Shops and street vendors along the 422-meter-long street offer an extensive choice of foods at night and day, both for office workers of nearby Jl. MH Thamrin and food enthusiasts. People can find all kinds of food there, from light pempek (fish cake) and martabak (sweet or savory stuffed pancake) to satay, fried rice, noodles and seafood.

The road is also home to several iconic spots, such as the Duta Suara record store where people can find vinyl records; Sakura Anpan, one of the oldest bakeries in town, having opened in 1978; famous biscuit store Khong Guan store; and some old photo studios that still develop film in darkrooms. Hotels and money changers can also be found as foreign tourists often visit the area.

Read also: Jakpost guide to Jl. Sabang

With constant crowds, the road has little room for pedestrians. Its sidewalks are packed with parked vehicles and street vendors. Salsabila, 26, an office employee who often goes to the area for lunch and dinner, said she regretted that Jl. Sabang was not pedestrian-friendly, as many frequented the street by foot from their offices.

“It’s impossible for us to walk on the road next to others. We have to walk single file,” she said, adding that the food offered in the area varied and was affordable and tasty.

A recent study conducted by the Indonesian Institute for Transportation and Development (ITDP) shows a high number of pedestrians walk through Jl. Sabang. It is estimated that, every hour, 7,366 people pass the street on the weekends.

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