FIRST SHOT
A one-of-a-kind Starbucks Reserve outlet sets up shop in Bali.
Given the growing thirst for coffee in Indonesia, the nation that gave the world the word “java,” it seems entirely natural that Starbucks would open its largest Southeast Asian store in Bali. The result? Starbucks Reserve Dewata Coffee Sanctuary ( dewata.starbucks.co.id), a 1,800-square-meter behemoth that takes up a modern Balinese brickwork structure on Seminyak’s Sunset Road. From a concierge greeting to high-tech touchscreens and artistic local flourishes, the venue is quite unlike any of the brand’s other outlets in the region. A micro-plot of arabica coffee trees enlivens the entry, while seedlings sprout in a nursery, slick video installations put the focus on Starbucks’ smallholder farmers, and an intricate nine-meter-high wooden “mural” showcases coffee-producing regions around Indonesia. House creations such as the Lavender Latte are served at the main bar, but it’s the Reserve bar in an airy double-height space that deserves more attention: with a wall of hand-carved stone tiles as a backdrop, baristas turn fine beans into flavorsome brews by press, siphon, Chemex, or pour-over. Don’t leave without trying the single-origin Aged Sumatra.