Bakpia Pathok: Special Souvenir Food from Jogja

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Hello to you. How is it going.
When people think of Indonesia, Bali usually steals the spotlight. But hidden on the island of Java lies Jogjakarta (also spelled Yogyakarta), a city bursting with tradition, creativity, and cultural soul. Known as the heart of Javanese culture, Jogjakarta is where ancient temples, royal palaces, and batik artistry meet a vibrant, modern community. Today, I’m not going to talk about the historical remains of Jogjakarta, but rather about one of its beloved traditional street foods called Bakpia. The story begins… Bakpia Pathok is a small, round pastry with a soft, flaky outer skin and a sweet filling, most commonly made from mung bean paste (kacang hijau). Over the years, modern varieties have introduced other delicious flavors like chocolate, cheese, durian, green tea, and many more. The word “Pathok” comes from a neighborhood in Jogjakarta called Kampung Pathok (near Malioboro). This is where the original Bakpia production began in the 1940s. Today, dozens of bakpia shops around the area proudly carry the name Bakpia Pathok + number (like Bakpia Pathok 25, 75, 145, etc.) to represent their own version of the snack. .

“Bakpia Pathok is similar to a pie from a foreign perspective, but not exactly the same.Bakpia Pathok is like a small, round Asian pastry that’s a bit like a mini pie or mooncake. It has a soft outer skin and a sweet filling—traditionally mung bean paste, though now it comes in modern flavors like chocolate and cheese.”

Bakpia Pathok: A Must-Have Souvenir from Jogja Bakpia Pathok is one of the most popular oleh-oleh (souvenirs) from Jogjakarta. Visitors often buy boxes of it to take home for friends and family. It’s affordable, neatly packaged, and represents a sweet piece of Javanese culture. Jogjakarta itself is home to the famous Borobudur and Prambanan temples two UNESCO World Heritage Sites that attract visitors from around the world. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, while Prambanan is a stunning complex of Hindu temples, each one rich with centuries-old stories. But Jogja is more than just its ancient monuments. Let me share a little bit from my own travel journey to Jogjakarta a few years ago—and yes, I was lucky to bring home the legendary Bakpia! I returned from a short 2-day holiday in Jogjakarta (February 17–19, 2015) and had already planned to bring home some souvenirs to my hometown of Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan. After indulging in delicious food and shopping along Malioboro plus a fun culinary adventure enjoying sego kucing with family it was time to hunt for Jogja’s iconic treat: Bakpia Pathok 25.
Since I’ve visited Jogjakarta several times before, it wasn’t hard to find the Bakpia Pathok center, located at AIP II KS Tubun NG I/50. On February 19, before catching my 16:45 Sriwijaya Nam Air flight back to Pontianak, I made sure to stop by and pick up some authentic Jogja snacks from the official Bakpia center. Of course, there are many places in Jogja that sell Bakpia—like Pasar Pathok, Kembang Jaya (not Pasar Kembang!), Bandara Jaya, and even several unofficial sellers. But I went straight to the source at KS Tubun. Bakpia Pathok 25 remains the most sought-after, both by local and international tourists. Flavor options include Cheese, Chocolate, Pineapple, Mung Bean, and Durian. At the time, they had just introduced two new variants: Purple Sweet Potato and Crispy though I haven’t tried those yet! The price back then was still Rp. 35,000 per box of 20 pieces. A fair deal for a box of sweet memories. Below are the photos

I took a local taxi from my hotel near Malioboro to Bakpia Pathok 25 in the AIP II KS Tubun NG I/50 area. Photo by Asep Haryono.

This is the center of the famous Bakpia Pathok 25. I bought just four boxes to take home and snapped a quick photo of the storefront first. Photo by Asep Haryono.

A variety of Bakpia Pathok 25 flavors are neatly arranged, pleasing to the eye and tempting tourists to buy them right away. So many delicious options to choose from! Photo by Asep Haryono.

Besides their famous Bakpia Pathok 25, the center at AIP II KS Tubun NG I/50 also offers a variety of other snacks and traditional market cakes. Photo by Asep Haryono.

There are two new flavors of Bakpia Pathok 25: Durian and Crispy. All Bakpia Pathok 25 come neatly packaged in boxes featuring the distinctive Bakpia Pathok 25 Djogja logo. Photo by Asep Haryono.

When I arrived at the Bakpia Pathok store, I immediately grabbed a shopping basket—just like someone planning to buy in bulk! But in reality, I only picked up 4 (four) boxes of Bakpia Pathok 25 in my favorite flavors: Cheese, Chocolate, Green Bean, and Pineapple. I was especially happy to see the Chocolate variant, as it's been one of my top snack choices for the past few months. According to the receipt, “PIA K/C/N 15” stands for Bakpia Pathok with Cheese, Chocolate, and Pineapple flavors, while “PIA KC IJO 15” indicates the Green Bean flavor. I made this purchase on February 19, 2015 definitely one for the memory books! Here’s a tip for anyone planning to buy Bakpia Pathok in Jogja: be cautious about where you shop. A helpful taxi driver once told me that several unofficial vendors around Malioboro sell at higher or inconsistent prices. To avoid disappointment, I recommend going straight to the official Bakpia Pathok 25 center at KS Tubun. Better safe than sorry! Have you ever tried Bakpia Pathok before? If yes, what’s your favorite flavor? If not, would you love to try it on your next visit to Jogjakarta? Share your thoughts in the comments below!