Where to find spicy food in Jakarta: 13 Restaurants where you can set your mouth on fire!

Written by Nadia Crowe
Edited by Beverley Lennon

As a child I used to watch as my Indonesian stepmum packed for our holidays abroad. When it came to packing for western countries there was one essential item to bring: CHILLI SAUCE! Without fail there would be chilli packets in our suitcases, her handbag, and sometimes even my little brother’s backpack!

Fast forward to a conversation I had with our Indonesian colleague about this article and I quote: “Usually we do this for pleasure.” So needless to say, no one takes their spice more seriously than Indonesians, and that’s why its capital, Jakarta is filled with some of the spiciest dishes you’ll ever encounter!

From indomie that will make you cry to martabaks that are just filled to the brim with sambal (chilli paste made with a variety of different ingredients), these dishes will up your #spicychallenge game!

Who’s ready to sweat and cry? Time to challenge your friends now!!

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1. Meatballs and chilli are as good a pair as any – Bakso Mas Kumis

Good old Bakso, another Indonesian specialty. For those who don’t know what Bakso is, essentially it’s meatball that’s usually served in some sort of fragrant soup. At Bakso Mas Kumis, their thing is the extremely spicy sambal that goes along the side for you to dunk in the soup and turn it into a hot bowl of broth to cry into.

2. An ominous bright red soup that challenges you to keep your cool – Seblak Jeletet Murni

Seblak hails from Bandung, it’s a mixture of crunchy krupuk (crackers) and other sources of protein all brought together as one with a bright red spicy sauce that scares you from the moment you set eyes on it. You can even choose toppings to add into it to further enhance your experience! Be prepared to wait in line, it’s super popular!

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3. 100 pieces of chilli for an experience of a lifetime – Warmindo Abang Adek

Indomie is famous for being the go-to student meal, hangover meal, drunk meal, you name it! Indomie is pretty much perfect for any occasion, and spicy lovers will go crazy over the type offered at Warmindo Abang Adek. At its maximum spice level, there are up to 100 chillies added to it that’s so potent that one person even claimed to have temporarily lost his hearing! We suggest going for maybe 50% spiciness to start with but these are the levels you can choose from:

Level 1: Sedang – 10 chilis
Level 2: Pedas – 25 chilis
Level 3: Garuk – 50 chilis
Level 4: Gila – 75 chilis
Level 5: Mampus – 100 chilis

4. This place sells giant meatballs with chilli filling! – Bakso Rusuk Joss

As we’ve previously determined, Bakso is one of the best Indonesian specialties that’s ever been created.

Bakso Rusuk Joss has gone two steps further to make it even better. Step one: make it gigantic, step two: stuff it full of hot chilli! Bakso Lava is exactly what they’ve come up with and it’s akin to a chocolate lava cake, just savoury, and really spicy! Cut into it, and you’ll immediately find a bunch of chilli just exploding from the centre for you to enjoy.

5. Choose your spice level at this fast food outlet! – Richeese Factory

Chicken wings are a beloved staple in any country, and Richeese Factory is the pioneer of them in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta! Paired with creamy cheese (as is their signature) the hotness of these wings is complemented perfectly!

You even get to choose your spice level. Are you a beginner or would you challenge yourself with the ultimate spice level?

While definitely not for the faint of heart, the mild taste of the cheese makes for a slightly more pleasant spicy experience.

6. Sambal like you’ve never had it before (more than 20 different kinds)! – Waroeng SS

28 different types of sambal are ready for you to dig into at Waroeng SS. Paired with other delicious Javanese dishes such as crispy tempe and fried meats/fish, you’ll be able to partake in the increasingly famous spicy challenge while enjoying a trip around different parts of Indonesia! That’s right, their sambal has different origins and you’ll love the discovery!

7. Street food that’s endorsed by the devil: Sambal Setan Bu Mut

A direct translation of “Setan” is “devil”, which means that this sambal is so spicy that it may very well be from the pits of hell!

Located in a streetside warung (stall) and run by a boss lady known affectionately by the name of Bu Mut, this cozy stall is where you’ll find one of the spiciest sambals in Jakarta, don’t judge a book by it’s cover and take a seat to experience the ride of your life! Specialising in fried catfish, chicken, tempe, and other Indonesian delicacies, don’t be surprised when you find them to be way different from what you have previously tasted, it’s all thanks to the sambal!

8. Chicken, spice, and everything nice – Ayam Gepuk Pak Gembus

Fried chicken makes almost every meal better. The crispy goodness alongside the soft meat is definitely a timeless classic in most countries. Jakarta takes it one step further by combining it with a spicy blend of crushed chillies, onions, garlic, and more! At an affordable price, lunch time just got a whole lot more risky for the taste buds!

9. This is where you can do your own YouTube spicy noodle challenge! – Warung Gelo

At first glance you may not think so much about this warung, but if you’re after the famous spicy Korean Samyang noodles (seen all over YouTube lately), then Warung Gelo is exactly where you need to be!

At its spiciest, they use 150 pieces of individual chilli in their dish, so definitely be careful what you decide to order. Whatever level you choose, you’ll be in for a real kicker!

10. From Sulawesi to Jakarta, spicy is the common language – Beautika Manado

Manado food reigns from Sulawesi, and is actually considered one of the more spicy variants of Indonesian food if you can believe it! Beautika Manado has been around since the early 70’s, and it’s had a cult following ever since. Try out their Ayam Richa (chicken with spicy sauce) or slurp on their Kuah Asam Salmon (a sour salmon soup) which both come highly recommended by regular customers. Take your tastebuds on a trip to this region and find yourself booking a trip there to taste even more!

11. A unique take on the delicious stuffed pancake that Indonesians rave about: Martabakku Menteng

While personally I’m more of a chocolate martabak fan, there are definitely fans of the savoury kind, and in particular this special addition to Martabakku Menteng’s menu: sambal stuffed martabak!

There are so many different sambals in Indonesia, and Martabakku Menteng chooses a few famous ones (such as Sambal Balado and Sambal Matah Bali)  and incorporates them into their dishes beautifully. Each bite of their dishes will have you screaming in pain and pleasure as the hot chilli mixes with the chewy pancake texture. A truly unique combination!

12. The spiciest chicken feet you’ll find! – Ceker Ranjau

Urban legend states that the owners of Ceker Ranjau use black magic to bewitch the food here and make it taste so good that you can’t help but come back for more.

Whether you believe in that kind of thing or not, one thing’s for sure, chicken feet lovers will absolutely revel in how flavourful these ones are!

13. Western Indonesian fusion for one of the most beloved childhood dishes: Makaroni Ngehe

Let’s not play the fool, Macaroni and Cheese is by far the most superior food, and like Indonesia does to most dishes, it adds sambal, which often creates a whole new taste profile for it!

Definitely not child friendly, this ultra spicy macaroni will fire up your tastebuds and give you a whole new appreciation for the dish, as well as get you cry like a kid!

Special Mention 1

Cup noodles like you’ve never had before – PopMie Pedas

We all love cup noodles, they’re easy to make and super convenient. PopMie Pedas gives you the same satisfying feeling of the Indomie that you nearly died tasting at Warmindo Abang Adek without the embarrassment of having to deal with it in public! Sweat (and cry) in the privacy of your own home!

Special Mention 2

Take home this souvenir to spice up your life at home – Boncabe

This little container of spicy goodness is the perfect thing to take home! Made from a combination of dried chilli, garlic, onions, and other spices, a mere pinch of this stuff will make your mouth explode. Whenever you’re missing the intense spicy feeling of one of the restaurants listed above, all you need to do is whip out this bad boy and sprinkle it over one of your homemade creations. Voila! You’ll have yourself your very own spicy challenge at home!

So whether you’re an avid spicy lover and you’re looking to challenge how hot you can go, tag some friends who love a good sweat session and hit up one of these places!

PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us

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