Hard as it is to believe, the Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) neighborhood was little more than patches of swamps 20 years ago but has become one of Jakarta’s premier culinary havens. Instagram-worthy cafes pop up faster than we can keep track of but the new and aptly-named 2D Coffee & Tea might have been the most fascinating one so far.
Taking its cues from various 2D-styled cafes that’ve been popping up all across Asia, sitting inside the cafe feels like seeing actual vintage Parisian illustrations brought to life.
In a neat visual trick, the seats’ edges are all painted with black lines and shading, as if willed to life from an illustration
Image credit: @2dcoffeeandtea
The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is the degree to which they’ve managed to make an actual three-dimensional space resemble a flat illustration.
Even the air conditioner is blended so well with the decor so as not to break the illusion
Image credit: @ria_endon_doea
The interior is decked completely in monochrome, with furniture having rough black edges, as if they were just whisked to life from a sketchbook. It honestly might take some time for your eyes to adjust and figure out which ones are actual furniture and which ones are just part of the decor.
Appropriately, Chanel books are peppered in together with the vintage European-themed decor
Image credit: @ria_endon_doea
The theme they’re going for is decidedly European and we especially love the vintage Parisian illustration vibe they’ve got going on here.
You can check out the menu from the vending machine-like display
Image credit: @dessy.saputraa
They’re not going halfway with the flat visual trick either, with the plates having the same two-tone color scheme as the furniture. The menu is admittedly a bit limited, with little more than pastas and desserts other than the obvious coffees and teas, but what they do have are just as delightful.
The Tsunami Cake comes with generous cream frosting. The Coffee Blue Latte and Coffee Matcha Latte is visible in the background
Image credit: @eatbeforedie
As of now, 2D Coffee & Tea only offers the Black Tsunami (Rp. 55,000, ~USD3.89) cake for dessert but true to its Parisian calling, the cake looks just as delightful as the decor. It is named so because of its lavish frosting, which pours out of the top of the cake when the plastic cover is removed, giving the appearance of a tsunami.
With two shots of espresso, the Coffee Matcha Latte still has a pretty strong flavor
Image credit: 2D Coffee & Tea
Their coffees are just as colorful and we highly recommend trying out the Coffee Blue Latte (Rp. 38,000, ~USD2.69) which earns its name and lovely vibrant color from the use of butterfly pea flowers. The flavor is considerably more subtle than the colour, with butterfly pea having more of a subdued earthy taste not unlike green tea, complementing rather than overwhelming the coffee.
The artisanal tea comes with a brewer and there’s plenty enough to serve two
Image credit: @est.180494
For us though, the highlight is the array of artisanal flower teas they have on offer, with exotic names ranging from Midnight Lavender and Blooming Tea (Rp. 45,000, ~USD3.18), and that come with their own brewer. They’re said to have skin-nourishing health benefits to boot, and we’re always up for the soothing effects of the drink.
Do note that as their focus is mostly on light bites and drinks, we feel it’s best to visit 2D Coffee & Tea for afternoon teas instead of an actual meal.
If there’s any fault we can find with 2D Coffee & Tea, it’s that the space is much too small to contain all of the cartoon-like goodness inside.
Tucked in the 2nd floor of a shophouse building just before the Pantjoran PIK food court, we highly recommend reserving a spot first before dropping by the Instagram-worthy cafe.
Address: Ruko Golf Island A No. 5 Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta Utara 14460
Opening hours: 10AM-9PM, Daily
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Cover image adapted from @dessy.saputraa, @eatbeforedie, and @ethenk_only
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