Portafilter

31st August 2016
Sitting in the midst of shophouses in Kelapa Gading, Portafilter's bold coffee makes sure that it is not just another coffee shop that is centred on aesthetic alone.

Kelapa Gading isn’t always the first place to pop in your head when it comes to coffee shops. Aside from the fact that the coffee culture here is still burgeoning, the long rows of monotonous shophouses (ruko) hardly make for the perfect environment to relax with a cup of coffee.

Residing in a remodified shophouse, the spacious establishment of Portafilter is a pleasant sight to the otherwise mundane neighbourhood. Not only it is amply lit by the amount of sunlight streaming in from their windows, the coffee shop itself is also teeming with activity. Whether its children running around in the outdoor area or a busy group of ladies chatting about the newest gossip in town, Portafilter is easily joining the ranks of cool places to go to in the vicinity.

Rest assured, it isn’t just aesthetic or social pleasure that Portafilter provides. Providing a house blend roasted by Common Grounds , it’s almost a guarantee that the coffee you’re drinking is just as pleasurable. This is true for all variations of coffee being served in the establishment, from the delightful chocolatey mocha to their bold cappuccino.

With all that being said, Portafilter easily qualifies as a winning addition to the northern Jakarta coffee scene. At first glance, it might just seem like another coffee shop trying to tick all the boxes. But drop for a visit, and you might come to realise that Portafilter isn’t just what a coffee shop can be, but what a coffee shop should be.