Wayan, Spring Street

There are plenty of places I could have picked on Spring Street in Nolita, and after going in and out of a bunch of restaurants, I picked Wayan. It was an amazing surprise after living here a gazillion years. I walked in without expectations. I didn’t realize how much buzz surrounds this modern Indonesian restaurant in NYC, or that it had earned a Michelin recommendation the year before. It was raining and I was hungry!

What I got was one of those meals that resets your whole mood. My taste buds had the time of their lives. I ordered the spring rolls, the fish, the bakwan jagung (corn fritter), and every single dish delivered. I’m rating it ten-plus stars, and I will absolutely be back. That corn fritter alone is worth the twenty-minute subway ride from wherever you’re starting—I’d make that trip again just for that one dish.

The Backstory: Chef Cédric Vongerichten’s Indonesian Vision

Wayan comes from chef Cédric Vongerichten, son of legendary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who grew up literally in his father’s kitchens—first at Lafayette in New York, then training across some of the world’s most demanding restaurants, including stints in London, Hong Kong, and at El Bulli in Barcelona. He’s spent his career building toward exactly this kind of restaurant: an upscale, Western-influenced reinterpretation of Indonesian flavors rather than a traditional Indonesian menu. That distinction matters, and it comes up again and again in how people talk about this place.

What Other Diners Say: Menu Highlights & Bali Vibes

The consensus among reviewers and NYC food critics is that Wayan is less a straightforward Indonesian restaurant and more a stylish, Bali-inflected take on the cuisine, closer in spirit to what one well-known food critic dubbed an “Asian party temple” than to an authentic warung experience. Diners familiar with Indonesian food note that dishes here are elevated and reimagined rather than traditional, and several reviewers who grew up eating this cuisine suggest treating Wayan as its own creative category rather than a benchmark for authenticity.

That reframing doesn’t stop anyone from loving the food, though.

Highlighted Dishes & Menu Standouts

Lobster Noodles: Comes up repeatedly as a standout—rich, generously portioned, and one of the most-praised dishes on the menu, even from diners who found them a touch oily.
The Corn Fritters: Gets consistent love too, often described as heavier and more indulgent than a traditional version, but no less craveable for it.
Other Favorites: Reviewers point to the lobster pad Thai, the scallop satay, and the beef as reliable standouts, with several noting the portions run smaller but keep you wanting more.
Pandan Custard: Shows up as a dessert favorite worth returning for on its own—a fitting example of how Wayan takes familiar Southeast Asian flavors and pushes them somewhere new.

Atmosphere & Cocktails

The room itself gets high marks across the board—think hanging plants, a warm, “welcome to Bali” energy, and a staff that’s consistently described as attentive and well-trained, even if not necessarily steeped in Indonesian culinary tradition. The cocktail program earns its own praise, with inventive infusions (the avocado cocktail is a recurring topic of conversation, for better or worse) that reviewers say are worth ordering over the wine list.

The Verdict: Is Wayan Worth It?

Whether you come in knowing exactly what to expect or, like me, walk in blind, Wayan delivers a genuinely memorable NYC dining meal. Go in ready for a modern, upscale spin on Indonesian flavors rather than the traditional version—and order the corn fritter no matter what else you get. I can’t wait to go back!!