Pasar Gede is Solo's oldest and most architecturally notable market building — a large covered market designed by the Dutch architect Herman Thomas Karsten in 1930, with a distinctive dome-shaped entrance hall that mixes European and Javanese elements. The name means simply "Big Market" in Javanese.
The market specialises in fresh produce, street food, and local snacks. The dawet ayu stalls selling a sweet coconut milk drink with rice flour jelly are a Solo institution, and the market is one of the best places in the city to eat a cheap Javanese breakfast — nasi liwet, the local rice dish cooked in coconut milk and served with vegetables, egg, and spiced coconut flakes, is widely available here from early morning.