Fortunately, Jakarta’s dining scene has started to cater to this demand. Among the plethora of ayam geprek sellers, we can find more vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants. Those looking for vegetarian meals should have a look at the list below.

Blue Zone Center Indonesia

Opening its doors in May, Blue Zone Center Indonesia is a healthy lifestyle hub, featuring salad bar-slash-restaurant, kombucha bar, fitness boutique and grocery store.

The founder Jason Tanu was inspired by a National Geographic report on the Blue Zone, five areas in the world where people live longer and healthier.

“I want Jakarta to be the next Blue Zone,” Jason told The Jakarta Post.

Blue Zone Center Indonesia offers a wide variety of acai bowls. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

In the eatery, veg heads can try salad with various homemade dressings, such as spicy chipotle, tom yum and spicy adobo. Also highlighted in the menu are bibimbap (Korean mixed rice), vegetarian rendang and acai bowls. And according to Jason, the restaurant also offers a vegan-friendly menu.

Meanwhile, the kombucha bar offers healthy beverages on tap in various flavors, namely mixed berries, fruit cocktail, honey lemon, dragon punch and rose, priced at Rp 38,000 (US$ 2.64) per glass. 

Where: Jl Gunawarman No. 51, South Jakarta

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dej

Dej offers ready-to-go meals for those wanting to eat healthy food. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

Dej is young chef Talita Setyadi’s latest venture.

The woman behind pastry shop Beau by Talita Setyadi told the Post that she became a vegetarian around a year ago and Dej reflects her personal journey.

The cafe aims to bring the healthy lifestyle concept to the masses by providing affordable healthy ready-to-go meals with a starting price of Rp 29,000.

“Studies show that eating meat is not environmentally friendly, as it uses so much water and produces waste,” said Talita, “What we’re trying to do is to help to change one habit at a time. We’re not asking people [to be] vegetarian, but [perhaps] flexitarian.”

Green veggie lasagna at Dej cafe in South Jakarta. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

Having said that, Dej serves delectable vegetarian dishes, such as sesame-crusted tofu, beet hummus, rainbow frittata, green veggie lasagna, as well as green lentil salad and quinoa veggie marinara, and Talita’s forte, breads and cakes.

“We [also] serve gluten-free muffins,” said Talita, adding that some of Dej Café’s menu is vegan-friendly. 

In regard to drinks, Dej offers a wide array of healthy concoctions, such as the berry antioxidant smoothie, green detox smoothie and jamu kunyit asem.

Where: Jl. Bumi No. 20, South Jakarta

Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Read also: Jakpost guide to breakfast spots

Plantubi

First opening during this year's Earth Day, Plantubi is a home business without an outlet.

However, the brand has caught health enthusiasts’ attention as it serves plant-based dishes with local flavors, namely the Padang bowl and Sunda bowl, nasi jagung (corn rice) and rendang jamur (mushroom cooked rendang-style).

Priced at Rp 48,000 per bowl, the menu is also vegan friendly as it does not use eggs, butter or dairy.

Where: Available on Go-Food or Go-Send

Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Burgreens

 

A post shared by Organic Healthy Eatery! (@burgreens) on May 23, 2018 at 3:41am PDT

Burgreens is a pioneer vegetarian restaurant in Jakarta.

First opening in 2013, Burgreens has branched out by opening several outlets across Jakarta, including in Pacific Place shopping mall in South Jakarta and Plaza Indonesia shopping mall in Central Jakarta.

The restaurant is known for its plant-based burgers with choices of mushroom, beans n’ cheese and spinach chickpea bean patties.

Where: Jl. Wijaya 2 No. 73, Darmawangsa, South Jakarta

Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dharma Kitchen

 

A post shared by Dharma Kitchen (@dharma.kitchen) on Jul 8, 2018 at 10:01pm PDT

Having been around for more than 20 years, Dharma Kitchen is one of the longest-serving vegetarian restaurants in Jakarta.

The outlets are currently located in Central Park shopping mall in West Jakarta and Pluit, North Jakarta.

Here, you can find Asian, Indonesian and Western dishes, such as simulated roast duck, rendang and chicken burger. For the dishes, Dharma Kitchen uses meat substitutes made of mushroom or soy.

Almost 90 percent of the menu is vegan-friendly, as the eatery rarely uses honey, milk or eggs.

Where: Jl Pluit Kencana Raya No. 106-110

Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (mut)