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For the
Foodies!
Our national dish,
ambuyat
, is a traditional
dish derived from the interior of sago trees.
Known for its sticky and rubbery texture,
ambuyat is commonly eaten with a cacah
(dipping sauce) and candas (they’re like
chopsticks but joined at one end). If you ask
a local where to eat ambuyat, chances are
they’ll say Aminah Arif Restaurant. So be
sure to check it out!
Nasi katok
is Bruneians’ number one
comfort food, made up of just white rice,
fried chicken, and sambal. It’s a simple dish
but with the right sambal and super crispy
chicken, it’s hard not to keep coming back to
it–especially with just a price tag of BND1.50
at most places. Popular spots include Nasi
Katok Lily, Nasi Katok Kaka, Nasi Katok
Mama, Nasi Katok Mabohai and Tom Yum
(Cha-Roen-Sap).
Bruneian traditional food is commonly
sold at food stalls, restaurants and even
supermarkets.
Pulut panggang
, considered
a speciality of Tutong, is rice rolls usually
filled with dried shrimp or beef, grilled to
perfection in banana leaves. Drop by Mei
Fang Café early in the morning because
their pulut panggang sells out fast.
Popular choices for teatime include
kelupis
,
the steamed counterpart of pulut panggang,
alongwith
cucur pisang, penyaram, karipap
and
popiah
. For those with a sweet tooth,
kueh mor
is a household favourite and
often served at Hari Raya gatherings.
Other traditional sweet treats include
pipis,
lenggang, tapai, seri muka, kueh pancut,
selurut, wajid, bahulu
and
kuih cincin
. All
of these are widely available at Sumbangsih
Mulia Food Court, plus a whole lot of meal
selections.
Street food in Brunei is synonymous
with Gadong Night Market, where you’ll
find all the must-tries like
satay, cendol,
freshly grilled fish and chicken wings,
kebab, roti john
and
lekor
under one roof.
Arguably THE go-to spot for foodhunting.
Visitors looking for sweet healthy treats
can enjoy seasonal tropical fruits such
as
papaya
,
mangosteen, rambutan,
kembayau
and
tarap
at Tamu Kianggeh.
Last but definitely not least–
durian
is a
bit of an acquired taste partly due to its
strong smell, but if you can get past that,
do give it a try. You’ll either love it or hate
it but either way, it’s part of the Bruneian
food adventure.
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BORNEO BULLETIN YEARBOOK 2026