Warung

A warung (old spelling: waroeng or warong) is a type of small family-owned business — small retail, eatery, or café — in Indonesia. A warung is an essential part of daily life in Indonesia. Over time, the term warung has shifted somewhat — especially among foreign visitors, expatriates, and people abroad — to refer more specifically to a modest Indonesian eatery or a place that sells Indonesian retail items (mostly groceries or foodstuff). But for the majority of Indonesians, it still refers to a small, neighborhood convenience shop, often a front room or booth in a family's home.

There are tourist-serving establishments on the island of Bali and elsewhere that attach the term warung to their business to indicate their Indonesian nature. Traditionally, warung is indeed a family-owned business, run by the family members, mostly by women.

Traditional warungs are made from wood, bamboo, or woven thatch. More permanent warungs are stalls made from bricks and concrete, which are often family-owned businesses attached to their homes. Some smaller portable warungs are made from tin, zinc, or molded fiberglass in some modern versions. Warung tenda is a portable tent-based warung, covered with canvas, fabric, tarp, or plastic sheet tent for roofing.