9 best Indonesian restaurants in Hong Kong

Getting a nod from the Michelin Guide is no easy feat, but Lucky Indonesia does it without missing a beat. A neighbourhood stalwart with some of the kindest service, it has been awarded the Bib Gourmand for many years. Its mee goreng and nasi kuning, seasoned with turmeric, ginger, and coconut milk, caught the inspectors’ attention, but don’t gloss over the rest of the menu—it’s replete with simple, well-prepared Central Javanese fare.

For unadulterated coastal bliss, try the pepes ikan, fish marinated in aromatic spices and herbs, and cooked in banana leaves. The classical dessert-drink es cendol—coconut milk mixed with palm sugar syrup and green rice flour jelly—is top-notch, too.

Lucky Indonesia, 46 Tung Ming Street, Kwun Tong

More often than not, you can find uncannily delicious food waiting at the end of a couple of dimly lit staircases inside a tumbledown building. And this is certainly true for Warung Malang Club. Popular among the office crowds for its halal, affordable, and reliably tastebud-searing meals—they don’t temper the spice level for anyone. Head there for the steamed rice with four side dishes, nasi campur, for a quick, hearty meal, or opt for the ketoprak, a vermicelli salad with a peanut garlic sauce, for a cool alternative, but can be no less spicy. Ignore the “members-only” sign because Warung Malang is open to all.

Warung Malang Club, 2/F, Dragon Rise Building, 9 Pennington Street, Causeway Bay

Rounding the corner into Causeway Bay’s Sugar Street, the first thing you’re likely to spot is Kampoeng’s glass display brimming with sundry fried treats and vibrant-hued lapis from, a Dutch-influenced layer cake. Head downstairs for the restaurant, where dishes like the bebek penyet, a fried duck with raw chilli sambal, and nasi campur shine. Choose from a wide variety of shaved ice concoctions for dessert.

Kampoeng, B/F, Causeway Bay Commercial Building, 1–5 Sugar Street, Causeway Bay

Located right next door to Kampoeng opposite an Indonesian grocery store, Pandan Leaf offers up a vast menu of explicitly pandan-forward foods. Here, the focus is on interpreting the Indonesian-Chinese blended cuisine of Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. Familiar items like beef rendang and nasi ayam are served with green-tinted pandan rice, while the fish maw soup—modelled after the herbal soups of the region—comes with a meat of your choice. For an elaborate dessert, pick the es Shanghai, a shaved ice cooler garnished with syrups and jellies in bright technicolour.

Pandan Leaf, Shop B2, Causeway Bay Commercial Building, 1–5 Sugar Street, Causeway Bay

While there’s no shortage of stalls in Hong Kong to cater to your street food whims and fancies, satay is generally harder to come by. However, if it’s authentic satay you’re craving, look no further than Indonesian Sate House in Shau Kei Wan, which has been doling out skewers for years. Bathed in a spicy-sweet peanut sauce, there’s a variety of meats and seafood on offer: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, shrimp, squid, eel, and more. Don’t panic if you can’t read the bilingual Chinese and Bahasa Indonesia menu—the server speaks English, and most dishes are delicious.

Indonesian Sate House, G/F, 76D Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan

Amin serves up a concise menu of halal Indonesian Chinese food. Apart from nasi rendang, the most popular item here is bakmi singkawang—in essence, a bowl of noodles with toppings. It tells a story of migration uniquely compelling for Hong Kong diners: The bakmi (wheat-based “meat noodles”) is of Fujianese provenance, said to have been brought to the Indonesian archipelago by Hokkien immigrants. Consequently, the trimmings may feel familiar: char siu, fish balls, dumplings, and krupuk (deep-fried crackers).

Amin Indonesian Restaurant, G/F, 260 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Cheung Sha Wan

Feeling peckish after a day out in Sai Kung? Head to Bakso for the bakso Indonesian beef ball noodles, doused in black pepper and topped with a generous dollop of Indonesian sambal, much to the delight of spice lovers. If you’re looking for smaller bites for the post-swim munchies, have the grilled beef balls—bakso bakar—or krupuk. Share a slice of Indonesian layer cake before you leave, with your belly full and spirits high.

Bakso, 9 Wan King Path, Sai Kung

Although Causeway Bay is widely considered the foremost Indonesian hub on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon has its own Little Indonesia. Fuk Wa Street in Sham Shui Po is home to a cluster of Indonesian businesses bursting with activity come Sunday.

Less than a minute away from MTR Exit B between 115 and 117 Fuk Wa Street, opposite two Indonesian grocery stores and a counter for remittance services, you’ll see a nook between shop numbers 107 and 115. Step in and behold the mini complex of Indonesian stores. Kopi sachets, karipap, assorted fritters, and modestly priced yet generously portioned meals—you can find it all here. Walk around, be curious, and take your pick.

Fuk Wa Street, Sham Shui Po