What Is Gudeg Mercon? Discover Yogyakarta’s Spicy Culinary Icon

3rd August, 2025

Gudeg is sweet…
I’m just not a fan of sweet rice dishes…

I understand…
Sweet rice dishes can be a bit of an acquired taste…

For people like you, I recommend trying the spicy Gudeg, Gudeg Mercon. It’s incredibly delicious, so you should definitely give it a try!

Gudeg Mercon??
I’m intrigued!

In this article, I will introduce the local Yogyakarta dish, Gudeg Mercon.

Spicy Gudeg? What is “Gudeg Mercon”

Gudeg Mercon gets its name from the word “Mercon,” which means firecracker, due to its spicy flavor.

The ingredients are the same as regular Gudeg, with a less sweet Gudeg made from stewed jackfruit (Nangka), to which you can add your favorite toppings such as egg, tempeh, tofu, Krecek (boiled beef skin crackers), and chicken.

Krecek is highly recommended. The Krecek, which has absorbed the delicious Gudeg broth from each shop, pairs extremely well with rice, making it hard to stop eating.

Recommended Stalls & Restaurants

Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk

Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk is a long-established Gudeg stall founded in 1984.
The characteristic of the Gudeg here is that it’s served with more sauce than usual. This sauce is also incredibly delicious.

It’s located in the city of Yogyakarta, making it relatively easy to get to, but
one thing to note is that its opening hours are from 11 PM to 5 AM.

Gudeg Mercon Gudeg | Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk

Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 11:00 PM – 5:00 AM

By the way, it’s rare in Indonesia for a street stall to have a long line every day.

There’s a line before it even opens, and it’s very popular with students looking for a late-night meal.

The queue | Gudeg Bromo Bu Tekluk Gudeg Yogyakarta

You can add more chili to make it even spicier, so spice lovers should definitely give it a try.

Here’s what ordering looks like.

Gudeg Mercon Bu Tinah

Gudeg Mercon Bu Tinah is a long-established Gudeg stall founded in 1992. Due to its spicy flavor, it is called Gudeg Mercon, using the word “Mercon” which means firecracker.

Like typical Gudeg, Bu Tinah’s Gudeg includes rice, jackfruit Gudeg, vegetables, tempeh, and krecek.
What makes it different is the spicy flavor of the krecek and vegetables. From the first bite, you get a powerful kick of that spicy taste.

Opening Hours: 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Address: Jl. Asem Gede No.8, Cokrodiningratan, Kec. Jetis, Yogyakarta City, Yogyakarta Special Region 55233.

Gudeg Mercon Mbak Yuni

This Gudeg Mercon stall opens at a relatively early 6:30 PM compared to other places.

Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 6:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Gudeg Mercon Mbak Yuni — Source: Google Maps

Gudeg Mercon Mbak Yuni dish — Source: Google Maps

It’s also located near Tugu, a landmark of Yogyakarta, making it a very accessible shop.

Finally

Thank you for reading to the end.

What did you think of Gudeg Mercon?

Yes! I’m very curious!
I had regular Gudeg last time, but I didn’t really like it…
I’ll try this next time!

This blog focuses on tourist information for Yogyakarta, as well as articles on life in Indonesia and learning the Indonesian language.

Please be sure to check out our other articles as well.

References & Articles

Dinas Pariwisata Daerah Istimewa…

Lezatnya Gudeg Mercon Bu Tinah Jadi Buruan Pecinta Pedas – Dinas Pariwisata Daerah Istimewa Yogyakar… Lezatnya Gudeg Mercon Bu Tinah Jadi Buruan Pecinta Pedas Jogjakarta, sangat khas dengan kulinernya yaitu gudeg. Sangat banyak tempat makan yang menjajakan makan…