Just by the peripheries and noise of cars accelerating by the Jakarta Inner Ring Road, barren rows of rumah pertokoan or shophouses lining the streets present a mundane view to everyone passing the neighbourhood of South Kembangan. Until you notice a little space called Dancing Goat Coffee Co., a coffee shop that embraces coffee enthusiasts and cafégoers alike with its comfortable ambiance.
The quirky name itself was a result of a fluke one of the owners stumbled across the Internet. Legend has it that a herd of goats in Ethiopia munched on berries, known as coffee cherries, and became all jittery, as though dancing. The name signifies the jolt of excitement and is hoped to spark conversations through coffee.
Dancing Goat Coffee Co. offers house blends with beans mix from Java, Lombok and Flores. Coffee enthusiasts can opt for their manual brew, which offers the selections of beans, such as Gayo Kupas Kismis and Sunda Aromanis. Non-avid coffee drinkers can either choose the café’s selection of tea and milk-based drinks, or even try the house’s experimental take on the classic affogato: their signature frozen Matcha Affogato. Likewise, it’s recommended to pair your drinks with a few cake options, especially with their Key Lime Cake.
Dancing Goat is comprised of two storeys and adorned in industrial-like interior: exposed brick walls, light bulbs and dark-coloured fittings. If you’re coming with a group of friends, the spacious second floor is ideal for an intimate conversation. Don’t fret if you’re alone; there’s a wide glass window overlooking the bustling toll road on the second floor, which can easily be the corner of solace for solo visitors.
As West Jakarta welcomes more and more coffee establishments, it pays to leave the familiar South Jakarta coffee shop-enclave to discover more of what the city has to offer. And Dancing Goat is one of them.