Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is a vibrant city that stays busy day and night. The bar scene here is lively with a young crowd and energetic music. But if you head to less metropolitan areas, bars are few and far between since ‘warung’ (street stalls) and mosques remain the social centers of the local population.
One of the most acclaimed bars in town is Union, which was the only bar from Indonesia to make it onto Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2016. It’s also known for its classy interior and impressive selection of cocktails, all served with unrestricted skyline views. The bar was established by the same team behind the popular bistro and bar Loewy in Kuningan, a bar often credited with introducing craft cocktail culture to Indonesia. There are now seven Union locations across the city.
Another must-visit is Cloud Lounge, a chic rooftop bar that attracts a sophisticated crowd. Its classy atmosphere, swanky location on the 49th floor of Plaza Tower and its vodka room with a zero degree temperature set it apart from other rooftop bars in town.
A tad more laid-back but equally hip is Lucy in the Sky. This open-air restaurant and bar juggling casual French food, Parisian flair and lit beats has become a must-visit for Jakarta’s cool kids.
Sports bars are big in Indonesia, given the country’s fixation with soccer and F1. However, some of the venues have run into trouble for broadcasting American football games that were deemed as religious blasphemy by at least two youth organisations.
