Sulawesi Restaurants and Dining

(Sulawesi, Sunda Islands, Indonesia)

The menus at restaurants throughout Sulawesi certainly do contain some tasty dishes, as well as some rather unexpected surprises is certain areas. When dining out in South Sulawesi, you will find that local eateries tend to specialise in seafood of all descriptions, with grilled fish (ikan bakar) being a firm favourite.

Also popular at restaurants in South Sulawesi is 'Coto Makassar', which is a rich beef stew, made with beef offal, cumin and lemon grass. Head northwards and you will discover eateries serving 'rica rica' (chilli paste with lime and ginger), which usually accompanies fish or chicken. Slightly more unusual delicacies include 'bubur tinotuan' (porridge with fish paste), 'kawaok' (fried rat), 'keluang' (fruit bat) and even 'biang' (dog).

Where to Eat

Since Sulawesi is a fairly large island, the best dining opportunities are spread around the main resorts, cities and provincial capital. Most good hotels come with their own restaurants, while other eateries may choose to only open during the evening, staying open until late.

South Sulawesi

• Makassar - the local cuisine of Makassar makes full use of the plentiful supply of seafood. Chinese restaurants rather dominate the dining in Makassar's Chinese Quarter, serving many oriental classics at venues along the Jalan Timor. The main dining strip now resides on the Jalan Metro Tanung Bunga, while literally hundreds of traditional 'warungs' (outdoor eateries) serve both Indonesian and Chinese fare all night long
• Pantai Bira - for dining with spectacular sea views, the Bira View Inn and the Bird Beach Hotel really are the only establishments worth considering
• Pare Pare - with several small eateries lining the Jalan Baso Daeng Patompo, close to the Hotel Siswa, as well as an abundance of night-time warungs on the esplanade, serving rice and noodles
• Watampone - home to a high concentration of 'rumah makan' (eating houses), which are based around the market and on the Jalan Ponggawae, serving Padang cuisine

Tana Toraja Island - Sulawesi

• Rantepao - famed for its Torajan food, which is available not only at local restaurants, but regularly makes an appearance at local festivals and ceremonies. Look out for the 'pa'piong', which is chicken or beef, stuffed into small bamboo tubes, together with some chopped vegetables and coconut. The oldest dining venues in Rantepao stand on the Jalan Sam Ratulangi, close to the Hotel Indra Toraja

Mamasa Valley - Sulawesi

• Mamasa - there really aren't any actual restaurants to speak of in Mamasa. Instead, most visitors simply end up eating in their guest house, or stocking up at the local shops. Fresh Indonesian produce is available at the Mamasa market

South-East Sulawesi

• Bau Bau - eateries in Bau Bau tend to base themselves next to the esplanade, being just a short distance to the west of the actual port
• Kendari - as soon as the evening arrives, the night warungs around the esplanade begin to attract prospective diners and this becomes a very lively place to hang out, offering the chance to enjoy some inexpensive Indonesian fare, accompanied with stunning bayfront views

Central Sulawesi

• Palu - night warungs are available along the seafront Jalan Raja Moili, although this setting can be a little breezy at times
• Tentena - famed for its eel (sugili), which is generally available at restaurants throughout Tentena. Also popular are the deep-fried banana pastries (pisang molen), which are to be found at the stalls fronting the bridge

North Sulawesi

• Gorontalo - with some superb bakeries on the Jalan Hasanuddin, as well as various dining establishments and cafes, serving local delicacies such as 'gado gado' (vegetable salad with peanut sauce) and 'milu siram' (corn soup with fish, lime juice, coconut milk and chillis)
• Manado - featuring sumptuous Minahasan cuisine, with popular food stalls opening up each night on the Jalan Piere Tendean. Food courts are also available at Manado's shopping centres, including both the Bahu Mall and the Mega Mall
• Tomohon - known for its cliff-top restaurants, boasting endless views across Manado. Seafood and traditional Indonesian dishes are a mainstay in Tomohon