Cikini is a specific area in Jakarta where we can enjoy some nostalgic moments or just admire the beauty of old Jakarta. I used to hang out around this area a lot back in old days because I was active in stage performances in the Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) theater, and also because it is relatively close from my high school.

However, it had been so long since the last time I went around the area because I really don’t like the traffic (especially during weekdays) and thinking about it now, I kind of regretted it in some ways.

Last Sunday, I had a plan to enjoy some breakfast in Menteng area, to be disappointed later because the place I planned to visit was actually closed for public that day because of a private event. So since I was nearby, I decided to bring Mr. K to Cikini area looking for coffee shop to enjoy our Sunday morning.

 

 

 

Upon entering the place, I was extremely astonished by how spacious the place is, with an old, Chinese ambiance dominating the place. Beautiful wooden furnitures, high ceilings, round hanging lamps, vintage-looking tiles, what else can I ask? The first thing that came up in my mind was that I made right decision to come here and I knew that Mr. K also loves the place at the first sight.

OK, I will let the photos do the talking!

 

 

 

 

 

And if you think these all are staged or merely decoration, you can’t be more wrong because Bakoel Koffie certainly has quite a long history!

It was all started with a food stall opened on Hayam Wuruk street by a man named Liauw Tek Siong in early 1870s. The commodity items were bought from ladies who carried them in “bakoel” (Javanese traditional basket). One day, the lady offered him coffee beans, which was only common among Dutch community that time.

He used firewoods to roast the beans, brewed and served the fresh coffee to customers. As it gained popularity, he closed the food stall and opened the first coffee specialty shop which roasted its own coffee blend: Toko Penggorengan Kopi TEK SUN HO.

In 1930, they started exporting the coffee powder to Netherlands. In 1970s, they also exported more to Japan and Middle East.

In 2001, his great grandchildren (the 4th generation) still continue the family heritage in coffee making. To pay tribute to “Bakoel Lady”, the shop is renamed to “Bakoel Koffie”.

 

I am thrilled to read the history. It’s amazing how people can continue doing the great things for generation and maintain it so well, don’t you think? Even until today, Bakoel Koffie is still going strong and many people trust the quality of their coffee. It’s not an easy job to do something until 4 generations (and counting!).

 

 

 

 

 

Choco Lover IDR 40,000
I heard that this is one of the best-selling drinks and is totally recommended by the barista. The chocolate-coffee combination is the real treat, especially because the chocolate taste is so distinctive despite being paired with coffee, AH-MAZING!!

 

Italian Wrap IDR 20,000
A simple sentence to describe it: taste of childhood.
I remember back in the days when we didn’t really have much options of pastries or bakeries in town, we would go for local bakery in the neighborhood just to enjoy some wraps like this. Nothing fancy about the wrap, but it tasted so nostalgic, especially the fillings (smoked beef and tomato sauce) that can bring me to tears if I happen to be mellow (which fortunately I didn’t!).

 

 

Avocado Frost IDR 49,000
At the first glance, this looks just like typical avocado juice with chocolate condensed milk. Wrong! The avocado is actually mixed with coffee resulting in a very comforting and balanced taste. I love it when I find a good drinks with avocado involved, really. As much as I love avocado juice, I easily get bored with it so anything creative made with blended avocado is a big plus!

 

Bakoel Koffie is probably the oldest coffee heritage in Indonesia, and they claim to serve the best Indonesian coffee. Probably it takes more than what I tried above to actually comment on that, but if you love coffee, don’t miss it. Also they sell their freshly roasted coffee in some variants like Brown Cow, Black Mist, and Heritage 1969.

Nowadays, we can find some Bakoel Koffie cafes not only in Cikini, but also in Senopati area, La Piazza Mall Kelapa Gading, and Bintaro.

 

  

*All prices are subject to 5% service charge & 10% government tax


Visited on: 6 December 2014

** The Food Escape team are not paid whatsoever for writing this post.
 
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BAKOEL KOFFIE
Jl. Cikini Raya No. 25
Central Jakarta 10330
Indonesia
Ph. 62 21 319 36608
Opening Hours: 
Mon-Sun 9AM – 11.30PM


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