11 food places in Batam for a ferry good time

Batam, much like Johor Bahru, is a popular getaway destination thanks to it being a short ferry ride away. Tourists flock to the island not just for the luxurious resorts and fun water sports, but also its phenomenal food scene. To help narrow down the multitude of choices, we’ve helped compile 11 food places in Batam we think can spice up your vacation.

1. Mie Terempa’K

If you’d like to start with the Riau Islands’ most popular dish, look no further than Mie Terempa’K. Just under a 10-minute drive from Batam Centre Ferry Terminal, this 2-storey eatery is the definitive go-to spot for Mie Tarempa.

The noodles are offered with varying levels of sweet, savoury and spicy gravy — kering (dry), lembab (moist) and basah (wet). While you can pick noodle options like kwetiau (kway teow) and bihun (bee hoon), the Mie Tarempa Original (RP18,000) remains a timeless favourite among locals.

Mie Tarempa Komplit (RP27,500) comes with both seafood and beef. If you’d like to have only beef, get a plate of Mie Tarempa Sapi (RP22,000). Mie Tarempa Seafood (RP 22,000) has both sotong and shrimp.

If you’re visiting Batam for the first time, their Luti Gendang (RP4,000 per pc) is also a must-try.

This unique snack is another culinary speciality of the Riau Islands, consisting of spicy fish floss stuffed into savoury, fried bread. Definitely grab some to-go if you’re on a full stomach.

Ruko Royal Sincom, Blk. D No.15 – 16, Tlk. Tering, Kec. Batam Kota, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29431, Indonesia
+62 778 465910
Daily: 7am – 9pm
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2. Restoran Sederhana

Restoran Sederhana is a restaurant chain with over 100 locations across Indonesia and has even expanded into Malaysia. If we’re talking household names, they’re right up there with big names in the fast food industry.

Nasi Padang might not be all too special in Singapore, but at Restoran Sederhana, this mini-banquet is taken up a notch. Instead of ordering how you would at a traditional nasi padang stall, you can have the dishes laid out in a spread. The restaurant will only charge for the dishes you eat.

Their Beef Rendang (RP23,000) is a highly recommended pick. Ayam Rendang comes at a slightly cheaper price of RP21,000.

I was surprised by the simple yet delicious Kentang Telur Puyuh (RP19,000), comprising quail eggs and potato cubes coated in a wet sambal. The Ayam Pop (RP21,000), which is a skinless deep-fried chicken that’s been cooked in an aromatic broth, also stole the show in the company of its outstanding sambal.

Sotong Gulai (curry) (RP26,000) and a number of balado-laden dishes rounded out our hearty padang feast.

The restaurant we visited has free-flow Nasi Putih (RP12,000 per person), but some outlets tend to charge per plate.

Most of us opted for a glass of Jus Alpukat (RP22,000) for dessert afterwards. It’s a thick avocado shake drizzled with chocolate syrup. If you don’t mind the slightly pricier food, Restoran Sederhana is worth visiting for the experience alone.

For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
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3. Adi Laris Mie Tho Ling (Mie Selat Pajang)

You would be forgiven for missing Adi Laris Mie Tho Ling on the first pass. This local gem is a big hit among residents, serving up scrumptious noodle dishes. Now if only they had a sign to help us foreigners out.

The Indonesian Lor Mie Jumbo (RP26,000) uses thinner noodles but is otherwise not too different from our (Singaporean) lor mee in its starchy gravy.

Wanton mee‘s Indonesian cousin would be Mie Pangsit, which we upsized to Jumbo (RP26,000). What sets these mie apart from our renditions are the addition of fritters and at least from what we observed (from other establishments as well), sliced char siew.

What really caught my eye was the Mie Kacang Jumbo (RP26,000). The noodles are drowned in a sea of sweet and spicy kacang gravy, which infuses them with prickly nutty notes. The closest comparison would be satay sauce, but mee rebus gravy also comes to mind. The kacang really adds a whole lot to the dish’s slurp-able quality.

The noodles come with a bowl of dumpling soup as well. If you’re willing to navigate the streets opposite Batam City Square (BCS) Mall, chalk Adi Laris Mie Tho Ling into your itinerary.

Baloi Indah, Kec. Lubuk Baja, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29444, Indonesia
+62 813 6481 4862
Daily: 5.45am – 11am

4. JUMBO THAI KITCHEN

Seafood restaurants are a dime a dozen in Batam. If you’re paying Harbour Bay a visit, the area has a few well-known eateries that offer a good view of the sea. Singaporeans familiar with another seafood restaurant chain back home might do a double take at Jumbo Thai Kitchen. The 2 are supposedly unrelated.

With the cool sea breeze in our hair, a massive bowl of Kakap Merah Curry (RP259,000) warmed us right up. The fish was decently flakey and soft, but the star of the show was the fragrant curry that delivered a spectrum of flavours. We also had a smaller serving of Green Curry Seafood (RP72,000) that was generously filled with prawns.

On the waiter’s recommendation, we ordered a plate of Home-made Tahu (RP65,000), that came as 4 silky blocks of beancurd with firm, crisp skin alongside some mushrooms. The sauce made each bite go down smoothly with a savoury complement.

Sup Tom Yum (RP75,000) was a letdown in comparison. It was quite lacking in spice even for me and the soup tasted so heavily of lime, it superseded the supposedly ‘milky’ aspect in its description.

Our other dishes were the Mie Goreng Seafood (RP38,000) and Baby Cumi Goreng (RP60,000), which made up for the lows of the tom yum. Crab lovers might be more interested in their Flower Crabs, offered Poached, with Chilli Sauce, Blackpepper, Salted Egg, or Tom yum, according to market price. If anything, you’ll enjoy the feast even more with an obstructed view of the sunset.

Jl. Harbour Bay, Sungai Jodoh, Kec. Batu Ampar, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau
+62 082284878800
Daily: 11am – 11pm
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5. Warung Baso Priangan

If you’re a big fan of meatballs, Warung Baso Priangan‘s menu is right up your alley. They’re not only popular for their bakso (Indonesian meatballs), but also the soup that accompanies them.

Each bowl comes with a large meatball along with a supporting cast of smaller ones. We opted for traditional bakso made from beef.

Mie Bakso (RP28,000) is served with both rice vermicelli (bee hoon) and yellow noodles, as well as fried onions. The broth is flavourful and backed by an equally punchy scent, yet soothing enough to invite repeated sips.

As expected, the Indomie Baso (RP30,000) uses Indomie instant noodles over the rice vermicelli and yellow noodles. The broth is similarly replaced or enhanced with the seasoning packets, which made it almost too salty for my liking. For those who want something different, it’s a reasonable choice.

Our jumbo-sized bakso were firm, providing a satisfying bite that was consistent with their heft. As a beef lover, I wouldn’t have minded getting just the bakso alone for a whole meal. Also popular are the yamin variations.

This small eatery has a number of house-made drinks like Jus Melon (RP19,000), Jus Wortel (carrot) (RP19,000), Jus Terong Belanda (Tamarillo) (RP19,000) and Jus Alpukat (RP20,000).

Komplek New Holiday Hotel, Jl. Imam Bonjol, Sungai Jodoh, Kec. Batu Ampar, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29543, Indonesia
+62 813 6409 1313
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm

6. LAPIS No.1

With countless kueh lapis speciality bakeries across the island, it should be no surprise that this traditional cake is one of Indonesia’s most famous foods. Lapis No. 1 pride themselves on using only premium butter and no preservatives in their recipes.

Their Lapis Premium (RP300,000) is baked fresh daily, along with Lapis Premium Prune (RP340,000), Lapis Premium Nutella (RP340,000) and Lapis Premium Cheese (RP340,000) which are equally delectable variations. Opt for the Premium Mix (RP360,000) if you’d like a balance of everything. For those not too interested, perhaps Cempedak (RP380,000) and Almond (RP340,000) might sway you.

The bakery even has Swiss rolls in Pineapple (RP85,000), Cheese (RP95,000) and Ovomaltine (RP120,000) flavours.

While they currently have 3 locations, the main outlet appears to be the one near A2 Food Court.

Ruko, Jl. Komp. Penuin Centre No.1 Blok P, Batu Selicin, Kec. Lubuk Baja, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29441, Indonesia
+62 811 7704 588
Daily: 9am – 10pm
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7. Nasi Kari Regency

Itching for some curry rice that isn’t at a nasi padang place? Nasi Kari Regency serves up a mean plate of, well, nasi kari. It might be a tad troublesome getting there as the streets along the way are quite narrow. Perhaps this might qualify as a hidden gem.

The main attraction is the Nasi Kari set (RP28,000) which can be upsized to Jumbo for RP33,000. This one dish contains braised egg, pork belly, tofu, ayam goreng, potato and cabbage topped with their own make of sambal and curry. A wondrous meal that really makes you question why you never got the jumbo plate instead.

The Mie Siam (RP20,000) rendition looks pretty familiar. We were treated to some anchovies, sambal shrimp and a mix of noodles along with the typical rice vermicelli as carbs.

The Nasi Lor Bak (RP25,000) was a simple yet filling dish that had a braised egg, a substantial serving of pork belly and tofu. While satisfactory, the nasi kari definitely holds the top spot here.

Ruko Permata Regency, Blok GG no, RW.1, Baloi Indah, Lubuk Baja, Batam City, Riau Islands, Indonesia
+62 821 7524 9592
Daily: 6am – 4pm
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8. ‘Welcome to Batam’ Food Market

No other tourist attraction in Batam is as iconic as the ‘Welcome to Batam’ sign. If you happen to turn up after 4pm, you’ll see the open square quickly fill up with vendors selling all manner of street food. This would be the ‘Welcome to Batam Food Market‘, but we also noticed signs labelling it the ‘Tourism Culinary Centre’.

With vendors toting everything from mie kwetiau to burgers and boba to cendol, expect a dizzying variety of food on your evening visits to the monument. According to a few friends who spent a fair bit of their childhood in Batam, the market’s patronage has lessened over the years. Even so, there was a fair bit of traffic on our visit at night.

If you’d like to have your food there and then, plenty of seating spaces are available.

Teluk Tering, Batam Kota, Batam City, Riau Islands, Indonesia
Mon to Sat: 4pm – 12am
Sun: 6am – 2am

9. Teras Cafe

As eye-opening and exciting as a culinary tour can be, some of us might need a break once in a while. Enter Teras Cafe, a dining space that offers a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city. With a gorgeous interior and impeccable ambience, this is the ideal date spot.

Their menu features predominantly Western cuisine with some Japanese and Thai in the mix. Pamper yourself with one of their Signature Fire Steaks, specially imported from America and set ablaze on a hotplate right at your table. Each Tenderloin Cafe de Paris (RP488,000), Rib-eye Cafe de Paris (RP438,000) or Sirloin Cafe de Paris (RP298,000) comes with a choice of mushroom, black pepper, chasseur, garlic, or barbecue sauce and a side of french fries, mashed potatoes or boiled potato.

Some Local Favourites are the Tom Yum Fried Rice (RP75,000) that has prawn, crab meat, fish balls and mushrooms, and Fried Rice a la Teras Cafe (RP65,000), a popular pick that serves fried chicken, crackers, egg and chilli sambal.

Jalan Baloi Kusuma Indah No.23, Batu Selicin, Kec. Lubuk Baja, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29432, Indonesia
+62 778 459552
Daily: 3.30pm – 11.30pm

10. Bebek Goreng H. Slamet

Bebek Goreng H. Slamet is decidedly the best place to visit for bebek goreng. If we judge locals dining in to be a good sign, then the outlet opposite BCS mall passes with flying colours. And this means yet another entry from the Nagoya district.

The bebek, which is marinated with spices and deep-fried until crispy on the outside and tender within, is offered as different cuts like Dada Bebek (chest) (RP34,000) and Paha Bebek (thigh) (RP30,000). For the whole duck, Bebek Utuh, the cost will be RP143,000. Pair the duck up with the spicy, flavourful Sambal Spesial Korek (RP1,000) to make it an even more mouthwatering experience.

Ayam fans haven’t been ignored either, as the restaurant has chicken at slightly reduced prices.

Need something healthy after all that fried stuff? Sayur Asem (RP10,000) is a sweet and sour Indonesian Tamarind vegetable soup, said to be the perfect complement to fried dishes like bebek goreng.

Jl. Bunga Raya No.61, Baloi Indah, Kec. Lubuk Baja, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29444, Indonesia
+62 778 451487
Daily: 10am – 9pm
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11. Home-based businesses

Thoroughly hidden from sight are Batam’s many home-based food businesses. As most are invisible to tourists, the bulk of their patronage comes from locals who are familiar with their offerings, as well as friends and family.

Happy Puding is one such example. They specialise in baking (jelly) pudding cakes catered to every occasion, even selling out on major holidays like Christmas. Unlike conventional cakes that call for lashings of frosting, these pudding cakes are a healthier alternative that don’t forego taste. Birthday cakes are priced from RP270,000 to RP300,000 while the smaller plain cakes are RP80,000 each.

Diana Layer Cakes, on the other hand, is a famous home-based business that has been growing since 2004. They eventually became so popular they were able to start shipping homemade kueh lapis to Singapore. Sadly, a Facebook post was made on 22 Dec 2023 announcing that all overseas deliveries have been halted.

Don’t let that stop you from purchasing the Original kueh lapis, 500g (RP165,000) or 1kg of it at RP325,000 as souvenirs.

Next time you’re at Batam, consider supporting these business owners by making a purchase. Maybe you’ll hear about a home-based F&B gem somewhere.

Happy Puding:
Panas River, Batam Kota, Batam City, Riau Islands 29444, Indonesia
+62 812 6826 4778
Daily: 8am – 10pm

Diana Layer Cakes:
Taman Seruni Indah Blok G No. 10, Tlk. Tering, Kec. Batam Kota, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29444, Indonesia
+62 778 466906
Daily: 9am – 5pm

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