Here in Jakarta, the best Indonesian cuisine and international fine dining restaurants are found in unique surroundings as they are located in elegant and well-appointed colonial buildings that enhance that special nostalgic atmosphere of fine, graceful dining like in those grand colonial days long gone. The Oasis Restaurant on Jalan Raden Saleh in Central Jakarta, the Kunstkring Paleis and the Bistro Boulevard on Jalan Teuku Umar, Bunga Rampai on Jalan Tjik Ditiro and the Jittlada Thai restaurant on Jalan Sultan Agung, are among some of the restaurants where you can experience the exquisite dining experience.

 

If you wish to experience the authentic culture of the indigenous Betawi ethnic group of Jakarta, you can pay a visit to Setu Babakan in Srengseng Sawah in the subdistrict of Jagakarsa in South Jakarta. As one of the last remaining, and most intact Betawi village communities in Jakarta, Setu Babakan has been stipulated as a Betawi Cultural Heritage village to showcase the life of the original Betawi people. Here visitors can see the original architecture and layout of the houses or stroll through this rustic village that has retained the Betawi atmosphere, watch cultural performances by the lakeside, enjoy special Betawi food and snacks, or go fishing or boating on the lake.

 

The splendor of the capital city also lies in the many legacies of the colonial era from the 16th century onwards which still stand majestically today, especially at the Old Batavia complex in North Jakarta. Center of the Old Batavia is the former municipal building or Stadhuis, which is now a Museum depicting Jakarta’s long history, called Museum Fatahillah, while the square fronting it is called the Fatahillah Square. Around the square are the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum, once the Court of Justice, now housing splendid paintings of the romantic maestro Raden Saleh, and expressionist Affandi. There is also a collection of ceramics from many parts of Asia. There is the Wayang Museum, the Bank Indonesia and Bank Mandiri Museums, that house artefacts related to the banking world.