Trying Mbah Satinem’s Lupis (Jajan Pasar) (from Netflix’s Street Food)
I first heard about Mbah Satinem and her famous jajan pasar after watching Netflix’s Street Food in the lead-up to my trip to Indonesia, and there was no way I wasn’t going to visit her stall to try this brightly coloured delicacy for myself.
No matter how early I had to wake up.
If I was going to fly 17 hours across the world, then I wanted to see what was so special about this tiny street food stall that it received international recognition!
So, one morning during my time in Yogyakarta, I dragged one of my friends out of bed at 5am to make our way to her street food spot.
Yes, 5am…
Our other friend stayed in bed, sound asleep. But I regret nothing – she missed out.
Mbah Satinem only sells her food in the early hours, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
By the time we arrived just after sunrise, there was a small but steady queue forming.
Locals stood patiently alongside visitors clutching phones and cameras, all waiting for the same thing.
Despite her Netflix fame, there was nothing flashy about the setup – Mbah Satinem was sat on the floor surrounded by bowls, banana leaves, and the sweet smell of warm sugar.
She was sat quietly, confidently, assisted by two younger women, her hands clearly accustomed to this routine after decades of repetition.
Seeing Mbah Satinem in the flesh is definitely one of my most memorable travel moments to date.
I can still see her cutting the lupis with string tied tightly around her finger – this looked painful, to be honest, but I guess she must be used to it by now!
There was no rush, no fuss – just a woman deeply practised in her craft. Watching her work felt grounding, especially knowing that this same process had earned her recognition far beyond Indonesia.
Mbah Satinem is famous for selling a traditional Javanese food called jajan pasar.
Her speciality is Lupis: steamed glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves, topped with freshly grated coconut and drenched in sthick, molten palm sugar syrup.
The first bite made it obvious why people are going crazy for this street food stall.
The rice was soft and chewy, and the palm sugar rich and warming.
We also tried cenil, a chewy tapioca starch jelly in different shades of pink. They look a little like gummy worms, but are much tastier.
What I loved most was how normal everything felt.
Yes, lots of people were there because of Netflix (myself included!), but locals continued to stop by on their way to work, chatting briefly before heading off with breakfast in hand.
There was no sense that this was a performance for tourists. It was simply daily life, continuing as it always had.
Sitting there with my friend, extremely sleep deprived and very pleased with our decision to wake up early, it felt genuinely special to support a local woman whose years of hard work had finally been recognised on a global stage.
Food like this carries history, patience, and care – and it was well worth the early alarm.
Practical details
- Location: Lupis Mbah Satinem is located in Yogyakarta, usually set up near Jalan Bumijo (exact spot can shift slightly).
- Opening hours: Around 5am – 7am, but it can sell out earlier, so my advice is to go as early as you can!
- How to get there: Walk, or a short Grab or Gojek ride from central Yogyakarta is easiest.
- Price: Very affordable – just 10k rupiah per portion (less than 50p…).
- Tip: Bring small cash (and patience), and eat it right away on the roadside (it may harden later!).
If you’re planning a trip to Yogyakarta and love food with a story behind it, this is absolutely worth adding to your Indonesia itinerary.
If you’re looking for more things to do in Java, you may enjoy these posts:
- The Lucky Boomerang Bookshop in Yogyakarta
- Things to Know Before Visiting Borobudur
- Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan
- Things to Know Before Hiking Mount Ijen
Or if you’re heading to Bali next, you may find these posts about Ubud helpful:
