DIPLO HIT LIST: Jakarta Restaurants

Off the top of my head, these are our personal favorites in the short time that we’ve been living in Jakarta. Jakarta has an exciting food scene that is combine with great interior design, however not everything on my list is high end. I also listed some hole in the walls that we liked for cheap eats. Please click on the links to find further information on the location and (if I managed to do a post on the restaurant) dish recommendations too. 

I will be adding to this list from time to time, if we discover other awesome restos.

BRUNCH

1. Social House Grand Indonesia My favorite brunch in town is their Eggs Benedict with Turkey ham and the pork bacon
2. Sekitei Saturday Brunch I absolutely love this Japanese brunch buffet. It’s a bit more upscale but the quality of the food is worth it. This is great if you want to do something more special.
3. Pearl Restaurant JW Marriot for affordable casual Chinese sunday buffet brunch! Love the roasted suckling pig, peking duck and fried prawn wanton!
4. Koi Kemang The eggs benedict for me is not as good as Social House, but eating here is always a fab experience with the fab art and furni which are also for sale. Great ambiance. Go up to the 2nd floor for some furni/decor shopping to work off the calories.

CHIC DINNER & DRINKS

1. Social House – I also love going to SoHo for dinner. The vibe is great and the view of the Bundaran when they open the “terrace” is lovely.
2. Potato Head Pacific Place for light meals like sandwiches and super chic drinks. My favorite is thing on their menu is the super cheesy Onion Soup.
3. PEPeNERO for well-priced Italian – pizza with prociutto & mushrooms, spinach pasta with creamy mushroom sauce. The bottles or red wine are very reasonable too. And the complimentary breads and chocolate liquor at the end of the meal is the cherry on top!
4. Pizza e Birra Plaza Indonesia for their classic pizzas (none of those breakfast pizza’s with egg on top) and awesome beer towers and flavored beers (love the peach!)
5. Birdcage Restaurant for the relaxed vibe and good paninis & pastas

INDONESIAN FOOD

1. Seribu Rasa – Love the posh interiors! Surprisingly reasonable if you eat as a big group (i.e. Last time we ate there, we were 6pax, and we ended up paying Rp 170,000 each)
2. TeSate – for reasonably priced Indonesian food. Tahu Telur FTW! TD’s favorite dishes are the sate and the beef rendang.
3. Sate Khas Senayan – For casual Indonesian food, I go to the one beside Penang Bistro near Pakubuwono
4. Kembang Goela – Fine Indonesian cuisine. I highly recommend this. We entertained Diplo Friends from Switzerland here.
5. Mera Delima – Fine Indonesian cuisine
6. Dapur Babah – I recommend this place for the history of the antique artifacts, not the food so much. I recommend you try it for Javanese coffee and Dutch-influenced desserts only.

* If you are in Dapur Babah, you may want to check out the first ever dutch ice cream parlor in Indonesia. It is 2 doors down the road from Dapur Babah, but please note that it is not air-conditioned, smoking is allowed inside. Personally I don’t recommend it on weekends.

CHINESE FOOD

1. Grand Duck King (Grand Indonesia) – love the dim sum, fried bihon noodles, and the Pecking Duck skin wraps #Foodgasm-ic!
2. Crystal Jade Best Xiao Long Baos in Jakarta (for me even better than Din Tai Fung). Other favorites are Nasi Ikan Ayam Asin (salted fish fried rice) and fried Salted Egg Prawns. The basement resto in Grand Indonesia Mall has closed but the one on the upper floor is still open. They also have a branch in Plaza Indonesia.

SEAFOOD

1. Pandan Bistro – Our favorite place to go when we are craving for seafood. They cook it Indonesian Chinese style or Peranakan
2. D’Cost – this is practically a fast food chain, for seafood. Super cheap.

JAPANESE FOOD

1. Sushi Tei for cheap but fresh Japanese food. This is perfect for a quick bite!
2. Sekitei – The Dharmawangsa Hotel I highly recommend their affordable lunch meals at starting at Rp 110,000 and their Saturday Japanese Brunch. OMG I am still dreaming about that Wagyu Fried Rice!

KOREAN BBQ

1. Chung Gi Wa – our favorite place for cheap Korean BBQ. Remember to order Pork instead of beef – it’s cheaper!
2. BornGa – If you are looking for something a little more upscale. Great Korean BBQ too.

 HOLE IN THE WALL

Places to try for those who are feeling adventurous! I never got a bad tummy eating in these places I promise!

1. Loobie Lobster – This hole in the wall has to be the best value for money when it comes to King Prawns
2. Kenanga Roast Pork – their pork BBQ and roast pork with Hainan chicken rice rocks!
3. Ramen Sanpachi Blok M – this is the original branch and it still serves pork. Hole in the wall.
4. D’Cost – this is practically a fast food chain, for seafood. Super cheap.

PORK IN JAKARTA:

If you stay long enough in Jakarta you will definitely need this list!

1. Chung Gi Wa – favorite Pork Korean BBQ
2. Spanky’s – favorite place for baby back ribs!
3. Kenanga Roast Pork – cheap hole in the wall that wont make you sick
4. Ramen Sanpachi Blok M – this is the original branch and it still serves pork. Hole in the wall.
5. Paradise Dynasty Legend of Xiao Long Bao – Pork and truffle Xiao Long Baos and la mian noodle soup!
6. Katsusei – for Pork Katsudon
7. If you are feeling adventurous, head up north to Pluit and go resto-/warung-hopping like we did! 

CLICK HERE to see more posts on restaurants that serve pork in Jakarta.

FAST FOOD

1. A&W – For me their Mozza Burger is the best burger in town. I definitely miss it!
2. Bakmi GM – Indonesian fastfood. I always order the same thing: Nasi Ayam GM Pangsit Goren. It’s
   Rice with Chicken & Mushroom in Special GM Sauce plus Fried Wonton. Aaaaaah I am getting hungry just writing about it!

OTHERS:

1. Huize Van Welly Kemang – Upscale Dutch Cuisine. I love their Lobster thermidor. They also have a chocolaterie.
2. Darmawangsa Hotel Afternoon Tea – yummy scones (their Martinis rock too!)
3. Go Curry – My favourite Japanese Brown Curry EVER

DESSERT

1. Pipiltin Chocolate Bar

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If you wanna see other posts, you can click on below:

• Jakarta buffets
• Cheap Jakarta eats
• All Jakarta Food & Drink