View of historic bridge with local street food
- Jembatan Merah, Jl. Karet No.85
- Opens daily 6am-5pm
Red bridge
Originally this was a wooden drawbridge painted in a bright red colour, hence the name. The Red Bridge was one of Surabaya’s main landmarks as it connected the old European quarter on the west bank with Chinatown (pecinan) and the Arab Quarter (ampel), on the east bank of the Kali Mas canal.
The canal was constructed by the Dutch in the 18th century and was a game changer in the local trade as it allowed for the transport of goods from the large vessels docked in Surabaya harbour into the warehouses in town. The red bridge and connecting streets were naturally at the heart of commercial activity in those days.
Sop Buntut
Cross the bridge to find some food stalls with tables lined up along the riverbank, offering much-welcome shade and a nice view of the colonial buildings across the river.
Good place to try a Sop Buntut (oxtail soup), very popular among the locals, for its decent quality and cheap price (only Rp. 25.000). Depot Sari is another legendary place serving up an excellent Sop Buntut (Rp. 55.000). Depot Sari triggers childhood memories for many who grew up in Surabaya, serving an excellent oxtail soup since 1930! (Jl. Karet no. 112) opens daily from 7am to 5pm.