The Blissful East Java: Top 10 Things To Do In Malang, Indonesia

Fill your carts at Samudra Supermarket

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Samudra Supermarket

2/3 Samudra Supermarket

3/3 Samudra Supermarket

Malang’s jajan pasar (snacks) corner is not something that tourists will want to skip! All supermarkets in Malang always have an area selling these, including the newly-established Samudra Supermarket inside the Malang City Point (MCP) shopping mall in the Dieng (Malang Atas) area. As soon as you grab your trolley outside the supermarket and enter, you will find “Eat Your Greens”. That’s where you can look for and purchase delicious jajan pasar by Malang SMEs! You’ll see lemper (rice wrapped inside a banana leaf) and several other jajan pasar inside mica plastic boxes.

Kue Semar Mendem is one of the jajan pasar products I bought from Samudra Supermarket. It’s sticky rice with shredded chicken filling wrapped inside an omelet. Here, Red Cherry is the name of the company that produces these products. The price is IDR 10,000, and you can expect the same price ranges for all jajan pasar in this supermarket. Moreover, you can also find daily necessities, such as milk, cereal, pampers, and other products here. Since the size of the supermarket is small and the decorations are aesthetic (it somehow reminds me of Ranch Market’s design), searching for these necessities won’t be difficult!

Samudra Supermarket’s is on the first floor of Malang City Point (MCP). It’s open every day from 8am, which means two hours earlier than the mall’s operational hours. The supermarket closes at 9:30pm. If you want to explore the other areas, ensure you reach here at around 10am. Also, the benches here are attractive with a woody feel that reminds me of a traditional Japanese supermarket!

Visit Bluder Kapas to taste Malang's finest breads

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Bluder Kapas

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3/3 Bluder Kapas

Madiun will be the first city that comes to our minds when talking about oleh-oleh (gift) bluder. This item is a part of Dutch colonialism’s heritage bread when we delve deeper into Indonesian history. Let’s not forget Madiun’s bluder has inspired other cities’ SMEs to produce the same bluder bread, including Bluder Kapas in Malang’s Kayutangan area, where you’ll find the majority of the tourist population.

Bluder is an Indonesian way of referring to a wool roll cake. True to the name, Indonesian bluder bread has a fluffy and cloudy texture like a ball of soft wool. The highlights lie in the flour and eggs as it has more yellow parts of the eggs, and the flour is double as compared to most breads. Today, we can taste different Bluder Kapas variations, such as cream cheese, Ovomaltine, and others. Bluder has become one of the most sought-after oleh-oleh in Malang. That way, bluder’s prices are affordable, and Bluder Kapas also sells them in packages.

In Eastern Java regions such as Malang and Surabaya, Ovomaltine and Nutella variations are always available. So, while Bluder Kapas has Ovomaltine variations, it also has Nutella ones. By the way, I prefer Nutella to Ovomaltine, because it’s lighter on my tummy while also having rich layers of chocolate. It can ease my boredom with the original chocolate spread-based variations. Yet, this doesn’t mean I completely ditch Ovomaltine, as I also love the crunchy texture and nutty taste that mingles well with Bluder Kapas’ soft, fluffy texture.

Bluder Kapas store is located on Jl. Semeru No. 23, Kauman, Kec. Klojen. It is open every day from 07:00 to 21:00. Like any other Malang oleh-oleh shop, the best time to visit Bluder Kapas is around 10:00-14:00 to ensure you get the best lighting to look at the different oleh-oleh products inside the store.

Enjoy a hearty meal at Depot 29

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/2 Depot 29

2/2 Depot 29

Malang’s Singosari areas are full of hearty meals, including Depot 29. Lawang and Singosari are parts of the Malang Regency, and Depot 29 is closer to the borders between the two parts of Malang. They have the best herb dishes in this old, small family restaurant. You don’t need to make a reservation to enjoy their one-of-a-kind lamb herb soup. Lawang’s Depot 29 was yet another one of my childhood go-to places. I remember that rawon was the meal I frequently ordered here. It tastes divine! The kecambah (bean sprouts), however, were removed, as my weak digestive system would be unable to digest the big bean sprouts’ heads. Now that I know other people recommend the lamb herb soup, I can’t wait to give it another try!

Like other Malang legendary cuisine products, Depot 29’s lamb herb soup is enough for up to four people. Some people love to eat herb soups with tofu and tempeh products, which is also one of their specialties. The restaurant’s appearance might be like any other modest-looking warung stall around the East Java area. However, it’s only a few steps from Indomaret Randuagung and Pasar Lawang (the wet market). Let’s not forget that most tourist cars and buses tend to stop around this mini restaurant.

Depot 29 Lawang is open every day from 07:30 to 17:00. But, the signature herb soup is available until around 15:00.

Try the famous Pia Cap Mangkok

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Pia Cap Mangkok

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3/3 Pia Cap Mangkok

Malang is full of oleh-oleh (gift) shops that teach us the richness of Malang’s history! Pia Cap Mangkok is an iconic place to get oleh-oleh. Zabur Oetomo (Oei To Lam) and his wife, Tri Pinarti (The Pin Nio), founded this brand in 1959. A year later, they spontaneously came up with the mangkok (bowl) as the oleh-oleh’s signature symbol. As an Eastern Javanese person, I can say that the bowl symbol was like a lucky amulet at that time, particularly since the red color is present in the bowl and even throughout the logo of the brand.

A bowl with the “ISTIMEWA” (special) word and the Chinese “Shuang Xi” character as the logo design means happiness and luck for the business and for the lives of people who hold special positions in our hearts, including family. The founder started the business with only one flavor variation: mung beans. Even now, Pia Cap Mangkok still uses traditional recipes and old-fashioned equipment in the process. However, since the business has expanded, they now offer various other flavors, including chocolate, cheese, durian, green tea, coffee, apple, and tangkwee (candied gourds - Malang’s signature flavor). Some stores also sell other authentic Malang oleh-oleh products.

The store I visited was in the Kayutangan region, often visited by tourists to purchase this oleh-oleh. Pia Cap Mangkok always has the same packaging, no matter where the products are distributed. Today, we can find their products in most Malang supermarkets and stores, including Lai Lai Market, the biggest supermarket in the Kayutangan region. Other than the official store here, you can also purchase from this brand in Batu, which has many splendid tourist destinations, such as Jatim Park.

Spend your evening tasting delicious cakes and pastries at Lafayette Coffee & Eatery

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Lafayette

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3/3 Lafayette

Malang’s Kayutangan region is not only full of oleh-oleh (gift) shops and local and international tourists mingling for staycation purposes. It also has many aesthetic cafes with vintage building designs. Have a look at Lafayette Coffee & Eatery (or simply “Lafayette”) located at Jalan Semeru No. 2, Oro-Oro Dowo, Kec. Klojen. It is one of the most popular aesthetic cafes in Malang and around the Kayutangan region. It’s only a few steps back from Mall Olympic Garden, Malang’s version of Plaza Ambarrukmo, the largest and most well-known shopping mall. Being free of pork and alcohol products also enhances Lafayette’s popularity.

They sell cafe foods and beverages at affordable prices (expect the budget to be less than IDR 100,000 for one meal here. You can even spend less than IDR 50,000 for some menus). Additionally, they also sell aesthetic and delicious sweet pastries and cake products, which is why tourists keep coming here. The individual product’s price starts from around IDR 15,000. Meanwhile, it doesn’t mean their rice products, such as nasi goreng and beef rice bowls, are less delicious than their signature pastries and cake products, as I love the nasi goreng’s satays.

Even though Lafayette is open every day from 08:00-20:00, make sure you arrive a few hours before the lunch or dinner hours. The seats fill so quickly, especially on the second floor.

Treat your taste buds at Yestoya Steak & Bowl

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Yestoya

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3/3 Yestoya

Malang is well-known for the delicious top-notch quality of local beef products since the environment where the cows live is green, and the breezy wind also supports their growth and productivity!

Yestoya Steak & Bowl in Malang City Point (abbreviated: MCP) is one of the best go-to places to grab bowls of rice with beef toppings. MCP itself is in the greenest, cleanest, and breeziest part of Malang. So, you can imagine the weather as you spoon your food into your mouth. Here, the tables and chairs remind me of an old-school restaurant furnished with high-quality hardwood materials. What’s more? You can choose what sauce you want to add to your dish. You can also do the same for the grilled steak, one of the best-selling menu items at this restaurant!

As far as I know, you can only find Yestoya Steak & Bowl in Malang, which means that this eatery has no branches anywhere else. The dish I ordered in the picture is beef lada hitam rice, which costs IDR 33,000 before tax and service. It’s pretty economical considering that I normally spend more than IDR 50,000 for one rice bowl. The shocking part is that I don’t only get a bowl of rice and beef lada, but I also get a sunny-side-up without additional prices.

I visited at around 17:41 local time. The best part is that MCP is not as crowded as Mall Olympic Garden (MOG). So, you will always have a seat when you come here!

Indulge in the delicious flavors of Indonesian tempeh

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Tempeh

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3/3 Tempeh

It’s not a secret that Indonesian tempeh (Indonesian: omit the “h” part) has been one of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity lists. Tempeh (or fermented soybeans) is a vegan-friendly and flexible ingredient. It is healthy, and we commonly find it in fancy cafes and restaurants in developed countries. However, tempeh itself is a common food in Indonesia, as people from any social and economic background consume it. Everything about tempeh recipes fascinates me! Oseng tempeh (tempeh sauteed with other food ingredients, such as mixed veggies and tofu), tempe mendoan (tempeh fried with batter), keripik tempeh (crispy, thin tempeh chips), and tempeh goreng (tempeh fried without batter) dipped in hot sauce are some of my favorites. Even though tempeh is widely spread among wet markets, dedicated places for producing tempeh, such as Sanan’s Kampong Tempeh, fascinate me more. Here, I can learn how the locals appreciate their strengths in crafting raw and processed tempeh products and use tempeh to market their existence to tourists.

Even though we see tempeh in so many parts of the world (including Indonesia, the country where it comes from), Malang in East Java has the most lengthy history of tempeh-making. The correlation between Malang and tempeh as the oleh-oleh (gift) has the same strength as Jogja and bakpia as its oleh-oleh. Malang even has a Kampong Tempeh in Sanan, an area where all SMEs, housewives, and all inhabitants, produce it to export all around Malang and Indonesia.

We can trace Malang’s Kampong Sanan history of tempeh-crafting back to the 18th century. At that time, people inhabiting the Kampong area made crafting this product their habit. Thus, this made them tempeh craftsmen. Even now, Kampong’s inhabitants continue to pass the tempeh-making techniques to the next generation. Did you know Tempeh Sanan Bu Puput, “Bu Puput” from Kampong Sanan, is the creator of tempeh products? You can find this product in Malang’s supermarkets, such as Lai Lai Market. You can also find other tempeh-based products, such as sun-dried tempeh with different spices (Tempe Zamrud in the picture).

Malang’s tempeh products are famous, particularly in East Java areas. If you arrive or depart by train, you will easily find these oleh-oleh products in train stations. I’m sure you will love Malang’s tempeh!

Visit Gloria Noodle Restaurant for a delicious lunch

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 RM Gloria

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3/3 RM Gloria

Malang’s Gajah Mada areas are full of legendary culinary products that are the city’s heritage! One of the legendary restaurants is Rumah Makan Gloria (Gloria Noodle Restaurant), Malang’s number-one culinary spot since 1970.

Rumah Makan Gloria is on Jalan Agus Salim, a few steps away from Gajah Mada Plaza, Malang’s oldest shopping mall. This restaurant is famous for its wide range of Malang-exclusive noodle products. Many tourists who stop by this place also purchase their swikiaw rebus (steamed wontons). The restaurant also has one freezer for their famous young coconut drink to improve our body’s immune systems, relieve stamina, prevent dehydration, and neutralize toxins. Their noodle and wonton products are top-notch, and you will frequently see the staff busy packing the products to ship nationwide! Some of their products are also available in frozen forms, such as their wontons.

I was surprised when I saw Rumah Makan Gloria in 2023. My last visit before 2023 was when I was an elementary school student. It was either in 2001 or 2002. I remember at that time, Rumah Makan Gloria only sold pork-based dishes. Even their non-pork menus would have pork elements in them. I stopped consuming pork in 2009 as I wanted to be either a vegetarian or a vegan since 2003. So, I was thrilled when I saw the that 2023 version of Rumah Makan Gloria had become more vegetarian-friendly. I loved the vegetarian fried rice menu, and will give it a try next time I visit Malang. If it’s not available, pangsit goreng vegetarian or vegetarian fried wontons are great, too. I can pack them before I depart from Malang for Surabaya.

Since Rumah Makan Gloria has been one of Malang’s trending culinary topics, they continue to develop one-of-a-kind food traditions as they progress. For instance, most tourists praise their traditional Chinese herbal chicken soup. However, you should call the restaurant at least one day before to order a wok of herbal chicken soup. The quantity is good for 3-4 people at least and can feed up to six people.

Are noodles, wontons, vegetarian dishes, and herbal chicken soup the only signature dishes in Rumah Makan Gloria? Or does the young coconut drink become the only sweet thing in this restaurant? The owners’ philosophy in serving the customers is the key to determining if the restaurant has other signature dishes. A Thay (Mikno) and A Pau (Paula), the couple who founded this restaurant five decades ago, came up with the name “Gloria” because the husband found joy in listening to kids singing praises of the Lord (“Glory-Glory Hallelujah”). So, they started a restaurant where they spread happiness to their customers by cooking palate-pleasing foods. They dedicate one special table inside the restaurant for themselves to allow customers to ask them if they have cooked any special meals not listed in the menu book for that day. These generous owners love sharing their cooking with their customers!

Rumah Makan Gloria is open from 09:00-14:00 and 16:30-21:30 from Monday to Friday. Their opening hours on Saturday and Sunday are 09:00-21:30. However, it’s better to arrive at this restaurant a few hours earlier than lunch hours to experience what is it like to eat in a restaurant that feels like your second home and encounter new Malang friends.

Try out the tasty serabi, an Indonesian version of appam

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/2 Serabi

2/2 Serabi

Have you ever wondered if East Java’s Malang in Indonesia has its appam version? The appam here refers to serabi. Its dough is made from rice flour and coconut, which makes it similar to Indian appam. However, this Javanese street snack has a sweeter touch with the additional coconut sugar as the ingredient. Sometimes, Javanese merchants process their serabi on a woodfire, a charcoal kiln, or a small wok.

Malang’s serabi is special because it has colorful presentations while retaining traditional cooking and serving processes. The vendors usually serve mini-sized serabi with petulo, a rectangular-cut noodle, which refers to the Eastern Javanese sweet snack that has existed since the Dutch colonialization era. The colorful presentation of serabi and petulo mixes is not without any reason. Eastern Javanese people are generally positive people. So, a colorful presentation means the happiness and beliefs that the jajan pasar (street snacks) those vendors sell will bring luck to their home and family’s needs.

Talk about a street snack with a pronunciation identical to “appam,” Malang also has “apem,” the round-shaped white dough in this picture. Unlike serabi or petulo in which the merchants serve them with coconut sugar sauce, we can eat apem the ways they are. Plus, Malang’s version of apem is different in that the apem has huge chunks of jackfruits. Such things happen because Malang’s traditional markets are full of fresh jackfruits. Let’s not forget most Malang SMEs are well-known for their jackfruit products. While I’m not a big fan of Malang’s apem due to the enormous jackfruit chunks, it doesn’t mean I avoid eating it. However, I have digestion problems, which limit my experience in tasting and sampling different types of food and beverage combinations. If I did eat one serving of apem, I wouldn’t drink milk-based beverages, even plant-based milk, as it would cause issues for me. Instead, I drink a cup of warm black or green tea, which is almost always available around Malang cafes, restaurants, warongs, and other eateries.

Visit Central Market MOG

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

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3/3 Central Market MOG

Are you wondering where to shop for oleh-oleh (gifts) outside airports, train stations, and other public facilities? Supermarkets are the best places for this! A supermarket inside a shopping mall like Malang’s Central Market in Mall Olympic Garden (MOG) is one of the best examples: the environment is clean and features aesthetic lighting. You can also eat inside the spacious food courts and choose your meals from a wide selection. It’s also a decent alternative for wallet-friendly Makan times.

For oleh-oleh, head to the “Oleh-Oleh Khas Malang” area. Here, you’ll find a selection of jajan pasar (street snacks) with recipes originating from Malang and surrounding areas. You can even rest at the food court after paying for your oleh-oleh at the “Kassa” section. There, you can have some ready-to-eat meals while observing your oleh-oleh. When I think about my favorite items from “Oleh-Oleh Khas Malang”, keripik tempe often comes to my mind. Many Malang-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) specialize in making crunchy keripik tempe. Laksana Kita, Rohani, and Mitra are my three favorite oleh-oleh tempe producers in Malang. I love the ones with the “Pedas Manis” or “Jagung Bakar” label. These mean the keripik is sprinkled with smokin’ hot powders (for “Pedas Manis”) or artificial corn-tasted powders (“Jagung Bakar”). Looking for Malang’s authentic keripik tempe as oleh-oleh inside the supermarket is a fun experience for me, as supermarkets such as MOG’s Central Market showcase the best-selling products from Malang’s SMEs. From there, I can get clearer pictures of how these SMEs dedicate their personnel to please the tourists as their customer targets. Supermarkets are also far more hygienic than wet markets. Plus, we can’t find keripik tempeh products in wet markets, as only fresh tempeh is available there.

Not in the mood for food oleh-oleh? Well, MOG’s Central Market also has a section where you can shop for t-shirts with prints that will remind you of your vacation in Malang! You need to go through an escalator once or twice from MOG’s Lobby entrance to reach the Central Market, which is open every day from 10:00-22:00.

MOG’s Central Market is not too crowded compared to its food courts, even on weekends.

Try the signature dish at Hot Cui Mie MOG

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

1/3 Hot Cui Mie MOG

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3/3 Hot Cui Mie MOG

Have you ever wondered if Malang, one of the cities in East Java with a colder temperature, had attractive local culinary spots you can try while you’re visiting? Hot Cui Mie MOG (also known as Ni Hao Ma Restaurant) is one of Malang’s most successful restaurants with Cui Mie Malang as the signature dish! This was my first time learning about the delicious noodle dish’s real name and origin. As far as I know, other Javanese areas refer to Cui Mie Malang as “Mie Mangkok” due to their presentation methods. Yet, Cui Mie is an authentic Malang cuisine product.

If you’ve ever visited other Javanese warung stalls and restaurants, you might see the vendors serving noodles inside a ceramic bowl with their pangsit crackers. Cui Mie Malang is slightly different because the pangsit becomes the mangkok (bowl) to the whole noodle dish. This place serves the signature Cui Mie dishes in two choices: Spicy and Not Spicy. Both have different proteins, leading to different price ranges. The one I ordered was a non-spicy ayam (chicken) for IDR 29,000, while the hot tea cost me IDR 8,000 (excluding tax and services).

The step-by-step procedure of ordering meals here reminds me of Solaria, another successful restaurant chain in Indonesia. First, you should find a seat. The cashier will note your table number. Then, you write down your order. Finally, you bring your order request to the cashier and pay for the dishes. It was my first visit to Hot Cui Mie MOG in Malang, but I got the impression that Malang citizens knew this restaurant well. It has also received recognition from Radar Malang, one of Malang’s most well-known local newspapers.

I visited Hot Cui Mie MOG during dinner hours, which was quite late for the food portion. So, the best time to visit here would be around lunchtime. That way, you can be fearless in sampling the scorching-hot version of the Cui Mie.

Enjoy the delicious choux at Coco Puff

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

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Malang’s MOG is where I got to know about CoCo Puff, one of the best and most representative gift shops here! Malang is well-known for its giant meal sizes, and CoCo Puff is not an exception. This puff pastry stall near the South Gate of MOG has gigantic portions of choux (kue sus, in the local language). Looking at the boxes near the window led me to think that its length might not exceed 20 cm. But, I was wrong - the moment I purchased a box with five choux, I was surprised to learn that the box’s length was a whopping 35 cm! When I opened the box, I knew the choux’s size was the reason for the box being so large.

A box of five chouxes costs IDR 60,000, and you should buy a minimum of five choux to make it a decent oleh-oleh (gift). Otherwise, you could pay IDR 13,000 and prepare your meal box from the start. The gigantic choux is made with locally sourced ingredients.

Take your kids to Hungry Plate for some food and play

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

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3/3 Hungry Plate

Are you coming to Malang for a vacation with your little ones and you’re looking for kid-friendly restaurants with trendy modern fusion foods that are authentically Malang? Visit Hungry Plate at Plaza Araya where you can eat with your kids while also nurturing your inner child. This is the place where you can take your children to play or read some interactive children’s books, which are available at the restaurant. The baby chairs also have attractive soft colors, and the wallpaper designs will lift your mood!

The parents can indulge in the food and beverage selections while sitting on top of the pillow-style chairs (also called lesehan) or on the old-style chairs, provided they are not too far from the lesehan. I ordered the chicken katsu rice (they call it NAKAM, which refers to Malang’s Walikan local language meaning “MAKAN” or “EATING.” On the menu, it belongs to “Rice Plate”, and it is the cheapest one). The egg is in an omurice style, and the price was under IDR 50,000 per plate. The rice portions are generous, which is typical of Malang-style cuisines, and, quite surprisingly, they served the rice with salad and mayonnaise as a side dish. The mayonnaise is not too overpowering, so, I believe it won’t disturb your diet!

Hungry Plate at Plaza Araya opened at the end of 2023 and is next to Plaza Araya’s Superindo. I feel it is the best place to eat after shopping with kids! The food is light and is very tummy-friendly. The place is also not so crowded when compared to other restaurants in Malang. Moreover, Plaza Araya is the closest shopping mall to Terminal Arjosari (the intercity bus terminal). It’s a great place for kids (and even adults), so you should try it at least once in your lifetime!