The popular cafe chain, Kopikalyan, from Jakarta, has successfully launched its first branch in Omotesando and quickly won the hearts of the Japanese. By bringing Indonesian specialties to Japan, they have had just as much success as in Jakarta.
Kopikalyan’s authenticity will make you want to come and try one of their signature menu items!
Guidable has several reasons why Kopikalyan deserves to be the crowned Best New Coffee Shop in Tokyo for 2022.
A Fusion of Modernity and Tradition with a Touch of Indonesian Culture
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What makes Kopikalyan different and worth trying is its menu. From unique Indonesian coffees and foods to specialty beverages, their menu is well-prepared for adapting to Japanese culture.
Generally speaking, Indonesia has a wide range of traditional food choices that you may not find anywhere else. Especially when it comes to coffee, Indonesia has created many of its own flavors, created through the many coffee variations coming from many regions around Indonesia.
Kopikalyan seems to have succeeded in becoming a favorite among local Japanese people by adapting Indonesian elements to Japanese culture and creating an interesting new blend of cultures.
Introduce Yourself to their Famous Iced Coffee with Arenga Palm Sugar
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The signature drink, Es Kopikalyan, is a great choice for those who want to try something new with an unusual taste. A typical Indonesian Iced Latte tends to be sweet because it uses traditional Indonesian ingredients including palm sugar.
You will find palm sugar used as a sweetener. The palm sugar is mixed in to create a creamy texture that is enjoyable for all coffee connoisseurs and leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, highlighted by the calming coffee aroma.
Their in-house blend is a mixture of Gayo beans and Bondowoso beans; a delicious fusion that you won’t find anywhere else. Kopikalyan also serves their coffee Brulee with authentic palm sugar, leaving customers with a memorable, unique taste and a great experience.
In addition to their Indonesian coffee blends, they also serve several traditional Indonesian health drinks, called Djamu, with a wide range of flavors to choose from. Depending on the health benefits you’re looking for, every choice has its specialty.
Wide Range of Indonesian Coffee Choices at Kopikalyan
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At Kopikalyan, you can fully enjoy the experience of tasting Indonesian coffee from different regions.
They offer various types of coffee from Indonesia, sold under their project, Kopi Atlas. The Kopi Atlas project is made up of a collection of Indonesian coffees from 8 regions in Indonesia processed in a number of different ways. These include Kopi Gayo Aceh, Kopi Kintamani Bali and Sulawesi Enrekang coffee among others.
If you prefer a more robust coffee, you can go for an Americano or a manual brew. As a recommendation, their manual brew is exceptional because they offer coffees from many regions in Indonesia which are rarely found in Japan, such as Kopi Bondowoso, Kopi Kintamani, or Kopi Gayo.
In order to be able to provide the best taste, Kopikalyan uses La Marzocco coffee machines for their espressos and their original “origami drippers” for their manual brews. This ensures you get the best coffee that a machine can make.
Most Japanese customers tend to go for Es Kopikalyan or a manual brew, both of which are perfect for those who want to try and to find out more about Indonesian coffee.
Traditional Indonesian Food Served Authentically
When it comes to food quality, Kopikalyan is always known to serve top-quality, appealing dishes.
Tempeh Fries
Moving towards a more authentic Indonesian experience, Kopikalyan also has tempeh fries, a typical ingredient of Indonesia fried in the form of french fries, often served with a dip such as mayonnaise or peanut sauce.
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Coffee Jelly
One of their must-try deserts is their Coffee Jelly, Jelly that is made from Indonesian Arabica coffee combined with palm sugar cream decorated with strawberries on top. It is a sweet and sour blend that goes perfectly when combined in the mouth. It also looks aesthetically pleasing, so Coffee Jelly often makes an appearance on social media.
Kalyan Toast
Kalyan toast is served with Kalyan jam, made from Arenga palm sugar and Indonesian coffee. The aroma of the coffee and the sweetness of the palm sugar go great with the toast. To top off this great mix, sugar powder is sprinkled on top.
For many visitors to the cafe, Kalyan toast is a fan favorite, especially served with a Manual Brew or an Americano.
Pandan Chiffon
Pandan Chiffon is given to every customer who orders a hot drink, or a lunch set with gratin.
Pandan Chiffon is made from tropical pandan leaves, which gives it a distinctive aroma and natural, beautiful color. Unfortunately, their pandan chiffon cake isn’t on the a la carte menu yet; hopefully, there will be an a la carte version in the future!
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Kopikalyan Tokyo
Kopikalyan’s great ambiance, high-quality signature dishes with a touch of the local Indonesian taste are three highlights that Kopikalyan has brought from Jakarta to Japan.
All of the baristas are also trained to a high level to be able to give the customers the best of Indonesian flavors. Many of them are prepared so that they can introduce the blend of cultures represented by Kopikalyan to their customers and have a huge interest in coffee. The staff is also trained to wow customers with their exceptional bilingual skills.
Because of this, and especially on weekdays, most of the visitors to the cafe are Japanese and other non-Indonesians. However, on weekends, many visitors from Indonesia who live nearby or from afar who miss Indonesian coffee, food, and the atmosphere will stop by at Kopikalyan Tokyo.
Come and Give Authentic Indonesian Coffee A Try
If you want to try going on a coffee adventure, a cup from Kopikalyan is always worth it. Drunk along with crunchy tempeh or a bitter-sweet coffee jelly, your visit will definitely be one to remember!
Let us know what you think about Kopikalyan, and don’t forget to mention us on Instagram @guidablejapan and @kopikalyanjapan.
Devy Mufliha,
Indonesia
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