If you set foot in Kyō Coffee to linger all day, then you’re missing the point. Set up like a coffee shop rather than a cafe, Kyō is the pursuit of brothers Try Sutrisno and Muhammad Iqbal, who have always wanted to spark the rather bare coffee scene in East Jakarta.
Kyō, meaning “day” in Japanese, also throws back to the brothers’ college days in Canada, where drinking coffee is not so much a leisure activity but a utility to kick off one’s day. With their house dark-roast blends, homemade pastries and standout Japanese charms, Kyō easily piques passersby from the get-go. The day at Kyō typically begins early in the morning with nearby locals and people going to work making a pit stop for their daily coffee intake and small bites for breakfast. The flow of crowds doesn’t stop all the way into the afternoon.
One can owe the popularity to the unapologetically Japanese signature aesthetic of their venue: minimalist wood structures, expansive window panels with a bright skylight to lit up a tenderly decorated room for a delicate and warm atmosphere all around. While one may come the first time as an awed guest, their second, third and consecutive visits will be as a regular thanks to the dependable Cappuccino or Cold Brew made with their special house blend, freshly-baked pastries like the Vanilla Glaze and Double Chocolate and small but fulfilling bites of the Spinach Quiche and Apple Tart.
Kyō’s arrival is a pleasant surprise for the neighbourhood of Jatiwaringin, with many likening it to being in Kyoto’s small coffee shops. Rest assured that one will get the perfect photo op at Kyō, but it’ll be a double win for those seeking a proper cup of coffee and light bites to refuel the day.