7 Indonesian Restaurants in the Spotlight in 2026, from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo

01

Seven Cities, Seven Reasons to Stop

Looking for an Indonesian restaurant receiving fresh attention can take you well beyond one city. For October 2026, CCC Journal has selected seven places in Jakarta, Ubud, the Bandung area, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Pontianak and Labuan Bajo. All received recognition in Best Eats by FoodieS 2026, with different dining concepts worth considering for your next trip.

The selection covers special-occasion fine dining, modern Asian cooking and casual places rooted in local food. Awards provide a starting point; your choice still depends on taste, budget and available time. This is not a ranking of social-media popularity. Treat the numbers as a reading guide, then save the restaurants that fit your destination and the kind of meal you want.

• Read the Best Eats 2026 context ↗

02

1. Kindling — Jakarta

At Jalan Cikini Raya No. 20, Kindling combines Indonesian-Chinese roots with French techniques. The BIKO Group restaurant occupies a heritage house preserved during its conversion. Its Restaurant of the Year recognition at Best Eats 2026 makes it a name to consider when planning a fine dining experience in Jakarta.

Give this dinner its own place in your schedule. Make the meal your main activity, with room around it instead of several tightly packed appointments. It is an editorial pick for diners interested in connecting ingredients and cooking techniques with an evening out, or marking an occasion with someone close.

• Dining style: fine dining with Indonesian-Chinese and French influences.
• CCC visit idea: a celebration dinner or time together.
• Before visiting: check the current menu, table availability and booking terms through BIKO.

• Kindling profile and reservations ↗

03

2. Locavore NXT — Ubud, Bali

In Lodtunduh, Ubud, Locavore NXT centres its restaurant concept on local ingredients and nature. Alongside its inclusion in Best Eats 2026's Fine Dining selection, its website announced a Culinary Basecamp programme in September 2026. Dining takes the form of a tasting menu: a sequence of courses enjoyed as one experience rather than an à la carte order.

If food is a main reason for your Ubud trip, settle this meal's timing before fitting in other activities. Allow time to travel from your hotel. The operator's reservation guide asks guests to communicate dietary requirements when booking, giving the kitchen a chance to consider them in advance.

• Dining style: a tasting menu focused on local ingredients.
• CCC visit idea: one main culinary experience during a Bali holiday.
• Before visiting: book early and review prices, tax, service charges and cancellation terms.

• Explore Locavore NXT ↗
• Official reservation guide ↗

04

3. Jung Chan Dining — Bandung Area

Jung Chan Dining brings a Korean fermentation approach to Ciburial, Cimenyan, in Bandung Regency. Its official website places fermentation at the centre of the kitchen's identity. Inclusion in Best Eats 2026's Fine Dining selection offers another reason to consider it when making dinner a main part of a Bandung trip.

Choose it if you are curious about how ingredients change through process and time. Avoid inferring an entire menu from one photograph or an old post. When contacting the restaurant, ask about the menu format for your date, the expected dining duration and how particular dietary requirements can be handled.

• Dining style: fine dining focused on Korean fermentation.
• CCC visit idea: a planned dinner for curious diners.
• Before visiting: confirm service dates and access to Jalan Bukit Pakar Timur No. 76E.

• Jung Chan Dining information ↗
• The 2026 Fine Dining selection ↗

05

4. Arpo — Surabaya

Chef Arnold Poernomo's modern Asian restaurant Arpo in Surabaya appears in Best Eats 2026's Upmarket Venues selection. FoodieS highlights chili crab noodles, duck confit and pandan churro as examples of its menu direction. They suggest a concept that brings familiar food into contemporary presentations with a range of Asian influences.

For a dinner with friends, start with the table's preferences. Decide whether to share several dishes or order individually, then ask staff about portions. Food photographs can spark interest, but a balanced order is more useful than choosing every item that looks appealing on a screen.

• Dining style: modern Asian dining.
• CCC visit idea: dinner with friends or a small celebration.
• Before visiting: use Arpo's channels to check location, reservations and the available menu.

• Arpo booking and location channels ↗
• The 2026 Upmarket Venues selection ↗

06

5. Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk — Yogyakarta

Fresh attention also reaches longstanding places. Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk appears in Best Eats 2026's Casual Dining selection. FoodieS describes its gudeg as spicier and less sweet, served with sambal krecek. The regional tourism authority's profile records a history dating to 1984 and a Jalan Affandi location in Sleman, Yogyakarta.

Consider it when you want local food to have a proper place in your Jogja visit. Choose accompaniments to suit your preferences and ask about heat before ordering. With its history of serving at night, plan transport home and confirm current hours; an old article's timetable is not enough to set your departure time.

• Dining style: Yogyakarta gudeg and accompaniments in a casual setting.
• CCC visit idea: local food exploration with time set aside.
• Before visiting: confirm the location and that day's service hours, allowing for possible queues.

• Regional tourism authority profile ↗
• The 2026 Casual Dining selection ↗

07

6. Bubur Ikan Ahian — Pontianak

Pontianak enters the shortlist through Bubur Ikan Ahian, included in Best Eats 2026's Casual Dining selection. FoodieS describes seasonal fish in a light broth poured over rice. It offers a different direction for readers who want to get to know a city through local food and a straightforward meal.

Ask which fish is available before ordering. If visiting with friends, make sure everyone is comfortable with the chosen ingredients and communicate allergies or dietary restrictions to the seller. Give the meal enough room in your schedule instead of treating food exploration as a race between stops.

• Dining style: fish in broth with rice, served casually.
• CCC visit idea: discovering Pontianak's local food while in the city.
• Before visiting: check the current location, hours, fish selection and portion availability.

• Read FoodieS' Bubur Ikan Ahian spotlight ↗

08

7. Umasa — Labuan Bajo

Umasa at TA’AKTANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo, presents Indonesian cooking family-style, with dishes shared around the table. It is located at Pantai Wae Rana. Recognition in Best Eats 2026's Upmarket Venues selection adds a culinary reason to make room for another evening in Labuan Bajo.

Consider a shared dinner after a sightseeing day with some breathing room. Sharing can give everyone a chance to discuss dishes and choose different flavours while respecting individual preferences. If staying elsewhere, ask the restaurant about reservations for outside guests before arranging your transport.

• Dining style: Indonesian dishes served for sharing.
• CCC visit idea: dinner with a partner, family or travel companions.
• Before visiting: confirm the menu, reservations, outside-guest access and current prices.

• Umasa profile and reservations ↗

09

Choose the Occasion, Then Plan the Visit

For an evening built around the meal, start with Kindling, Locavore NXT or Jung Chan Dining. For dinner together, explore Arpo and Umasa. If casual local food is your priority, save Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk and Bubur Ikan Ahian. This is CCC's way of matching places to occasions, not a claim that one dining style is better than another.

Once you choose, note the date, party size, budget and dietary needs. Check the latest menu, include tax and service charges where applicable, and read any deposit or cancellation terms before confirming a table. Cabin crew planning around days off or a layover should fit the visit around rest and their next obligation. An interesting restaurant becomes a better experience when the timing works too.

• Confirm the exact location or outlet, not just the restaurant name.
• Ask directly about allergies, dietary restrictions and halal requirements; do not infer them from a concept or name.
• Save your booking confirmation and allow transport time before and after the meal.