We were on Jalan Gajah Mada that afternoon. My wife wanted to hunt for stationery, pens, notebooks, that sort of thing so we ducked into an old shop. Smelled like paper that had been sitting for years, which I kind of liked.
While she was comparing pens, I noticed a narrow stairway at the back with a sign: Nadhi Heritage. Didn’t think twice, I just went up.
The café was small but had this atmosphere you don’t find in the newer spots. Dim yellow lights, wooden tables, old photos on the walls, half of them black and white. It felt like time slowed down a bit once I stepped inside.
I grabbed a corner table and ordered Kopi Jadul and their Mini Croissant Platter. Simple. The kind of order you make without overthinking. While waiting, I wandered around. There was a glass cabinet with random old things inside an abacus, fountain pens with dried ink stains, a pocket watch, even some tattered notebooks. Not museum pieces, more like stuff people actually used and left behind.
The coffee came first. A glass of dark brew with sweet condensed milk at the bottom. Stirred it up and took a sip. Strong, sweet, straightforward. No latte art, no nonsense. Just coffee the way my grandfather probably drank it.
Then the croissants arrived three little ones on a tray. One plain, one almond, one with cheese melting out the side. I pulled apart the almond first. Crisp edges, soft inside, nothing overdone. Perfect to eat with hot coffee while the city kept rushing below.
Through the window I could see the street bikes honking, people bargaining, the usual chaos. From upstairs, though, it all felt far away. Like watching Denpasar from another decade.
After a while, my wife came up with her bag of stationery, excited about the pens she found. I slid the last croissant toward her. She took a bite, and we just sat there for a while, not really talking much, just letting the place slow us down.
Walking back down the stairs later, it felt like we had been somewhere else entirely, even though we’d only gone one floor up. Nadhi isn’t just a coffee shop it’s like a pause button in the middle of Gajah Mada.
