By now, the city has no shortage of spots to get a coffee fix. But what can make people remember is a different story. Tucked inside a quiet alley in South Cipete, the bijou Membumi Kopi makes a strong case for a slow bar that charms from the very first glance and sticks with you.
Its otherwise simple setup—a coffee bar, a mini reading corner, and a scatter of sidewalk tables—is made all the more endearing by its leafy ‘façade’ of vines and foliage, as if cocooning Membumi from the rush outside the alley. Sunlight filters through the greenery, while scenes of residents strolling past and children pedalling by on their bikes feel like an invitation to their unfiltered everyday lives.
Many of those who visited also described Membumi as having “Ghibli” vibes—a bucolic, dreamy atmosphere reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki’s films—propelling it into social media fame when it first opened in 2021. It wasn’t actually the theme that founder Mada Darma pursued, but he eventually leaned into it. “I ended up diving into the Ghibli world because of it, and became a fan of Totoro myself,” he chuckled.
Mada, who has a background in interior design, wanted to create a space that felt sincere and grounded, much like the name itself, which means “to humble oneself.” That sense of ease carries through in the offerings: unfussy coffee, homemade snacks of risol and panada, and familiar comforts such as nasi bakar kepiting (grilled rice with crab meat and sambal ijo) made by Mada’s neighbour.
One signature that has been with Membumi since its early days is the Kopi Semanis Kamu, a blend of espresso with lemon, honey and red ginger for a tinge of spicy and sweet brew that is as comforting cold as it is warm. Their other options include manual brews and Americanos using beans from Toraja and Sidikalang, alongside easy picks like es kopi susu and matcha lattes.
With his home just next door, Mada opens Membumi as early as 6 AM, where he likes to ease into the day by watering the plants and making coffee for early risers. In this quiet routine, he finds unexpected encounters—from an elderly man seeking advice on starting a café to a traveller from Panama who was interested in visiting after seeing it online. The menu may not be flashy, and the offerings are ones you could find elsewhere, but it’s in this lived-in rhythm that Membumi finds its deeper appeal: a space that offers something familiar, calming, and steady for those who need a moment to simply be.