Top Arab & Middle Eastern Restaurants in Jakarta
By
Tibs
→
Surprisingly for the capital of the largest Muslim country in the world, the number of Arab or Middle Eastern restaurants in Jakarta is quite low. I've counted about 25 of them, and I've tried 15. It may seem like a lot, but since Jakarta is so spread, you're not likely to have more than just a few near where you live. The good thing is that within these, most of them are decent and affordable. In particular, I advise you to try one of the Yemeni restaurants that offer the best value-for-money and the most authenticity. Here are my favorite Arab or Middle Eastern restaurants in Jakarta: 1) Al Nafoura (Lebanese) 2 Al-Jazeerah (Yemeni) 3) Turkuaz (Turkish) 4) Sinbad (Syrian/Yemeni) - Review not posted yet, the restaurant is located Jl. K.S. Tubun Raya No. 2 in Slipi (Tel: +62-21 530 8366) 5) Beirut Lebanon (Lebanese) 6) Hadramou t (Yemeni) As usual, I will update this list as I discover new restaurants. You're welcome to comme
In this article, I will give a short description of restaurants opened non-stop 24 hours in Jakarta. I will update it regularly with new venues I discover. Late Night Cravings? 24h Fast Food Service Phone numbers: McDonald's: Call 14045 Burger King: Call 500025 KFC: Call 14022. Domino's Pizza: Get delivery from their website Domino's Pizza Delivery It is well-known that Jakarta never sleeps, and this is particularly true in nightlife areas such as Sarinah, Senayan, Kuningan, Hayam Wuruk, Lokasari, or Kemang. If you are clubbing there and feel hungry, you may find the following places open 24h, 7 days a week (click on the link to see the full blog review). In Kemang: Dim Sum Festival is THE meeting point for everyone once the clubs in the area close. They serve Chinese and Indonesian food at affordable prices, but no alcohol. People in Dim Sum Festival are usually quite young, in their twenties. Another famous 24-hour restaurant in South Jakarta is Aneka
Holy Smokes is a chain of slow-smoked Texas-style BBQ restaurants, with currently three locations in or near Jakarta (Alam Sutra, Pantai Indah Kapuk and Wolter Monginsidi). It is part of Ersons Food, a group founded by three brothers who also own the famous Holy Crab franchise (previously reviewed here ). I visited Holy Smokes in Wolter Monginsidi on a Thursday evening, shortly before closing time. It is easy to spot from the outside, with its massive, bright sign that makes you feel as if you had reached the Holy Land. By the time I entered, it was still relatively busy, which was not a surprise considering it is one of the most popular restaurants in the area. Its interior design is based on an industrial theme and it reappropriates some of the graphic codes and materials used on construction sites or factories. Add to that the large communal table at the center of the main dining room and you really get the impression of eating in a chic American canteen.
Sunday or Saturday brunches in Jakarta are one of the best things you can do here during the weekend. The prices are usually very reasonable without alcohol, starting 30$ per person. I only listed here information about the weekend brunches available in luxury hotels. You also have many brunches served in independent restaurants, but they generally do not have as much choice and they are not served as buffets. You can try those in Loewy or Koi for instance. This is the list of the best weekend brunches in Jakarta, ranked in no particular order. Please leave a comment below if you think I forgot a great address.
With the wealth of culture, cooking methods, and variety of spices, it’s not easy to define “Indonesian food” - let alone to come up with a shortlist of the best ones in Jakarta. Most Indonesian restaurants will specialize on a certain dish or dishes from a certain region - and with over 17,000 islands spread over three different time zones, you can imagine how long the list can get! The good news is, there are restaurants that do provide a variety of dishes from all over the country so you can have a culinary journey across Indonesia in one sitting. Here are some of the noteworthy ones in my book - in no particular order. Palalada Fancy restaurant within Alun-Alun Grand Indonesia - needless to say, prices are on the higher side. Do drop by their snack shop Waroeng Kopi, though. They serve tasty Indonesian snacks at a more reasonable price further inside the shop floor.
There are probably as many Chinese restaurants as there are streets in Jakarta. To guide you through this maze of culinary delights, we made this list of what we consider are the best in the city. Of course we have forgotten some, so please help us keep this page updated by adding your comments or your suggestions at the bottom. Many thanks, Thibaud. Note: You may also be interested to read: The Best Dim Sum in Jakarta . Ah Yat Abalone in Golden Boutique Hotel, Jl. Angkasa St, Central Jakarta, Ph: +62-21 612-8833 in Mid Plaza 2, Jl. Sudirman Kav. 10-11, Ph: +62-021/570-7333 High-end dining popular with the older generation. Known for pricey delicacies like abalone, scallop, and sharks' fin. Dimsum on weekend is quite good but not really worth paying the full price (look for discounts offered by various credit cards instead). Angke in Kelapa Gading Square, Ph: +62-21 458-66333 in Ketapang, Jl. Zaenal Arifin, Ph: +62-21 634-3030 The undisputed darling of the
In just a few years, the number of Mexican/Spanish/Latin restaurants in Jakarta has exploded. 5 years ago, to my knowledge there was only Amigos, and now I counted over 10 of them. I know it doesn't really make sense to mix Mexican and Spanish food into one single review as they are not related at all but I think they are part of a similar trend. Jakartans are craving for convivial ways to eat: Restaurants that are modern without being uptight and where the food can be shared with friends. Latin countries also have a positive image in the mind of many. Tell them Spain, and they think Party, Sexy, Friendly or Fun (and probably Soccer). Most of those new Spanish/Mexican restaurants are located in the expatriate areas of Jakarta: Kemang, Cipete, Sudirman/Thamrin. Only Caliente (Mexican) has a branch in Pantai Indah Kapuk and Tapas Movida has one in Cilandak (CITOS). I ranked the restaurants according to several criteria: Food, authenticity, value for money, atmosphere, co
In four years of blogging, this review about the best Japanese restaurants in Jakarta was probably the hardest I ever wrote. I wanted to give the most accurate information as possible, so I did a lot of research, some visits, many phone calls, and spent a week on it. I hope you can help me with your comments if you find any errors (wrong phone number, restaurant closed, etc...). It would be great if you can share your best venues as well. Almost all the good Japanese restaurants in Jakarta are listed here (as of November 2011), by alphabetical order. I will also post separate reviews about the best shabu-shabu, best sushis, most expensive restaurants, best all-you-can-eat, etc... Here are all the Japanese restaurants you should know about in Jakarta: Ajihara (Jalan Melawai "Little Tokyo", Blok M ; Tel: +62-21 7201340): Authentic izakaya, popular with expats, with a karaoke above. Big portions, do not hesitate to share. Recommended dishes: Sashimi, teuc
In this post, I will give some recommendations about the best places to eat Dim Sum in Jakarta. Since the offer is plentiful, I made small categories to help you choose which restaurant is the one for you: The "Top 5": The following restaurants are generally regarded as serving the best Dim Sum in Jakarta: 1) Ah Yat Abalone in Golden Boutique Hotel Angkasa (Tel: +62-21 6220 2388) and in Mid Plaza 2 (Tel: +62-21 570 7333) with non-halal available. 2) May Star (Halal) in Central Park Mall LG (Tel: +62-21 5698 5422), in Gandaria City GF (+62-21 2905 2922), in Hotel Le Grandeur Mangga Dua ( Tel: +62-21 612 7880), in Mall Pluit Emporium (Tel: +62-21 6667 6280). The ones in Pluit and Mangga Dua have non halal available. 3) Samudra Seafood Restaurant in BRI Tower, Jl. Sudirman (Tel: +62 21 571 3600) and in Living World (Alam Sutera)
Indian restaurants are relatively easy to find in Jakarta, and their overall quality is decent. The most authentic and cheapest options are usually located where the Indian community lives (mainly in Sunter and Pasar Baru), while in the the Center and in the South, where expatriates live, you have some more expensive and stylish restaurants. Here is my list of Jakarta's best Indian restaurants, by category: - Indian restaurants with both excellent food and atmosphere (Fine Dining): 1) Kinara (Kemang Raya No. 78-B, Phone number: +62 21-719 2677) 2) Hazara (click to read my review on this blog) 3) Ganesha Ek Sanskriti (BRI II Building, Jl Jend Sudirman Kav 44-46., Phone number: +62-21 5719415 / 5713567) 4) Ganesha Ek Sanskriti (Kemang Square Lt 2, Jl Kemang Raya No 5., Phone number: +62-21 7196837).
After ranking the best Italian , French and Arab restaurants in Jakarta, I have a much easier task listing German and Dutch food in Jakarta. Let me know if I forgot one, but the only ones I can think of are: Paulaner Brauhaus (click to read my review) Die Stube (click to read my review) Imbiss Stube (Cilandak Town Square) - Same owner as Die Stube , Patrick Widjaja, born and raised in Germany. Metro Sky Garden , owned by Andreas Stokowy, from Germany. Ya Udah (click to read my review), owned by a Swiss from Zurich The Tavern in Aryaduta Hotel
The overall quality of French restaurants in Jakarta has improved over the past few years, particularly with the openings of Lyon , Amuz and Orient8 . Still, I think the options are limited, and most of the best venues are too expensive: Take the first six restaurants of my list, they will all cost you around Rp1 million for a 3-course meal. Some more affordable options exist, for instance Java Bleu , Le Bistro or Escargot . In those restaurants, the cuisine and the setting remain simple, but it is authentic and you eat well. A full meal in those should cost you less than Rp450,000. At last, you have a third category of French restaurants, in which you have great design and atmosphere, but average food. Among those, Bistro Baron , Loewy or SHY are the most happening. A full meal will cost you almost the same as in fine dining restaurants .
There is a wide range of Italian restaurants in Jakarta, from fast-food pizza chains to fine dining options. I have tried, or heard of, the majority of the good places in Jakarta, and I hope this page will help you decide where you will find your favourite Italian food in the city. Among the chains of restaurants, there are two names that are above the competition: Izzi Pizza and Pizza Marzano . The last one is actually a British brand, but they make thin crust pizza and they have a whole Italian menu. In none of these venues you will eat authentic Italian, but they have fair standards when it comes to quality and service. They can be found a bit everywhere, more specifically in malls, and the average price for a pizza is Rp80,000 and Rp60,000 for a plate of pasta. In the same price range, I advise you to try Pepenero and Trattoria , two favourites among Jakarta expats. Without sacrificing taste, they offer excellent value dishes in a quite authentic atmosphere. If you ar