The story of Toby’s Estate began in Brazil, Guatemala and Colombia, where founder Toby Smith learnt all the crafts about coffee. After quitting his job as a lawyer, Smith started out humbly from a garage-turned-roastery in Sydney that soon grew into a café and coffee school. And it didn’t stop there; it expands further to include a coffee plantation in Panama, South America, the very “estate” we’ve come to know now.
With a powerful story to tell and commendable reviews to boot, it is fairly natural for Jakartans to get their hopes up for Toby’s Estate’s first offshoot in Indonesia. The good news is, just like any outlets of Toby’s Estate, this one delivers too. They’ve brought the crop-to-cup idealism to the table, where coffee is presented with evident quality and placed as the focal point of the establishment.
Lodged in PIK Avenue Mall in Pantai Indah Kapuk, the café is located right beside the lobby with its glass facade, which allows passers-by to peek and observe all the affairs that are going about within. Backdropped by an interior that is dominated in white and gold palette, the bar takes up almost half of the café that culminates in coffee-related gears and equipments at one of its end: the brew bar, a spot for coffee enthusiasts to watch the coffee-making up-close. Try their Woolloomooloo Blend, a signature of the estate, that delivers earthy and spicey flavour with a pleasing combination of caramel and maple syrup aroma. On the other hand, if you’re single origin-inclined, it is best to come every fortnight when the café rotates the beans selections.
When it comes to food, Toby’s Estate goes all Down Under (with special appearance of Vegemite, a national favourite, at the bar). Starting from brekkie, Eggs Benedict done in Brooklyn Style comes with bacon atop toasted brioche that still retains its fluffiness though doused in hollandaise sauce. Another alternative is the Ricotta Pancake that boasts four stacks of pancakes, with berries sandwiched in between. If that’s too much carbs, perhaps opt for Kale and Quinoa Salad, where interestingly, the charred kale is far from bitter. Although coffee makes an unusual companion to these dishes, the cold brew, nevertheless, provides a fitting alternative especially on humid evenings.
It’s comforting to know that Toby’s Estate opens from 8am, at a time where caffeine is mostly needed at. Early hours are preferable if you’d like to enjoy your coffee at ease and avoid the lunchtime crowd. However, if you count people-watching as your favourite pastime, any time of the day would suit you fine — especially when you have Toby’s Estate coffee at your disposal.
