This Restaurant Makes You Feel Like Strolling Through 1920s Shanghai in Central Jakarta.
Source: Antara/Nabila Charisty
No need to travel far to the northern coast to experience the atmosphere of old Batavia anymore. The historical ambiance of Sunda Kelapa Harbor—the symbol of Jakarta's birth—now revives through a restaurant named Shanghai Blue 1920 in Central Jakarta.
From Ancient Harbor to Legendary Culinary Traces
Sunda Kelapa Harbor in North Jakarta remains one of Indonesia's oldest active ports.
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Its strategic location enabled it to flourish into a vital trade route on Java Island.
Not only did merchants from the archipelago stop here, but also those from China, Arabia, India, England, and Portugal.
They sailed and anchored in the area once named Jayakarta and Batavia.
Amidst foreign ships and sailors from diverse nations emerged Chan Mo Sang, a Chinese migrant affectionately called Babah Chan.
In the early 1920s, he established a small stall near the harbor. Sailors from various countries bustling through the area made Babah Chan’s stall increasingly popular.
The plank-walled stall never sat empty. Beyond serving food, Babah Chan offered laundry services and haircuts for sailors who’d spent months at sea.
This fusion gave birth to cuisine blending Oriental and Betawi flavors—most famously the legendary Black Pepper Rice Noodles (Bihun Lada Hitam).
More than a stopover, the stall became a cultural convergence point that evolved into a major restaurant. Records show Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Asian star, dined there when her ship anchored in Batavia.
Shanghai Blue 1920: Reviving the Past
A century later, these memories resurface on Kebon Sirih Street, Central Jakarta. Shanghai Blue 1920 seemingly transports Sunda Kelapa Harbor’s essence downtown, with every corner designed to evoke nostalgia.
“We aim to resurrect the atmosphere and flavors once alive at Sunda Kelapa Harbor,” says Julie Nursanty, the restaurant manager.
Its interior channels 1920s Shanghai through abundant wood and planks, creating the sensation of a classic ship cabin.
Art-deco floral chairs, Betawi-style rattan, traditional Chinese abacuses, vintage portraits of Chinese women, and original instruments like saxophones from Babah Chan’s stall animate every corner.
Jakarta residents no longer need to head north to immerse in history. Even downtown, Batavia’s story unfolds over a meal. (Antara)
