A Dutch colonial feast format presenting 15-30 small Indonesian dishes alongside steamed rice: rendang, gado-gado, satay, tempeh, and sambal arranged on the table simultaneously.

Where to eat Rijsttafel in Rotterdam

3 editor picks for Rijsttafel in Rotterdam, ranked by editorial score. All Rotterdam signature dishes · Rijsttafel across every city.

  • Warung Mini

    Order Roti met kip (chicken roti) and the daily pom if it is still available before noon.

    A Rotterdam Surinamese institution since 1982 on Pannekoekstraat, serving pom casserole, roti wraps, saoto soup, and bakabana at prices unchanged for decades.

    DetailsDirections

  • Dewi Sri

    Order The full Javanese rijsttafel with extra sate ajam.

    A long-running Indonesian rijsttafel address in Hillegersberg, open since 1995, with a garden terrace and a kitchen that balances classic Javanese stews.

    DetailsDirections

  • New Kampong Kita

    Order Rijsttafel for two and the satay ayam.

    An Indonesian warung on Gouvernestraat serving rijsttafel, gado-gado, and babi pangang.

    DetailsDirections

Book food experiences in Rotterdam

See all 453 food experiences in Rotterdam

Make it at home

Serves 63 hrAdvanced

Ingredients

  • Steamed jasmine rice: 500g, plus saffron rice (nasi kuning): 300g with turmeric and coconut milk
  • Beef rendang: 600g brisket, 400ml coconut milk, 4 tbsp rendang paste, 2 lemongrass stalks
  • Chicken satay: 500g chicken thigh, 12 skewers, 2 tbsp ketjap manis, peanut sauce to serve
  • Sayur lodeh: mixed vegetables in coconut milk with galangal and salam leaf
  • Sambal goreng tempeh: 250g tempeh, kecap manis, sambal oelek, palm sugar
  • Gado-gado: blanched spinach, beansprouts, green beans, boiled egg, peanut sauce
  • Acar timun (cucumber pickle), kroepoek (prawn crackers)
  • Sambal oelek and sambal badjak on the side

Method

  1. Start the rendang 3 hours ahead: brown beef, simmer in coconut milk and paste until liquid evaporates and meat darkens, about 2.5 hours.
  2. Marinate satay chicken in ketjap manis, garlic, and coriander for 1 hour. Grill on skewers over charcoal or a hot griddle 6 minutes.
  3. Cook saffron rice in coconut milk with turmeric, lemongrass, and salam leaf; steam jasmine rice plain.
  4. Fry tempeh cubes until crisp, then glaze with kecap manis, sambal, and palm sugar 3 minutes.
  5. Blanch gado-gado vegetables briefly; cool in iced water and pat dry.
  6. Heat the sayur lodeh just before serving; it should be a thin coconut curry, not stewed.
  7. Plate every dish in its own small bowl. Set both rices in the centre, place sambal and pickle within reach of every diner.
  8. Serve all dishes simultaneously, never in courses; that is what makes it a rijsttafel.

Editor tip. A real rijsttafel is logistics; cook the rendang the day before, prep all sauces in the morning, and only stir-fry-and-finish dishes in the final hour.