Menteng & Central Jakarta

Central Jakarta mixes old and new: Dutch-era houses in Menteng turned into chef-led restaurants, long-standing hotel dining rooms around Thamrin and Sudirman, and busy mall Italians in Senayan. It covers some of the city's most characterful places to eat Italian food.

In Menteng, Casa Alba serves fresh pasta and wood-fired pizza on Jalan Surabaya, SOLA grills bistecca alla Fiorentina near Dukuh Atas, CÁRNE dry-ages its steaks in a restored colonial house, and Emilia Bar Italiano runs from breakfast to late with jazz nights. The hotels add polish: il Mare at Hotel Mulia cooks Northern Italian food with handmade pasta, Rosso at Shangri-La finishes risotto in a cheese wheel at the table, and Ambiente at Aryaduta Menteng has charcoal-dough pizza. Pellegrini's at Plaza Indonesia is the pick for cannoli and coffee, while Pippo and Pesto Autentico at Senayan City suit a shopping break.

It is a good area for business lunches near the ministries and embassies, and for special dinners in Menteng's quieter streets. Hotel restaurants are the safest bets on Sundays and public holidays.