The best Indonesian dishes in Belfast

Set in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, Dumpling Library is the perfect place to enjoy a culinary journey through Asia. Offering a truly unique dining experience, this epic eatery specialises in offering a wide variety of small plates, which take their inspiration from various countries across the continent, including Indonesia, Korea, China, and Japan. Their huge all-day menu features culinary delights, such as Indonesian prawn crackers, Asian-style fishcakes, and crispy fried noodles.

They also offer a vast array of, as the restaurant name suggests, dumplings with various fillings including chicken and mushroom, pork and long bean, and vegan Asian greens. Dumplings are a popular dish served across Asia and can often be found in restaurants and served by street vendors in Indonesia. So, while the dumplings served at Belfast’s Dumpling Library take their main inspiration from China, we can bet many of their flavours are similar to those served across Indonesia.

A city centre gem, the team at Yügo know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to creating epic Asian flavours. Born out of an idea, with far eastern roots and a modern aesthetic, Yügo offers up a selection of modern-creative and traditional Asian styles of cooking with a Belfast Bushido attitude.

The menu features an exciting array of Asian small plates, including spring rolls, sushi, grilled meats and veg served with herbs, spices, and glazings, fish, dumplings, baos, and more. Indonesian flavours come through in their wok-fried rice, their green beans served with spicy pork mince, and their steamed pork dumplings served with chilli and peanut. They also offer up one of the most exciting cocktail menus you’re likely to find anywhere in the city with a wide variety of Asian-inspired creations comprised of local spirits and perfectly-paired flavours.

Located in the heart of the city on Great Victoria Street, Red Panda is the ultimate place to enjoy a delicious Asian meal, catch up with friends, and have a few cocktails then either head to the theatre or catch the late train home. Offering relaxed and elegant surroundings, this 120 seater restaurant first opened in 1999 and has since become a firm favourite among diners from all across the north of Ireland.

Each dish is prepared using the freshest ingredients with passionate chefs putting their heart and soul into creating dishes that keep diners returning time and time again. When it comes to Indonesian flavours, you can expect everything from Chicken Satay to Crispy Noodles, various dumplings, and much more.

Zen and House of Zen are two of the most beloved Asian restaurants in Belfast, with groups of friends and lovebirds choosing these epic eateries as the perfect spots to enjoy a lunchtime catch-up of a romantic date night. Taking inspiration from all across the continent of Asia, you can discover the flavours of destinations such as China, Japan, and Thailand in their menus with dishes such as Thai Green Chicken Curry, Stir-Fried Shredded Duck, and Szechuan-style Chilli Beef.

For a taste of Indonesian flavour, we recommend Zen’s Signature Dish, which features deep-fried sliced monkfish tails flavoured with Zen sweetened grapefruit tangyang sauce, or their Coconscious Curry, a plant-based curry filled with assorted vegetables served in a coconut and creamy curry sauce with pineapple and sliced tofu.

Last but certainly not least, one incredible spot you can’t miss when it comes to finding delicious Indonesian food in Belfast is Jumon. This fully vegetarian restaurant is hidden away on Fountain Street in the heart of Belfast City Centre, making it a true hidden gem that is loved among those in the know.

With as much creativity and flair put into every dish as is put into the restaurant’s overall decor, diners are treated to a true all-round Asian dining experience here. Making use of the freshest ingredients, Indonesian flavours pepper the menu here with dishes such as their Sayur Lodeh, a jackfruit curry with tofu, zucchini, eggplant, pickle lychee, salsa verde, and brown rice. We also highly recommend their flavourful Hungley, a malayoo peanut curry served with ramen noodles, lentils, Asian greens, mushrooms, and pickled pineapple.