Jakarta Eats: Warteg Edition

Jakarta Eats: Warteg Edition

Cheap, fast, and full of options — those three things are exactly why I’d choose a warteg as my go-to place to eat, especially when I’m hungry at the end of the month. A warteg is where you go when you’re missing your mom’s cooking but too tired (or lazy) to cook. Vegetables soup (sayur sop), spinach stew (sayur bayam), omelets (telur dadar), fried chicken (ayam goreng), spicy anchovies and peanuts (teri kacang balado), crispy potatoes fries (kentang mustofa) — and so much more. There are plenty of other dishes I haven’t even mentioned here, because really, you have to experience it yourself. The moment you step inside a warteg, you’ll find yourself asking, “What should I get today?”

The Warteg Indah Jaya 2 I visited is located in the Bendungan Hilir area of South Jakarta, at Jl. Bendungan Hilir №58g 7, RT.7/RW.1, Bendungan Hilir, Tanah Abang District, Central Jakarta (right across from Family Mart). This particular warteg is quite popular in the area, probably thanks to its wide variety of dishes, 24-hour service, and affordable prices that suit both male and female office workers.

Ordering here is simple. You just tell them which dishes or vegetables you want — or just point at the display case — and the mbak-mbak (the ladies running the place) will immediately understand. I ordered one portion of rice, though at warteg, you can also ask for half a portion if you’re watching your carb intake. This time, I went with rice, spinach stew, an omelet, stir-fried chicken intestines (oseng usus), and a spoonful of sambal to complete the meal.

It didn’t take long before the plate was served in front of me. I dove right in — my stomach growling under the scorching Jakarta sun. Since it was lunchtime, it’s no surprise the place was bustling with customers coming and going. Whether dining in or taking food to go, the mbak-mbak handled it all quickly and efficiently.

In under five minutes, the combination of the savory telur dadar, sweet sayur bayam, and the spicy-salty oseng usus had completely satisfied my hunger. The flavors weren’t extravagant, but that’s exactly the charm of warteg food — it’s dependable when you need something tasty, filling, and fast, without the wait or hassle.

For this full plate, I only paid 16,000 rupiah — definitely affordable, in my opinion. Warteg Indah Jaya 2 is a must-visit if you’re around Bendungan Hilir: plenty of food choices, easy to find, with a clean and spacious dining area, and best of all — it’s open 24 hours. You can drop by anytime, but if I may suggest, come around lunchtime when all the menu options are still freshly laid out in the display case.

And don’t forget — come visit Indonesia!