Now that know all the things to do in Batam, it’s time to discover where to find the good food. Whether you’re looking for local flavours or missing Singapore food, A2 Food Court has over 30 cooked food stalls and a wet market. It’s an unsheltered hawker centre just beside Batam City Square (BCS) Mall, surrounded by food court stores, street stalls, and little kiosks. As the dinner crowd streamed in, most tables were taken by locals, making it hard to find empty seats.

Most stalls are halal-certified and I could easily spot Singaporean influences with food like chicken rice, frog porridge, and sio bak (roast pork). We tried seafood like He Po Telur Asin (Salted Egg Crayfish | 80,000 Rp ~S$8), and unique dishes like Siput Cabe Rawit (Chili Padi Snails | 55,000 Rp, ~S$5.50).

Lele Goreng (18,000 Rp, ~S$1.80) was interesting with a whole fried catfish served with fried tofu, crispy fried bits, chicken sausages, and half a lime. Tearing into the catfish revealed its many fine bones, and bites of its seasoned flesh were moist. A chilli dip made with shrimp paste and finely chopped jalapenos was served on the side and I enjoyed its fiery flavour with the tofu.

Address: Jl. Bunga Mawar, Batu Selicin, Lubuk Baja, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29444, Indonesia
Opening hours: Daily 24/7, but advised to go after 4pm