Where do top chefs eat in Jakarta, Indonesia?

Jakarta, if all goes to plan, will lose its title as the administrative capital of Indonesia. But nothing can take away its crown as the country's culinary capital.

It is here where you'll find food from every corner of the archipelago, international dishes from around the globe, and an amalgamation of everything in between. Here's a selection of the finest eateries in Jakarta, recommended by five influential locally-based chefs. 

ADITYA MUSKITA, CHEF-OWNER, ESA RESTAURANT

Muskita, who began cooking at a young age by helping out at his family’s dim sum restaurant, started his professional career at Todd English’s Olives in New York in 2012. Since then, he has worked for some of the world’s most influential kitchens, including Room4Dessert, Mozaic and Relae.

August

"It’s one of the pioneers of Indonesian contemporary fine dining in Jakarta. Flavour-wise, it is very good, especially the desserts. Experience-wise, it delivers the quality you’d expect from a top Michelin star restaurant. August also has a good international reputation. It’s the first restaurant in Jakarta to be included in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list."

Sequis Tower - Ground Floor #03-02, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav.71, Jakarta

Kindling

"This is the first fine dining restaurant from the Biko Group. It serves Chinese-Indonesian, French cuisines. The dishes are quite contemporary, with a very comforting flavour. If you are looking for proper fine dining, Kindling is a very good option to consider. The place is also charming, occupying an old house in the Cikini area." 

Jl. Cikini Raya No.20, Cikini, Menteng, Jakarta

Su Ma

"Compared to other fine dining restaurants in Jakarta, which normally focus on one specific style like Indonesian or French, Su Ma has a unique offering: the food concept is more East Asian. It has lots of Chinese and Korean dishes, and the desserts are very good. Sometimes I go to a restaurant only to try their dessert, and Su Ma is a nice place for it. Fine dining restaurants tend to treat dessert only as an afterthought, but not at Su Ma."

Jl. Sultan Hasanudin No.74, Melawai, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta

The Crown by Kirk Westaway

"It’s the newest addition to the Jakarta restaurant scene. The concept is British fine dining, so this is something quite new for the Jakarta market. What’s good about the place is the location: in a tall building of the Fairmont Hotel, so you get a nice view."

Fairmont Jakarta, Jl. Asia Afrika No.8, Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta

RUI YAMAGISHI, CHEF-OWNER, ACTA BRASSERIE & FUJIN IZAKAYA

Chef Yamagishi brings his Japanese-Balinese heritage and his eclectic style of cooking to two of Jakarta’s tried-and-tested eateries under the Biko Group. His love for cooking is heavily influenced by his mom. Yamagishi learned to be a chef from his time at Sydney’s Le Cordon Bleu. It was also in Sydney that he worked under some of the city’s top chefs, including chef Phil Wood of Rockpool 1989.

Bakmi Wie Sin

"This is our family’s comfort place that we visit weekly. It’s convenient because it’s located near our home. They serve thin noodles, topped with a combination of minced chicken and pork. You can also add on various condiments such as the crunchy fried meatballs. The overall taste is savoury, just how I prefer my meals to be."

Ruko Beryl 1 no. 26 Gading Golf Boulevard, Gading Serpong

Chong Qing Hot Pot

"This is another place that I can comfortably take my wife and two kids. The Gading Serpong outlet is family-friendly, while the offering is more on the healthier side since the base is chicken broth soup. They also have a lot of fresh vegetables and quality meat options. The fun part is creating your own mix of sauce – you can make it savoury, sweet, or spicy. They also have outlets around Jakarta."

Jakarta branch at Jl. Suryo No.42, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta

Pagi Sore

"Whenever I crave for Indonesian spices, my go-to is Pagi Sore. I was born and raised in Bali, and during my time there I discovered that Padangnese food was not the island’s forte – as compared to Jakarta. After trying out different Padang joints, Pagi Sore suits me best because I feel the taste is well-rounded. It might not be the most authentic, but the balanced taste is more to my liking. I usually go for lunch, to avoid the bedtime bloat. The original Pagi Sore is located in Cipete, South Jakarta."

Jl. Cipete Raya No.2 1, Cilandak, Jakarta

Costa

"This is my most favourite restaurant in Jakarta at the moment, not just because we are under the same F&B group! I admire chef Ryan’s take on Spanish-Catalan food – it’s very clean yet still tasty, and the ingredients are really fresh. Catalan food is still a rarity in both Jakarta and Bali, but chef Ryan executes the menu very well. He would combine the sweetness in fresh seafood with tasty spices, but just enough that it’s not too strong. I think just about every chef could make a dish that is very strong-tasting, but not all can execute subtle flavours like Ryan."

Jl. Gunawarman No.63, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 

ARIEF 'TONGGENG' RACHMAN, EXECUTIVE CHEF, TOMA GROUP

Since 2023, Rachman has been leading the culinary department of Toma Group which now has five brands under its belt. The group’s flagship outlet, Toma Brasserie, won the Top 3 Best Cocktail Menu Award 2024, part of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024.

Young Restaurant

"Here, chef Yohans Gozal moves away from your typical Thai food and presents a more dynamic approach in cooking. He puts his personal touch into each dish, something that I always look forward to from a chef. Each plate has a great flavour combination, with thick spices, while maintaining the casual bistro taste."

Jl. Wijaya II No.42, Melawai, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta

Soto Betawi Bang Ujang

"Only a few people know about this warung. I chose this out of nostalgic – my father used to take me here when I was a kid. He is a Betawi native of Jakarta, and he told me that it is important for me to know my tribe’s culinary culture. Every time I visit this place, I eat everything, not just the meat, but also all the innards on offer."

Jl. Kyai Maja No.53, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta

Saki Yatai Jakarta

"This is my newest nighttime hangout spot. The chef-owner used to work for Furusato Izakaya in Jakarta and Locaahands in Surabaya, before returning to Jakarta to start his own food stall that serves Japanese food. Saki Yatai might remind you of a simple eatery in Japan where salarymen come to have a quick meal of either ramen, karaage or yakitori. The place is quite comfortable, although, since it’s by the street, you’d expect a noisy environment."

Jl. Panglima Polim No.85, Melawai, Jakarta

RYAN THEJASUKMANA, CHEF, COSTA

Ryan Thejasukmana, born and raised in Lombok, finished his studies at French Culinary School and dived right into the diverse F&B scene in Sydney. When he came back to Indonesia, he established Empak Locale & Arang Kita in Bali. In August 2024, he began his journey at Costa, a Catalan-inspired restaurant.

Sanur Restaurant

"My number one spot I always can’t wait to come back to. An OG Teochew restaurant serving some of the most consistent Chinese food in the city – their fried eel and sweet and sour pork are exceptional."

Jl. Ir. H. Juanda III No.31J 9, Gambir, Jakarta

Dudung Roxy & Pondok Salero

"After service, I often head here since both are on the same street. Pondok Salero is one of the oldest running nasi padang spots – my father was already eating there when he was young."

Jl. Biak Raya Cideng, Gambir, Jakarta

San Ik & Lit Bakehouse

"Glodok is always my go-to area when bringing friends from overseas or tourists. I love walking them around Chinatown, stopping at San Ik – another OG Chinese food institution – and finishing with dessert at Lit Bakehouse."

Jl. Pancoran, Glodok, Jakarta

Daun Muda Soulfood

"For something finer, I’m in love with their urat cabe ijo and nasi goreng kambing – comforting, bold flavours done with finesse."

Jl. Wolter Monginsidi No. 2A, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta

VALLIAN GUNAWAN, CHEF-OWNER, KINDLING

Gunawan’s childhood in Medan, North Sumatra, is a big influence on his identity as a chef. His family would cook together on special occasions, and that kind of togetherness and warmth is something that he aims to share with guests at Kindling. Before forming his own kitchen team at Kindling, Gunawan had worked in Singapore’s Odette, Hong Kong’s Seasons Restaurant, and Bali’s Aperitif Restaurant.

Mata Karanjang

"They do really great Manadonese food. The spice level is very well controlled, quite different from the stereotypical Manadonese restaurants that usually serve very spicy dishes. As a result, you can really taste and appreciate the ingredients."

Jl. Wijaya VI No.14A, Melawai, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta

Hay Thien

"This is a neighborhood place for me. A comfort place that I usually go to with groups of friends and family. When you go there, you don’t have to worry about the quality of food – they always deliver. This is my go-to place for gatherings."

Jl. Puri Indah Raya A No.1 1, Kembangan, Jakarta

Sate Padang Goyang Lidah

"As someone who grew up in Medan, Sate Padang was my typical after-school meal. Now that I live in Jakarta, the closest I get to tasting the satay of my childhood is Goyang Lidah in Menteng. It opens until after midnight, so I can still go after work, and it reminds me of my childhood."

Jl. H. Agus Salim No.50, Menteng, Jakarta

Suji Suan Cai Yu

"I used to work in Hong Kong, and on my day offs I usually went to Shenzen and had Suan Cai Yu, also known as Sichuan fish with pickled mustard greens. Here in Jakarta, I think Suji does the best version of the dish – it’s tasty, spicy, sour, umami. I go here regularly, almost every month."

Central Park Mall, LG, Grogol, Jakarta