Makassar Indonesia – Best Places to Eat and Drink

Not only the gateway to Sulawesi and a major air hub, Makassar is also considered to be one of Indonesia’s starring culinary destinations and any visit to this bustling city is a treat for the taste buds.

What to expect

Bring along your elasticized pants and an adventurous palette. Filled with many tried, trusted and favourite Indonesian meals, many of the local dishes found here cannot be found anywhere else in the Indonesian archipelago and there’s a reason why so many foodies the world over fall in love with this culinary gem.

Local specialties

The capital city of South Sulawesi province, Makassar is a culinary haven that offers visitors a smorgasbord of delicious and unusual flavour-packed dishes. Specialities of Makassar include the city’s culinary namesake, Coto Makassar which is a traditional soup containing meat and offal, and is served with a rice cake wrapped in banana leaves. Served pretty much anywhere, this signature dish can be found by blind-folding yourself, spinning in a circle and walking straight into the first warung (restaurant) that you see. In fact many restaurants are famous coto restaurants specialising in this hearty broth almost exclusively. Be sure to check out Coto Gagak on Jl. Gagak and Coto Daeng on Jl. Karunrung and Jl. Pengayoman if you want some of the finest coto in town. Similar to coto but with even more innards is the traditional Sop Saudara which has generous portions of meat, liver and even lung floating around in the wholesome soup. Perhaps not for the faint-heated, but a firm favourite with the locals.

Other must-try dishes and snacks are buroncong (a traditional breakfast cake made of grated coconut shavings and flour, and cooked on charcoal), Nasi Kuning (yellow rice served with coconut milk, turmeric, veggies, sambal and meat), Pallubasa (a beef and coconut speciality stew served with rice and topped with an egg yolk) and scrumptious seafood of every kind, cooked in every way imaginable.

Street food

When the sun sets, the capital begins to stir and the streets become alive with a multitude of rickety food carts; delicious and unidentifiable smells waft through the air; and the locals being to queue up at their favourite street vendor. The air is filled with chatter after a long day; sizzling, bubbling and boiling; and the street food scene in Makasar fills a much needed niche when it comes to hunger pangs in the city. Cheap, satisfying and readily available; the food on offer ranges from caramelised banana with plum sauce, steaming soups being ladled out in steady procession, mouth-watering putu cakes (a sweet, glutinous coconut and rice snack), and lip-smacking seafood. Meals cost anything between IDR 20,000 to around IDR 60,000 but everything on offer is generally very cheap and even budget-conscious travellers will get their fill without dipping too deeply into their wallets.

Our favourite street food spots in Makassar can be found along Losari Beach at sunset when the pisang epe (grilled banana) vendors line the promenade and serve out this sweet, traditional snack by the masses. The bananas are grilled and served with melted palm sugar and then topped with everything from chocolate, to durian, to cheese. Another delicious vegetarian snack that is great to eat on the go and is also frequently sold at most street food markets, including Losari Beach Promenade, is South Sulawesi sweetcorn. The corn is boiled in its husk and served with a delicious tangy and salty dip made from chillies.

This spot also serves the strange tasting, yet rather addictive, sarabba. Sarabba is a spicy, hot drink made with pepper, coconut milk, ginger and palm sugar. Famous throughout the city, some souvenir shops even sell ready-made sachets of the traditional beverage.

Those who enjoy food with a Chinese influence will enjoy Bacan Market (Pasar Bacan) as a morning activity that is open from 6:30am until 11am. Strolling around this wet market, travellers will have the opportunity to see the residents of Makassar haggling for the best deals from the crack of dawn until late morning. This jam-packed market is akin to being a tiny sardine in an over-stuffed can but the experience is unlike any other market that we have come to experience during our travels through Indonesia. Picture every food item under the sun being sold, hordes of people squeezing against each other, rickshaws transporting goods and a vibrant, lively activity that only can only be found in the markets of beautiful Southeast Asia.

Seafood

Those craving seafood should head over to Lae Lae, located on 8 jalan Datu Museng for some authentic, delicious and memorable seafood. This inexpensive, no-frills eatery is chock-a-block with locals and tourists year-round. Although somewhat grimy, the delicious smells of the traditional ikan nakar (grilled fish) prepared right at the door will draw you in before you notice the somewhat grubby interior. Lae Lae is undoubtedly Makassar’s best-known and most famous seafood joint and well worth a visit. We thoroughly enjoyed pouring lashings of dabu-dabu – a tangy, spicy sambal made from tomatoes and chilli onto our grilled fish and eating it with our fingers. An average price for a seafood meal at Lae Lae’s is between IDR 40,000 – IDR 100,000.

Western and International food

Travellers longing for a bite of home and wishing to trade in their Coto Makassar for a slice of cheesy pizza might be interested to know that Makassar is home to six Pizza Huts. Other fast-food chains include McDonald’s and a KFC. For those who want international cuisine served in an upper-end restaurant, our recommendation would definitely be Bistropolis. This spot is a European steakhouse with a romantic ambiance, excellent menu and even live performances on certain nights.

cafes and coffee houses

Those needing a caffeine pick-me-up will delight in the fact that the coffee in Makassar is absolutely excellent. Strong and brewed according to your own personal preference, such as hand drip, press coffee, syphon style and espresso; the locals of Makassar know how to make the perfect cup o’ Joe.

Our favourite coffee spots in the city are Toraja Coffee which is famous throughout the area for its mellow and well-balanced Arabica coffee. Toraja Coffee also has an extensive menu of Japanese cakes which we found paired perfectly with the local beans.

eZpresso Coffie is another of Makassar’s well-known and praised signature coffee shops that even hosts live music events from time to time. Well-priced, strong and delicious; the coffee here is the perfect way to start a day in the capital. We especially loved the trendy interior with the interesting typography on the walls and the up-cycled seating made from old, wooden pallets. Cool, chic and cosy all at the same time, this was definitely one of our favourite coffee houses in Makassar. Located on 93 Jalan Hasanuddin.

Bars and pubs

Travellers looking to open a frosty one after a day spent exploring should make their way to Kampoeng Popsa opposite Fort Rotterdam on Jalan Ujung Pandang. This spot is reminiscent of the classic Singapore hawker-style courts popular across the country, and visitors can indulge in a local beer, juice and plenty of other refreshments. As the sun goes down, the crowds are draw in by the live act plays, music and drinks specials. We loved the animated atmosphere of Kampoeng Popsa and found ourselves returning more than once. 


Bellezza, neighbours with the Imperial Aryaduta Hotel, is a night time spot that seems to cater for everyone. On the first floor you’ll find a cosy brewpub that plays sports games; the second and third floors will have you singing your heart out at karaoke; and the fourth floor is home to a lively dance club with local DJs playing the tunes. Bellezza’s crowd is half expats and half locals and the atmosphere is friendly, welcoming and a lot of fun.