Reputed to be an upmarket district where most of Jakarta expatriates live, Kemang is blossoming into a happening area for the nightlife, cafes, and.restaurants. In recent years, gastronomic landscape in Kemang has grown beyond recognition. Gourmets are now spoiled for choice as more and more first class restaurants open their doors to the public. Great food can also be found in many cafes, which offer a selection of national and international dishes at reasonable prices. Budget travelers are well catered to by dozens of fast food restaurants serving Indonesian as well as international delights for just a few thousand Rupiahs.
Pendopo Kemang Resto & Gallery
Address: Kemang Selatan No. 111, South Jakarta. Traditional javanese architecture, natural wood furniture and dim lighting provide a genuine Javanese ambiance to Pendopo Kemang. The fine restaurant offers an ample assortment of contemporary and traditional Indonesian culinary delights, with nasi campur kuta (beef rice), nasi gurih bebek (crispy duck rice), and nasi langgi (pandan rice) being its “signature” dishes. Of course, if you are not a fan of traditional rice dishes, just skip them and order steak, pizza or dimsum and other alternative western/chinese dishes. Pendopo is situated on a 3.333 sq.meter site and seats 800 guests.
Golden Memories Fine Dining
Address: Jl.Ampera Raya No.11, Rt 001/09, South Jakarta. Golden Memories is a nostalgic-style restaurant in old fashioned décor and filled with extensive repositories of original East-Indies memorabilia to make an extremely unique dining experience. To add further to the nostalgic atmosphere, the restaurant provides live music, with plenty of old 1930s and 1940s Dutch hits, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday, and on Sundays for lunch and dinner (midday to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.) . The 100 seater Golden Memories serves classic Netherlands dishes plus some Indonesian and international favorites thrown in for good measure. Among its favorites is Nieuwe Haring, or new herrings, which are caught each year by the Dutch fleet after the herring fishing season opens in early May and imported by the Golden Memories to be served with bread and a side salad as entrée.
The Gourmet Garage
Address: Jl. Kemang Raya kav 66-68, South Jakarta. The Gourmet Garage is a specialty market which prides itself on a great selection of quality food and specialty items which easily translate into excellent dishes. As the name reflects, the interior has a thrown-together feeling, a rather cool and posh “garage” for a relaxed shopping experience to delight any gourmet. The store downstairs is mainly a self-serve market of specialty gourmet foods, but it also offers a wine cellar, oyster bar and bakery. The garage features several small eateries, both upstairs and down, where customers can order various Western fare, such as Italian or Greek, and Asian food including Japanese. Its cozy and casual atmosphere is a convenient meeting place for family members. If you crave Japanese food but your spouse wants a bite of burger, then Gourmet Garage is your safe culinary destination.
Kemang News Café
Address: Jl. Kemang Raya 10, South Jakarta. With all the bustle of Kemang Raya Street, the News Café is easily overlooked. However, after stepping into it and you might swear you were standing in a hip café on the streets of New York or Chicago. A simple menu of tasty items and beverages paired with the big-city feel of magazine and newspaper stands inside makes this café a surprising addition to Kemang’s gastronomic lineup. Free Wifi access and TVs broadcasting CNN, CNBC and other news makes this the perfect stop for any news junkie. Kemang News Café offers a selection of food ranging from meat and fish, to hearty salads, to vegetarian items and pastas. It offers a light lunch, evening meal, or simple escape from that hectic coffee chains found just around the corner. And rumor has it that their enormous cups of coffee do not fail to satisfy, nor do their tea cakes…
