The stretch of Jalan Gajah Mada between the city centre and the river comes alive after dark with food stalls setting up along the pavement. This is the best place in Pontianak to eat local food — the range is wide, the prices are very low, and you can assemble a meal by pointing and wandering between stalls.
Look for bubur pedas, the local spiced porridge made with rice, coconut milk, and a complex spice paste; and chai kwe, steamed or fried dumplings filled with turnip, taro, or dried shrimp. Sotong bakar (grilled squid) and ikan bakar (grilled fish) are usually available from the grill stalls at the southern end. Mie tiaw goreng — thick flat rice noodles fried with soy sauce, egg, and vegetables — is the Chinese-Indonesian dish most locals eat daily.
The stalls are busiest from around 6pm onward and most pack up by 11pm.