Kesawan Square: The Best Nighttime Hawker Center in Medan

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In Medan, they usually close down some streets when the sun sets. But this is not because there is nothing to do. Rather, it is because they allow the locals to socialize, mingle and have a fun time right on the streets. One example of a place where this happens is the Kesawan Square, which is one of the most crowded places in Medan during night. Opened in 2002, it is a place where you can enjoy open-air dining with the numerous stalls selling Western, Chinese and Indonesian foods. What is unique with this place is that during daytime, it is a busy street called Jalan Ahmad Yani, one of the important city thoroughfares. However, when the sun sets, this main road is closed to traffic and turned into a long street food court selling wide varieties of local fare.

During daytime, Jalan Ahmad Yani is very crowded and dense due to the vehicles but as the sky turns dark, the vehicles are replaced with carts and food vendor’s tables. Open only from 6pm until 1am daily, this is the best time to enjoy the night as you walk freely along this 800-meter street starting from north until south. In Kesawan Square, you can eat kosher foods and non-halal marked foods. In fact, most vendors specify ‘halal’ and ‘non-halal’ labels on their food stand. Chairs are also classified with color blue chairs for Moslems and red for non-Moslems. While the food is quite expensive compared to food outside, this is the perfect place for people to relax and enjoy their meals while spending time together with friends. This place is much busier during weekends, particularly during Friday and Saturday nights. Besides food, there are several large karaoke screen and other stalls selling different items.

Before being turned into an ‘al fresco’ dining place in Medan, Kesawan Square has been popular for many years as the biggest commercial center in the city. Many ethnic groups gathered in this place, ranging from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Javanese and Batak. Amongst the famous old buildings that still stand tall until this modern day include Tjong A Fie’s residence which is a former lieutenant and known as the wealthiest man in Medan and the House London Sumatra owned by a group of the famous Harrison & Crossfield Plc London. Other buildings include the office of Nederlandsch Indische Escompto Maatschappijan, Southeast Asia Bank, Lloyd Jakarta Building, formerly Netherlands Shipping Company and Modern Bank. Moreover, Tip Top Café, a famous restaurant known for its unique dishes that started way back during Dutch colonization. The food here has an interesting taste: you can get things such as the bitter ballen and the ox-tongue sandwich. The best part of this place is that you can view the entirety of Kesawan Square from its verandah.

To feel the spirit of Medan history once in a while, probably, the best place one should visit is the Kesawan Square with the ancient buildings along the street of Ahmad Yani, Puti Hijau and Balai Kota Street. These three streets in fact are important corridors, considered the heart of Medan City, reflecting its glorious past.