9 Cups, The Shy Newcomer

by Julius Kensan
11th December 2014
A newcomer in the specialty coffee scene in Jakarta, the unimposing space of 9 Cups makes for a modest and cosy spot to enjoy one’s coffee in the West.

When one mentions specialty coffee café in Jakarta, thoughts usually dive straight into the south area. The growth of third-wave coffee in West has been slow and limited to Koultoura. But coffee enthusiasts can now count 9 Cups as another worthy addition of specialty coffee café in the West.

However, locating the café can be a challenge itself: 9 Cups is hidden and reclusive like a shy newcomer who “hides herself at the back of the classroom”. Started by Lidya Japar Halim, 9 Cups is originally a modest coffee roaster before evolving into an equally unimposing café. The entire space resembles a tiny, two-storey college apartment with unfinished cement walls and wooden furniture arranged into a tidy composition. Perhaps, it’s no coincidence that 9 Cups feels like a cosy study room as local universities since local universities are just within arm’s length.

The choice of coffee here are straightforward and modest. Choices like Iced Latte and Espresso are ideal for students who need a good dose of caffeine to wake them up from the sleepy afternoon. Whereas, those who are here for a serious coffee trip should opt for their single origin coffee using locally sourced beans like Malabar and Bali. Other than coffee, 9 Cups also offers refreshing sips in the form of flavoured Lemonade.

9 Cups may be a little out of the way for some of the coffee enthusiasts in Jakarta but the space itself, one acquainted, feels like a comfy cave from which one will find it hard to leave.