Caffeinated beverages are popular among a generation where juggling numerous projects at once seems to be the norm. In order to stay awake, it is common for busy students and professionals race off to the nearest coffee shop to get their daily dose of caffeine. But despite the practical role that coffee seems to have in our exhausted society, it would be a mistake to say that coffee is a mere stimulant. When prepared correctly and consumed in a comfortable environment, coffee can be something special. One Fifteenth Coffee is one of the few places in Jakarta that can offer coffee drinkers that soothing experience.

The establishment that is located in Gandaria is spacious, and lets in plenty of natural light – making it an ideal place to relax or work in. Inspired by the coffee culture of Melbourne, Nathalia Gunawan, decided to start her own business in Jakarta. She noticed that chain coffee shops were not selling proper coffee, but because they are so common, many people think that there are no alternatives. “Coffee is complicated,” she said. It is similar to wine in that it needs to be studied. Nathalia said that there is no template for what is considered to be “good coffee,” but she noted that there are certain types of beans that are easier on the stomach, and are therefore preferable over those that cause digestive problems.

One Fifteenth Coffee also uses locally roasted beans from Morph Coffee because it is important to use beans that are stomach-friendly as well as those that are fresh. From these specificities alone, it is clear that this is not your average coffee shop. The name of the cafe itself derives from the coffee to water ratio – one gram of coffee for every fifteen milliliters of water. Coffee is all about proportions, and at One Fifteenth, attention is paid not only to the quality of each serving, but also to its quantity. There is only one size available, which is the recommended amount of coffee that can be enjoyed in one sitting.

In addition to specialty drinks that the cafe has to offer, One Fifteenth Coffee is also unique in terms of the usage of space. While it is common for most coffee shops these days to create an environment that allows their customers to socialize and work – both in groups or individually – this particular one employs the concept of communal tables. Though there are some smaller tables, most customers are encouraged to share one of the long tables. It is arrangements like this that allows strangers to start friendly interactions in a society that is becoming increasingly reclusive.

One Fifteenth Coffee is quite an exception in Jakarta’s current cafe scene, but Nathalia believes that the city is seeing a growing movement towards specialty coffee. “Customers are becoming pickier,” she said. And this pickiness is a positive indication of a heightened awareness towards high-quality coffee. When customers know what they are looking for, Jakarta’s coffee culture can, hopefully, be revolutionized.

One Fifteenth Coffee
Jl. Gandaria I No. 63
Jakarta 12130
(021) 722 5678

For more information, go to this website or Facebook page. Tweet @115 Coffee.