Long Weekend: Blok M Swamped with Visitors Hunting for Viral Food and Cassette Tapes
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Visitors were seen hunting for culinary delights in Blok M, South Jakarta, during the Ascension of Jesus Christ long weekend on Sunday (17 May 2026).
Based on Kompas.com’s observation at the location at 12:00 PM, this hub of activity in South Jakarta was swarming with people.
The closer it got to lunchtime, the more lively and bustling the atmosphere became.
Footsteps in the pedestrian area were immediately met with long queues in front of aesthetic stalls such as “O DONUT” with its iconic “Fresh Donut Daily” sign, as well as “House of Ninette” and “Hoomie Dough,” which lined the sidewalk.
The culinary area was crowded with visitors preparing to fill their stomachs with hearty meals.
The clinking sounds of spoons and forks against porcelain plates could be heard echoing, mingling with the chatter of hundreds of people.
From the smoke billowing from the kitchens, one could smell the fragrant aroma of fried rice being stir-fried in a large pan, the savory scent of fried chicken, the rich broth of oxtail soup steaming hot, and the enticing aroma of grilled steak.
In another corner, several stalls selling sweet snacks such as chewy Japanese mochi were also crowded with customers waiting in orderly queues.
Amidst the long queue snaking towards the entrance of the aesthetic cake shop, Amanda (24), a private sector employee from West Jakarta, was seen busy fanning herself with a paper brochure.
Occasionally, she glanced at her watch, counting the time wasted on the sidewalk.
The reality on the ground forced her to reluctantly stand in line at the very back, almost touching the decorative plants that bordered the road.
“I thought it wouldn’t be too crowded when I arrived around 11:00 AM because it wasn’t lunchtime yet, but I was wrong. The queue was already very long,” Amanda told Kompas.com when interviewed on Sunday.
She endured the struggle of braving the scorching midday heat in order to satisfy her curiosity about the bread item that was currently trending on social media.