While I have already done a bit of a review of Ambon island I have nogt detailed the best spots to try street food in Ambon. And while this is in part because it is hardly a street food metropilis, there at least 5 spots where you can get your jollies.
So, in a fairly specific order I present the 5 best places for street food in Ambon.
You can see my Ambon guide here.
Table of Contents
5 best places for Street Food in Ambon
5. Warung Sate Ambon – Passo
Passo is a small suburb, nothing fancy. The warung is a shack with a charcoal grill and about five plastic chairs. Chicken and fish satay are the staples. The marinade is sweet, a little spicy. Don’t come expecting Michelin, come expecting cheap, greasy, honest food. A stick costs about 10,000 rupiah. You can eat three for lunch and not break 50,000 rupiah. The smoke hits you as soon as you walk up. It smells like food and fire, and that’s all it needs to.
4. Pasar Mardika – Central Ambon
The central market is chaos in the best possible way. This is where the locals eat. Tempeh, fried tofu, bakso, cakalang fufu if you can find it. You don’t sit, you grab, you eat. Prices are dirt cheap. Look for the stalls with the queues. That’s your clue. No nonsense, no menu. You point, they serve, you eat, you leave. The market is central, easy to get to, and full of food options if you have a stomach for local smells.
3. Es Pisang Ijo Pak Omar – Jalan Pattimura
This is dessert, and it’s simple but excellent. Es Pisang Ijo is banana wrapped in green dough, steamed, and served with coconut milk and syrup. Cheap, sweet, and filling. Perfect for a mid-afternoon snack. Jalan Pattimura is the main street, so finding it is easy. Expect a queue after school. You don’t wait forever, just take your number and keep moving.
2. Depot Cakalang – Batu Merah
Cakalang fufu is Ambon’s specialty: smoked skipjack tuna. Depot Cakalang does it properly, grilled over charcoal, served with rice and sambal. The smoky taste is addictive. Lunch rush is busy, so get there early if you want a seat. Plates are around 25,000 rupiah. No frills, no fancy presentation. You eat, you pay, you leave. Done.
1. Tepi Pantai Stalls – Liang
Beachside stalls at Liang take the number one spot. Fresh grilled fish, fried banana, seafood skewers. Slightly more expensive than the market but worth it. Eat while watching the waves. It’s late afternoon and evening only. Nothing fancy, just fire, smoke, and food. Prices are fair. You can sit at a plastic table or stand by the beach. The combination of grilled seafood and the water view puts it at the top.
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