Tag Archives: espresso

Jakarta Coffee Trip: Kemang

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Jakarta may not move as fast as London, but it’s certainly not as chill or laid-back as Melbourne either. For me this city runs on a different kind of energy often chaotic, but in motion. Living in a fast-paced city like Jakarta, while working in a high-speed role like mine (in construction hehe), has taught me to see coffee as a pause button. A small ritual to slow things down, amidst the chaos.


After years of living in Jakarta since graduating from Bandung, Kemang remains one of my favourite places for a morning coffee. There’s something about its laid-back neighborhood vibe, which make its neighborhood feels homie. I also have quite some favourite coffee spots there, though sadly, some have already closed. Still, if you ever find yourself wandering around the Kemang area, here are a few coffee shops I’d recommend.


Goni Coffee
Serving coffee for more than a decade, Goni still happens to be one of my all-time favourites. It’s a small café with serious coffee, no gimmicks, just great coffee. Most of the customers are regulars who keep coming back for the quality. Years ago, they also made their own ginger beer, which was amazing, though sadly it’s no longer on the menu. I’ve been visiting this cafe regularly since I lived in Jakarta after Bandung. After I went back to from my study in London four years ago, this was the 1st coffee shop that I visited, and yeah the barista still remember me.

Good Flat White at Goni Coffee,
Jl. Kemang Timur No.65


Antipodean Coffee
Another Kemang legend that’s been around for more than ten years. It’s a great spot for brunch as well. Rumour has it the place is owned by a Kiwi, and their flat white is strong, bold, and satisfying. Their coffee is typically strong, plus they got a lot of menu as well. It’s a really good spot to hangout with friends.

Strong Flat White at Antipodean Kemang,
Jl. Kemang Selatan I


1/15 Coffee
Also already serving coffee for quite some time, 1/15 is known for its solid espresso-based drinks and seasonal single-origin offerings. The café has a simple, clean and minimalist design. If I visited this coffee shop my favorite is their flat white. 1/15 got a really smooth flat white.

Smooth Flat White at 1/15 Kemang,
Jl. Kemang Raya No.37


N.O.B Barnyard
Compared to the first three, this one is relatively new. The coffee is good, the pastries are great, but what really stands out is the ambience. They have a large backyard where vegetables are grown, so you can sip your coffee while staring at a veggie garden, perhaps contemplating life, or casually planning your retirement like me (kidding). They got cold brew as well, it’s really awesome to counter Jakarta heat during the day.

Nitro Cold Brew at N.O.B Barnyard,
Jl. Kemang Selatan 11 No.6


Omacoffee Brewers Kemang
One of the newer kids in the neighbourhood, Omacoffee has only been around for about a year. I’ve only visited this cafe several times, but it completely won me over. Both the filter coffee and espresso-based drinks were excellent. Their barista are friendly as well and I put this a new addition to my go to coffee shop list.

Filter Coffee at Omacoffee Brewers,
Jl. Benda Raya No.12C

Well, Jakarta’s coffee culture keeps expanding. Compared to years ago, there are now countless coffee shops popping up across the city, serving better coffee and showcasing local beans. My own taste has evolved too. I used to lean toward espresso-based drinks, but lately I’ve been exploring single-origin filter coffee, enjoying how each bean tells its own flavor and story.

Through coffee, I’ve had meaningful conversations with baristas and fellow coffee lovers. Beside that, I try to learn to appreciate the journey behind every single batch of beans: whether they come from West Java, Aceh, Rwanda, Ethiopia, or Honduras. They travel hundreds, sometimes thousands of kilometers, just to arrive in our cup.

It’s a simple reminder to be grateful for small things: like a good cup of coffee, enjoyed slowly. So, always be grateful and keep enjoying coffee, mates ☕

What a Cup of Coffee Taught Me About Life

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My coffee habit started when I was a teenager. Like most Indonesians, I used to enjoy my coffee sweet. While my mom and dad had their sweet kopi tubruk, I preferred mine with milk. Even through university life, I kept the same habit, savoring both the flavor and the caffeine effect. I think I really chased the caffeine dose back then, since it helped me cram for assignments. Like any typical engineering student, staying up late to finish projects was just part of my daily routine.

However, my coffee habit has also evolved with age. After graduated from the uni, I started enjoying coffee without sugar. Well, an espresso-based, mostly with milk. Most of my friends know I have just one go-to when it comes to espresso-based: a flat white. When I travel or have a day off, I love going coffee hopping, always ordering the classic flat white at different cafés. But after a few cups, it can feel a bit too heavy because of the milk. That’s why lately I prefer manual brews. Unlike espresso-based drinks, with manual brew I enjoy exploring single-origin beans and different brewing techniques

A Cup of Flat White in a Small Coffee Shop in Brighton, UK

I realized there are so many variables that can affect my favorite flat white: the beans, espresso extraction, milk, and the coffee-to-milk ratio. At first, I thought manual brew would be simpler, since it doesn’t involve milk as a variable. But I was completely wrong. Manual brew actually comes with even more variables: the beans, grind size, water (temperature and mineral content), coffee-to-water ratio, technique, and brewing time. What makes it special is the taste is never exactly the same and that’s the charm of it. It’s what keeps me coming back.

For me, coffee is not only about the taste and the caffeine kick, my coffee journey and its evolution have taught me lessons as well

Coffee has taught me to slow down and regain my balance in this fast-paced world. I believe that a good coffee is best enjoyed slowly. It allows me to savor the moment, and reflect. In a world that constantly demands speed and instant results, there’s something grounding about embracing slowness. Working in the construction field, an industry that is demanding and always prone to change, I find that a cup of coffee has become a constant in my life. It’s always be my anchor, a quiet ritual that hold me in the midst of transitions,chaos and uncertainties.

Coffee helps me embrace stillness, creating a calm and clear space for my thoughts. A cup of coffee makes me pause and temporarily disconnect from the noisy world, allowing me to focus only on what’s in front of me. I enjoy every sip of it, the flavor and the aroma. In that stillness, my mind free to wander, and that’s usually when inspiration finds its way in. I’ve spent countless hours in coffee shops, whether working on my dissertation or trying to untangle and organize my thoughts. Even on this blog, most of the writings were born in coffee shops.

Coffee has also taught me to always respect the process, that good things take time. In each coffee house, we often find beans that have traveled from faraway regions, whether local or from abroad. The journey of coffee beans is a long one. From the farmers who nurture them, to the master roasters who carefully discover specific flavors, to the baristas who craft each cup with care. By the time it reaches us, every sip carries the story of many people’s dedication. It reminds me that every part of the process, no matter how small, plays a significant role.

In the end, coffee is more than just a drink for me. It is a reminder to slow down, to embrace stillness, and to respect the process. Every cup carries not only flavor and aroma but also lessons of patience, gratitude, and the dedication behind the journey.