Warung Facts for Kids

A village warung in Garut, West Java, Indonesia.

A warung is a small, family-run shop or restaurant found mostly in Indonesia. You can also find them in Malaysia and Suriname. Warungs are a very important part of daily life for many Indonesians.

Over time, the word warung has changed a bit. For visitors, it often means a simple Indonesian place to eat. It can also mean a shop that sells food or groceries. But for most Indonesians, a warung is a small, local shop. It's often set up in the front part of a family's home.

On popular islands like Bali, some businesses use the name warung. This shows that they offer Indonesian food or goods. Traditionally, family members run these businesses, often women. Warungs can be made from wood, bamboo, or even tents. Stronger ones are built with bricks. Some small, portable warungs are made from metal or fiberglass. A warung tenda is a portable tent warung. It uses canvas or plastic for its roof.

What Does "Warung" Mean?
Different Kinds of Warungs
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What Does "Warung" Mean?

A 19th century image of warung during colonial period

The word warung simply means a small business. This can be a small shop or a place to eat. It is used a lot in Java and most of Indonesia. In some parts of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, people might use the word kedai instead.

In areas with Javanese culture, like Yogyakarta, you might hear wedhangan or angkringan. These terms mean something similar to a warung. For bigger, more established shops, the word toko is used.

The term warung can also be used for other types of shops. For example, a wartel is short for warung telepon. This is like a manned phone booth. A warnet means warung internet, which is an Internet café.

Different Kinds of Warungs

There are many different types of warung. Some are small shops that sell drinks, candy, cigarettes, and snacks. They also sell things you need every day. Larger warungs are small restaurants.

A warung that sells food usually offers local dishes. You might find pisang goreng (banana fritters) or other kinds of gorengan (fried snacks). They also often sell nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles).

On islands like Bali and Lombok, a warung might be a cafe for tourists. These warungs sell local favorites. They also offer Asian or Western food. Their menus might include soups, steaks, fries, or grilled fish.

Here are some common types of warung:

Warung rokok is a very small street-side shop. It's often made from wood, bamboo, or tin. Most are only about 2 by 1 meters in size. They sell rokok (cigarettes), cold drinks, snacks, and daily items. It's like a tiny convenience store. These warungs are found everywhere, in neighborhoods and even between big buildings.
Warkop or warung kopi is a small, simple coffeeshop. It sells coffee and snacks like roasted peanuts and bread. Long ago, warung kopi were places for men to meet and share news. Today, many new cafes have opened. But the humble warung kopi is still a popular spot.
Warung nasi is a simple restaurant that sells nasi (rice) with other Indonesian dishes. Instead of separate tables, they often have a long communal bar and bench. Customers sit here to eat their meals.
Warteg or warung tegal is a special type of warung nasi. It's run by Javanese people from the city of Tegal. They sell popular Javanese dishes and rice. The pre-cooked food is displayed in a glass cabinet. Wartegs are known for their affordable meals. They are popular with working-class people in cities.
Warung padang is a small Padang restaurant. Like warung nasi, it often has a bar and bench for seating. It might offer fewer dishes than a larger Padang restaurant. Bigger Padang eateries are called rumah makan padang.
Warung jamu sells jamu. This is a traditional Indonesian herbal medicine.
Warnet or warung internet is an Internet café.
Wartel or warung telepon is a manned phone booth.

Often, warungs are named after the main food they sell. For example, a warung bubur kacang ijo sells bubur kacang hijau. A warung roti bakar sells grilled bread. A warung pecel lele sells fried catfish with sambal. A warung indomie sells cooked instant noodles, even if they are not always the Indomie brand.