Eat & Drink

Lombok's own Sasak cooking is fiery and fresh. Look out for ayam taliwang (grilled chicken with a chilli paste), plecing kangkung (water spinach with sambal tomat), sate rembiga (sweet, spicy beef satay) and nasi balap puyung. The best versions are in Mataram and in local warungs everywhere, usually for a few dollars.

In the visitor areas the choice is wide: beach seafood barbecues on the Gilis, coffee and smoothie-bowl cafés in Kuta and Gili Air, wood-fired pizza, Japanese, and a growing number of serious restaurants in Mandalika and Senggigi. Lombok is mostly Muslim, so alcohol is less widespread than in Bali outside tourist areas, and pork is uncommon. Every listing here shows its area on the map and its opening hours where we have them.