Mandalika Street Food Festival Showcases Lombok’s Culinary Heritage

RRI.CO.ID, Central Lombok - The Mandalika Street Food Festival has opened with a three-day culinary showcase, bringing Lombok’s legendary flavors and creative products into the spotlight of the Special Economic Zone’s (SEZ) growing tourism ecosystem.

Running from July 10 to 12, 2026, the open-air festival takes place across two lifestyle hubs in the resort zone: the Mandalika Bazaar Area and the Kuta Lane pedestrian corridor.

Visitors are treated to a curated lineup of 24 culinary and restaurant tenants, eight local coffee shops and roasteries, and five artisanal craft and textile (wastra) micro-businesses, all operated by entrepreneurs from across Lombok Island.

The festival highlights iconic dishes such as Ayam Taliwang, Sate Rembiga, Sate Bulayak served with rice cakes, Sate Tanjung, and the shredded-chicken staple Nasi Balap, as well as traditional market snacks. Coffee tastings from local roasteries add to the experience, reflecting Lombok’s creative ecosystem.

InJourney Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the organizer, said the festival is designed to enrich the visitor experience at The Mandalika.

“Holding this event is part of ITDC’s efforts to provide an increasingly diverse tourist experience for the public and tourists visiting The Mandalika,” ITDC Operations Director Troy Warokka said in Central Lombok on Friday, July 10, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Troy emphasized that ITDC wants major sports and entertainment events in the enclave to have strong cultural anchors. The festival is strategically timed to welcome thousands of participants arriving for the Lombok 2026 running event, as well as holidaymakers exploring the island’s lifestyle attractions.

“The full involvement of local tenants proves ITDC’s commitment to promoting culinary arts, creative products, and the local economy to tourists visiting The Mandalika,” Troy added.

West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Tourism Agency head Ahmad Nur Aulia praised the initiative, noting that it provides a structured market space for rural micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“This activity is not only an event to enjoy Lombok’s unique culinary arts but also a space for MSME players to introduce their best products to tourists from various regions and abroad,” Aulia said.

He welcomed the initiative for converting global tourism traffic into immediate economic benefits for the regency, adding, “We hope festivals like this can continue sustainably and become an eagerly anticipated annual agenda.” ***