Halal and non-halal culinary identity in Pangururan’s linguistic landscape: sustainable tourism in Lake Toba

Tourism development in Lake Toba has influenced not only infrastructure and visitor services but also the culinary environment of surrounding destinations such as Pangururan District. However, previous linguistic landscape studies have mostly focused on multilingual communication, with limited attention to halal and non-halal culinary identity in tourism spaces. This study aims to examine the culinary linguistic landscape of Pangururan and its implications for sustainable tourism in Lake Toba. Employing a qualitative linguistic landscape approach, this research used photographic documentation of restaurant signs, banners, and other culinary signage, which were read through a geosemiotic and critical lens. The data were analyzed based on language choice, culinary identity, and religious markers. The findings show that Batak non-halal cuisine remains strongly visible, indicating the persistence of local culinary heritage, while the increasing presence of halal, Padang, Chinese, Javanese, and other restaurants reflects adaptation to Muslim tourist needs and increasing culinary diversity. Some Batak restaurants offer halal-certified Batak dishes, demonstrating that Batak culinary identity and halal dietary requirements are not mutually exclusive. This study shows that restaurant signage functions not only as commercial communication but also as a marker of identity and tourism transformation. Despite halal labelling, some Muslim visitors remain cautious about food provenance, implying a need for clearer halal certification and government-led culinary zoning.