About us

About Jajanan

A little piece of Indonesia in Groningen

Jajanan is a halal Indonesian street food restaurant run by Ali Syariati and Liany Septiany. More than a place to eat, we want it to feel like a warm, welcoming home for anyone who misses Indonesia, and for everyone curious to taste it.

The Jajanan team in front of the restaurant on the corner of Jan Lutmastraat in Groningen

Our story

From a weekend pop-up to a home on Jan Lutmastraat

2022

Jajanan is born

At the end of 2022, Ali and Liany registered Jajanan with one dream: to bring the Indonesian abang jajanan, the friendly street vendor with his cart of snacks and noodles, to the Netherlands.
2023

Our first pop-up on Carolieweg

We opened our first pop-up store on Carolieweg in the city centre, only on weekends. A small team, a big pot of bakso and a lot of hope. The response from Groningen was more than we ever expected.

Our first crew at the Carolieweg pop-up.
2025

A place of our own

We took over our own restaurant at Jan Lutmastraat 31, just north of the city centre near the Noorderplantsoen. Today we are open six days a week for dine-in, take-away and delivery.

The people behind Jajanan

Meet Ali and Liany

Jajanan is a family business. Ali and Liany are husband and wife, and you will often find them in the kitchen themselves, cooking the recipes they grew up with.

Liany Septiany

Co-founder. The heart of the kitchen, making sure every bowl tastes like home.

Ali Syariati

Co-founder. Builds Jajanan into a place where people feel welcome.

“Together with my wife, I built Jajanan. For us, Jajanan is more than a restaurant: it is our vision of a welcoming home for Indonesian students, expats and the Indonesian community in Groningen, where people can connect, share the experience and help each other while living abroad.”
Ali Syariati, co-founder

A home away from home

Run by students, with a lot of heart

Almost everyone who works at Jajanan is a part-time student, many of them Indonesian and far from home themselves. That is on purpose. It keeps our restaurant young, warm and full of energy, and it gives students a place to belong while they study abroad.

Come in for a bowl of Mie Ayam and you will hear Bahasa Indonesia, Dutch and English across the counter, and probably someone laughing in the kitchen.

What jajanan means

Snacks, any time of day

Jajanan is Bahasa Indonesia for snacks: the little treats you buy from street stalls on the way home. That is the feeling we want to share. Drop by for lunch, an afternoon Cireng, or a full plate of Nasi Rames for dinner.

100% halalHomemade recipesVegetarian options

Indonesian hospitality

Say hello to Mang Jaja

Mang Jaja is our mascot: a cheerful street vendor in a bucket hat, with a checked towel over his shoulder and a steaming bowl in his hands. He stands for what Indonesians call keramahan, the warm hospitality that makes every guest feel like family.

Every plate we serve should feel like Mang Jaja handed it to you himself: friendly, generous and made with care.