A Coffee Shop in Switzerland Serves Indonesia's Best Brews

The Indonesian coffee served in Omnia Coffee make the country the talk of the cafe, once the conversation veers away from finer points of coffee beverages.

"Many of our customers speak Indonesian fluently. Even if they do not, I am touched when they try their best to speak the language," she said.

Among them are her husband and Omnia Coffee co-founder Ponti. His fluent Indonesian reflects his 20 year experience as an old hand in the world of Indonesian coffee. 

A former quality control expert for a coffee company in Indonesia, Martin is a Q Grade expert, the highest certificate of its kind for coffee expert.

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"Switzerland is renowned for world-class coffee machines, though many Swiss coffee drinkers drink the beverage from a fully automatic machine," said Martin. "Coffee machines are as common is Swiss households as rice cookers are in Indonesian homes.”

While Swiss coffee machines are as precise as the country's iconic watches, Martin noted that "the best coffees come down to a feel for the coffee and other ingredients. This includes getting the right temperature for the milk as well as the proper amount of coffee."

Martin's skill is reflected in his ability to make a sweet-tasting cappuccino without adding any sugar.

Ponti freely offered his expertise on Indonesian coffee to customers. "I give courses for everyone, whether they are coffee laymen to professional baristas," he asserted. "My instruments included a coffee roaster made in Bali." 

Yet the couple acknowledged that the market for Indonesian cuisine in Switzerland is tough, as Indonesian restaurants in the country eventually shut their doors because of bankruptcy.