The meatball noodle soup every Indonesian grows up loving
Explore the Dish
Bakso is Indonesia’s wildly popular meatball noodle soup: springy beef meatballs in a clear, savoury broth with noodles, tofu, wontons and greens, finished with fried shallots, sweet soy and chilli sauce. You will hear the bakso cart before you see it — vendors tap a bowl to announce themselves.
Order it “komplit” (complete) and you get a mix of small and large meatballs, sometimes one stuffed with egg (bakso telur). Noodles can be yellow egg noodles, rice vermicelli, or both.
Bakso is the ultimate cheap, comforting street meal — eaten standing at a cart, at a roadside warung, or delivered piping hot. It crosses every part of Bali, loved by locals and kids alike.
Bakso descends from Chinese meatball traditions adapted with local beef and Indonesian seasonings. It became a nationwide street food and a cultural icon — even name-checked by world leaders as a favourite Indonesian dish.
Roving bakso carts
📍 Island-wide
The classic experience — flag down a cart in any neighbourhood. Look for a queue.
Warungs near Pasar Badung
📍 Denpasar
Busy bakso stalls around the central market, generous and cheap.
Bakso chains & food courts
📍 Kuta / Denpasar
Sit-down bakso outlets with clean kitchens and English menus for nervous first-timers.
| Venue Type | IDR | USD (approx.) | INR (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street cart / warung | 12,000–28,000 IDR | $0.8–$1.8 | ₹65–₹155 |
| Local warung (sit-down) | 33,000–50,000 IDR | $2.1–$3.1 | ₹185–₹280 |
| Mid-range restaurant | 56,000–89,000 IDR | $3.5–$5.6 | ₹310–₹495 |
| Hotel / tourist restaurant | 98,000–168,000 IDR | $6.1–$10.5 | ₹545–₹935 |
A few stalls make tofu or vegetable bakso, but classic bakso is beef. Vegetarians can ask for just noodles, broth, tofu and greens.
“Bakso tahu saja, tanpa daging” — just tofu bakso, no meatJain note: Balinese cooking uses garlic, shallots and shrimp paste (terasi) widely. Jain travellers should ask for dishes without onion, garlic and terasi — easiest at vegetarian warungs in Ubud.
Springy beef meatballs in a clear beef broth with noodles, tofu and greens. Some meatballs are stuffed with egg or made with tendon.
The broth is mild; you add chilli sauce or sambal to taste.
Classic bakso is beef. A few stalls do tofu/veg versions; otherwise ask for noodles, broth, tofu and greens without the meatballs.
Usually ₹70–₹150 from a cart or warung — one of Bali’s best-value meals.
Yes, when bought from a busy vendor — the broth is boiling and turnover is high.
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