Pondok Mai Ceng'go

Pondok Mai Ceng'go takes its name from Manggarai, the language of west Flores, and its menu leans on Indonesian home cooking with plenty of fish and seafood. It is a big, open restaurant under a high roof, set among gardens on Jl. Alo Tanis, a little inland from the harbour on the way to the airport.

The space is well suited to families and groups, with long tables, both indoor and outdoor seating, and quick service. Locals and domestic tourists eat here as well as foreign visitors, which keeps the cooking honest and the prices fair. It rates 4.6 from almost 1,500 Google reviews.

Open daily from 09:00 to 22:00, so it also works for a late lunch on the day you fly in or out.

Try the grilled fish with sambal, or ask for Manggarai dishes using local red rice and vegetables. The garden setting and space between tables suit groups who want somewhere quieter than the main street. Taxis and ojek drivers all know the name, so it is easy to reach from any hotel in town.