Maluku Restaurants and Dining

(Maluku / Moluccan Islands, Indonesia)

Eating out in Indonesia can be a real high point of a holiday, and the Maluku Islands are home to plenty of traditional Indonesian 'warungs' (outdoor restaurants) to choose between. Local dining specialities at Maluku include lots of fresh tuna and other seafood, which is generally served with raw vegetables, dressed in a chilli and fish sauce (dabu dabu).

Also regularly appearing on restaurant menus across Maluku is 'kohu kohu' (a salad, with fish, chilli and citrus), as well as a porridge made with Sago palm pith, and 'mutiara' (jelly beans). Al fresco dining is fairly commonplace around the beach resorts, where the views are an important part of the whole experience.

Where to Eat

Holiday makers staying on the island of Pulau Ambon will find that cheap restaurants and warungs are clustered around the Batu Merah Market, and along both the Jalan Ahmad Yani and the Jalan Sultan Babullah. On Pulau Bacan, dining opportunities are considerably more limited, with simple rice and fish dishes being offered at just a handful of 'rumah makans' (local restaurants).

On the Kei Islands of Maluku, Langgur offers the best selection of restaurants, although these are a little lack-lustre and not especially inspiring. Chinese food is popular in Langgur, with most dining venues here lining the Jalan Jenderal Sudirman and being based around Tual's Pasar Masrun.

Cheap eats and warungs are in abundance in Kota Ternate, on Maluku's island of Pulau Ternate, being grouped around the busy markets and along the Jalan Pahlawan Revolusi promenade. Gastronomes in Kota Ternate tend to head next door, to the restaurants of Ngade and Terau.

Those holidaying on the Banda Islands of Maluku will be able to enjoy dining at the many homestays, where dinner is generally cooked by prior arrangement. Banda specialities include aubergines stuffed with almond paste (kenari), fish with nutmeg and fruit sauce, and anggur fruit, which is rather like a cross between grapes and olives.