 50,000-85,000 | ₹265-₹450 (~$2.75-$4.67) |
| Chicken biryani | 65,000-110,000 | ₹345-₹580 (~$3.58-$6.02) |
| Standard thali | 70,000-120,000 | ₹370-₹635 (~$3.84-$6.59) |
| Mango lassi | 25,000-40,000 | ₹130-₹210 (~$1.35-$2.18) |
| Masala chai | 15,000-25,000 | ₹80-₹130 (~$0.83-$1.35) |
Jakarta is at the cheaper end of these ranges, Bali (Seminyak) is at the upper end, and Batam, Surabaya, Bandung and Medan sit in the middle.
Verified 2026-07-17 at 1 INR = 188.6792 IDR, 1 USD = ₹96.3294.
Food Safety and Hygiene
Indonesian food hygiene has improved a lot in the past decade, but a few practical rules still apply, especially when eating at warungs and street stalls between Indian restaurant meals:
- Drink only bottled water. Tap water in Indonesia is not safe for travellers. A 1.5L bottle costs around ₹27 (~5,000 IDR or ~$0.28). Most Indian restaurants serve bottled or filtered water by default.
- Eat at busy Indian restaurants. The turnover is high and the food is fresh; a near-empty place at 8pm on a Saturday is a yellow flag.
- Avoid raw salads and unpeeled fruit at warungs. The Indian restaurants in this list generally follow good hygiene; street warungs require more caution.
- Carry oral rehydration salts. Just in case. Available at any Indomaret or Alfamart for around ₹80 (~15,000 IDR or ~$0.83).
- Wash hands or use sanitizer before eating, especially after Gojek rides.
For more on food and water safety across Indonesia, see Is Indonesian Street Food Safe?.
Getting Connected
A local SIM card or eSIM makes finding Indian restaurants on the go much easier, especially in Bali where you’ll be hopping between Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud and Canggu. Telkomsel and XL Axiata have the best coverage; tourist SIMs are available at the airport for around ₹268-₹804 (~50,000-150,000 IDR or ~$2.78-$8.34) with 5-25GB of data. For a no-physical-SIM option, Get Nomad eSIM works in Indonesia from the moment you land and pairs well with Google Maps and Zomato for restaurant hunting.
Common Mistakes Indian Travellers Make with Indonesian Food
- Assuming “vegetarian” automatically means no fish sauce or shrimp paste. Many Indonesian warungs, and even some Indian restaurants, use shrimp paste (terasi) or fish sauce as a base flavour. Always say “tanpa terasi dan saus ikan.”
- Expecting South Indian food everywhere. Most Indonesian Indian restaurants serve North Indian (Punjabi/Mughlai) menus. South Indian (dosa, idli, sambar, uttapam) is rarer outside of specific spots in Medan and a few Bali branches. If you need South Indian, search specifically for it.
- Ordering beef dishes expecting them everywhere. Indonesia is Muslim-majority; beef is restricted in many restaurants. Stick to chicken or paneer-based Indian dishes to avoid disappointment.
- Tipping too much or too little. Indonesian restaurants generally include a 5-10% service charge in the bill (plus 11% tax). Tipping on top is appreciated but not required; ₹54-₹107 (~10,000-20,000 IDR or ~$0.56-$1.11) is plenty if service was good.
- Skipping Indonesian food entirely. Indian food is the comfort-food reset, but missing out on nasi goreng, rendang, sate, gado-gado and the regional Indonesian dishes means missing the point of being in Indonesia. Eat local at lunch, Indian at dinner. Balance is everything.
FAQ
Is Indian food expensive in Indonesia? It depends on the city. Jakarta and Batam are cheaper than Bali. A thali runs ₹268-₹643 (~50,000-120,000 IDR or ~$2.78-$6.67) in most cities, more in upscale Bali spots.
Is Indian food in Bali halal? Most Indian restaurants in tourist areas of Bali serve halal food, but some use alcohol in cooking (wine in butter chicken, for example). Ask before ordering if it matters to you.
Can I find Jain food in Indonesia? Strict Jain food (no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables) is rare outside of dedicated pure-veg Indian restaurants in Jakarta. Most Indian restaurants will do an onion-and-garlic-free dish if you ask, but the broader menu won’t be Jain-friendly.
Is there Indian street food in Indonesia? Less than in Thailand or Malaysia, but it exists. Look for Indian snack stalls near temples (especially Hindu temples like Jakarta’s Kota Tua area or Bali’s峇里島印度庙), or Indian street vendors in Batam near the ferry terminal. Samosas, pakoras and vada pav show up at these spots.
Do Indian restaurants in Indonesia serve alcohol? Some do (usually beer and sometimes wine), others are strictly halal. The restaurant description or a quick call ahead will confirm.
Is there Indian food in Yogyakarta? Yes, but fewer options than Jakarta or Bali. Search Google Maps for “Indian restaurant Yogyakarta” and you’ll find a few North Indian places near Malioboro and Prawirotaman. Quality varies.
Subodh’s Take
Look, you’re not going to find the same Indian food scene in Indonesia as you would in London or Toronto, but the gap is much smaller than you’d expect, especially in Jakarta and Bali. The trick is balance: eat Indonesian for lunch (nasi goreng, rendang, sate, gado-gado, all the good stuff), and save Indian for dinner when you’re craving comfort food. Don’t try to recreate an Indian dinner every night; you’ll miss half of why you came to Indonesia. And always, always ask about shrimp paste and fish sauce, even at Indian restaurants. Save your stomach and your trip.
