Hidden in an office compound at the heart of Jakarta, Stroom Coffee in Gambir has been a go-to breakfast and lunch spot for the office workers and joggers around the neighbourhood since they opened their doors in 2019. Apart from their succinct selections of caffeinated goods, Stroom also gathers groups of frequenters for their antique abode which blueprint remains unchanged from 1897.
Over the years before Stroom, the space bore witness to changes in function. From a corporate office for the Dutch electric company (Indische Gasmaatschappij) to an archive library of the building, all led to the emptying of the expanse due to neglect. Today, Stroom Coffee sits on the first floor of this historical building, now PLN Disjaya’s office tower, a state-owned electric company that brought back the once emptied premises to life.
The architecture is kept to its original, boasting pale brick walls, wooden fixtures and hanging chandeliers, while the interior is freshly refurbished to keep up with style. Here, the lunch hours are ever-busy with batik-draped corporate employees and young remote workers, both tending to their meetings.
Whether you opt to lounge in Stroom’s sunlit outdoors or spacious indoor, be sure to recharge with the café’s favourite offerings whose names are in line with their ‘energising’ concept, such as the signature Stroom Iced Coffee, Espresso Trafo or Cappuccino Isolator for lovers of the classic, and Caramel Fuse Macchiato should you be in the mood for something sweeter. Pair your mid-day pick up with simple and familiar grubs, such as an assortment of baked goods and pastries and homey meals like Nasi Goreng.
Open early during the day, expect to bump into morning cyclists and joggers on weekends, all secured with a pair of coffee and pastry in their hands. The next time you swing by the area, it would be a mistake not to clock into their nostalgic abode for a brief session of self-indulgence.