Guide To Jakarta’s Top Neighborhoods Are Areas To Live For Families

KEMANG: Living With Kids In South Jakarta

Kemang area is located in the southern part of Jakarta and has long been the most popular living area for Jakarta expats. During the day, the streets in Kemang are bustling with cafes, restaurants, and shops, and it becomes even livelier when the Jakartans come out to play at night in the pubs and bars. Within Kemang, there are several housing compounds and apartment buildings to choose from, as well as a number of international schools. To top it off, they have Ranch Market, Kem Chick, Hero, and Kemang Village mall for your daily shopping needs. Families with younger kids love the short distance to Jakarta's two most favorite outdoor playgrounds,  The Playground Kemang and Playparq.

Restaurants And Cafes In Kemang, South Jakarta:

• Die Stube, German food and beer, Instagram
• Mama Rossy, Italian cuisine, +6281211724458, www.mammarosy.com
• El Asador, South American food, +62217182206, elasador.co.id
• Komunal 88, cafe & market, +62217194673, www.komunal88.com
• Warung Turki, Turkish food and shisha lounge, +622129055899, warungturki.com
• Queen's Head, British/Indonesian cooking, +62217196160, www.queensheadjakarta.com

Schools And Pre-Schools In Kemang, South Jakarta:

• Sekolah Pelita Harapan Kemang Village, sph.edu
• Jayakarta Montessori School, www.jktmontessori.com
• New Zealand School Jakarta, www.nzsj.sch.id
• Tutor Time Kemang, tutortime.co.id
• Australian Independent School, www.ais-indonesia.com
• KindyROO, www.kindyrooindonesia.com

Want More?

See Little Step's Kemang Family Guide

MENTENG: Living With Kids In Central Jakarta

The upscale Menteng area is in the heart of Jakarta. Even though the main streets are home to many restaurants and cafes that feature live music, the New-Indies-style houses in Menteng are timeless and lush. Being the first housing project in Jakarta (known as Batavia back then), this area has seen its share of famous residents such as Indonesia's former President Soeharto and the former President of The United States Barack Obama.

With such long history, houses in Menteng area is highly sought after. Easy access to Grand Indonesia Mall and Plaza Indonesia, close vicinity to many different city attractions, and it's central location are just a few perks of living in Menteng. Also found in the area: Russian Center for Science and Culture, German embassy, Austrian embassy, Italian embassy, Belgian embassy, Argentinian embassy, Japanese embassy, and many more!

For families who like to take a leisurely afternoon walk, Menteng boasts two parks: Taman Suropati and Taman Menteng. Meanwhile, if you prefer to relax and sip a cup of latte or hunt for antiques, Giyanti Cafe and the famous Jalan Surabaya antique market are just around the corner.

Restaurants And Cafes In Menteng, Central, Jakarta:

• Giyanti Coffee Roastery, www.giyanticoffeeroastery.com
• Ya Udah Bistro, European/Asian food, www.yaudahbistro.com
• Seribu Rasa, Southeast Asian cooking, arenacorp.com/seribu-rasa
• GIOI, Instagram
• One-Fifteenth Coffee, www.1-15coffee.com
• Plataran Menteng, Asian/Indonesian/Western dining, www.plataran.com/plataran-menteng
• Tugu Kuntskring Paleis, Indonesian cooking and Batavian Rijsttafel, www.tuguhotels.com/restaurants/jakarta/kunstkring/
• Al Jazeerah Lounge, Middle-Eastern cuisine, web.aljazeerahlounge.com
• ¿Por Qué No?, Spanish food, Instagram

Cultural Elements In Menteng, Central, Jakarta:

• Taman Ismail Marzuki Art Centre and Planetarium, Instagram
• Cemara 6 Galeri, art gallery, cemara6galeri.wordpress.com
• Jl. Surabaya Antique Market, Google Maps

SENAYAN: Living With Kids In South/Central Jakarta

Senayan is home to the popular Senayan City mall, Plaza Senayan mall, and the recently opened SPARK mall. It's no wonder that this area is popular not only amongst the locals but also tourists and expats. Just a hop away from Plaza Senayan, there's GBK, Jakarta's largest sports complex that was also the main venue for the 18th Asian Games.

For families who want to live in Senayan area, there are many options to choose from. Apartments, townhouses, and stand-alone houses are available to buy or rent. From Senayan, the central business districts and international schools in the surrounding area are easily reached. When you feel adventurous, hop on the MRT from Senayan station and see where the line can take you!

Restaurants And Cafes In South/Central Jakarta:

• Table8, Il Mare, Orient8, and Edogin at Hotel Mulia Senayan, www.themulia.com/jakarta/hotel-mulia/jakarta-dining
• Esina, Japanese yakiniku, www.esinayakinikugarden.com
• Angus House, Japanese-style steakhouse, angus-house-japanese-steakhouse.business.site
• AW Kitchen, pasta house, Instagram
• Sate Khas Senayan, Indonesian cuisine, Instagram
• Plan B, Spanish cooking, Linktree

Schools And Pre-schools In South/Central Jakarta:

• HEI Schools Senayan, heischools.co.id/startwithhei
• Permata Montessori Pre-school
• Ceria Montessori Pre-school, ceriamontessori.com
• Binus School Simprug, binus.sch.id
• JIS Pattimura

KELAPA GADING: Living With Kids In East Jakarta

Even though Kelapa Gading has quite a different feel from the other areas listed above, Kelapa Gading area has its own charm. It's an especially good option if your work is in the North Jakarta or Bekasi area. With three malls: Mal Kelapa Gading, Mal Artha Gading and Mall of Indonesia (MOI), your daily needs are easy to get. Kelapa Gading area boasts a vast option for Chinese restaurants, but they also have other varieties of food as well. Though infamous for annual floods, they have gotten it under control in recent years and are much better now.

Restaurants And Cafes In Kelapa Gading:

• Angke Restaurant, Chinese food, angke.com/portfolio-item/kelapa-gading/
• Six Ounces Coffee Kelapa Gading, coffee and food, Instagram
• Bakmi Gading Permai, noodles, bakmibgp.com
• Seafood 212 Wiro Sableng, Instagramen

Schools And Pre-Schools In Kelapa Gading:

• SIS Kelapa Gading, sisschools.org/sis-kg
• North Jakarta Intercultural School, www.njis.org
• Beacon Academy, beaconacademy.net
• Raffles Christian School, raffles-international.org
• Jakarta Taipei School, www.jtsid.org

BSD CITY: Living With Kids In Tangerang

With more and more workplaces offering remote work options, and new green offices opening in the suburbs, many people are now opting to move a little outside the bustling streets of Jakarta for much less pollution and more greeneries. If this is something you want, BSD City in Tangerang is just the place!

BSD is known for its eco-friendliness and lush greeneries. With many buildings also being home to large trees and small plants, it is truly a great example of modern living being one with nature. Families can bike or jog around the neighborhood, visit the nearby Scientia Square Park, or take their furry friends to one of the dog parks. There are a lot of different places to buy or rent, from small studio apartments to large homes in gated complexes. Shopping and dining are easy with several malls and markets, and you won't have to worry about school with the number of options available!

Restaurants And Cafes In BSD City, Tangerang, Jakarta:

• Gion sushi
• Katsukita, Instagram
• Gubug Makan Mang Engking BSD, mangengking-bsd.com
• Subway BSD, www.subway.co.id
• Sale Italian Kitchen, www.foodartisanindonesia.com
• Hygge Signature, hygge-signature.business.site

Schools And Pre-Schools In In BSD City, Tangerang, Jakarta:

• Binus School Serpong, binus.sch.id
• Sinarmas World Academy, www.swa-jkt.com
• Sampoerna Academy, www.sampoernaacademy.sch.id
• Deutsche Schule, www.dsjakarta.de
• Monash University, www.monash.edu/study/indonesia-campus-courses
• Jakarta Nanyang School, jny.sch.id/home/

Other Attractions In BSD City, Tangerang, Jakarta::

• Bremgra Indoor Wall Climbing
• Scientia Square Park
• AEON Mall BSD, aeonmall-bsdcity.com
• The Breeze and Green Office Park, www.thebreeze.bsdcity.com