Warung Vegetarian Somayoga — Restaurant in Depok

UPDATE: AUGUST 2, 2025

This is a follow-up to my previous reviews of Warung Vegetarian Somayoga. Three months ago, I had the Nasi Bakar two days in a row because it was that good — memorable, unbelievably delicious, and full of soul.

I returned recently, craving that same experience, and ordered the Nasi Bakar again. What I received wasn’t even close. The flavor was flat, the magic was gone. I finished it only because I knew it was nutritious, not because I enjoyed it.

The shift was so stark I began to wonder if the cook had changed and it turns out, I was right. The sisters who used to prepare the food are no longer there. As far as I’m concerned, the soul of the food has left the building.

PREVIOUS REVIEW This is Chef Bey reporting from the heart of Yogyakarta—where flavor met soul at Warung Vegetarian Soma Yoga. Let me tell you, the Nasi Bakar here isn’t just a dish—it’s a love letter wrapped in grilled banana leaf. The first bite stopped me mid-chew. The second? Had me plotting my return before I finished. Day two, I came back for a full encore—same dish, same divine experience.

Each element sang its own song: the crispy tempeh hit a perfect crunch note, the plant-based rendang melted with rich, earthy spice, and that grilled rice with toasted lemongrass? A revelation. The sambals danced—spicy, bright, unapologetically bold. The amazing savory Sate with that deeply grilled smoky flavor of full spectrum palate pleasing goodness.

This wasn’t just a meal. It was a gastronomic meditation, plated with care by humans who radiate kindness. Soma Yoga is not just my favorite warung in Yogyakarta—it’s a sacred stop on the flavor pilgrimage. Hands down, spoons up. I was blissed out and nourished.

I am a traveling plant-based chef specializing in food science and flavorology. Check out my other reviews on...

An amazing, rustic experience from start to finish. The place is easy to find, located slightly off a main road, and is well ventilated. It’s very windy inside to keep you naturally cool but there’s no airconditioning.

The nasi bakar was simply outstanding. Best tofu and tempeh I’ve had, seasoned very lightly and naturally. Finish your meal with the amazing wedang jahe (ginger tea).

Staff are courteous and service is great, but their understanding of English is poor. Point to what you want in the menu and you should be fine. Basic knowledge of Bahasa to order food will take...

The food they served were vegan versions of your typical Javanese foods so expect a lot of sweet notes in their dishes.

I would say of all the dishes we ordered their satay was the best, both the soya and mushroom version had perfectly absorbed the seasoning. I cannot say the same for their meatball soup which came out more chewy than I’d like probably too much flour.

My only complaint is that one dish we ordered, a tofu broccoli stir fry, despite taking the longest to prepare, came out missing the broccoli to the point the waitress had to return with broccoli on a...