Lestari, Yogyakarta: Where Coffee Refuses to Hurry

The coffee arrives a little later here. And that is not a mistake. At Lestari, time does not rush to impress you. There is no machine hissing in a hurry, no barista racing against an imaginary clock, no promise of “fast service” printed anywhere. If you came looking for speed, you probably already chose the wrong place, and Lestari is perfectly fine with that.

This is a hand drip coffee bar in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where one cup is brewed for one person, one at a time. No shortcuts. No drama. Just patience, precision, and a quiet confidence that good things do not need to hurry.

HUDES | Worldwide Magazine on Manual Coffee

Behind the bar is Bachtiar Rivai, or simply Tiar. Founder, brewer, roaster, curator, art director, titles that matter less than the way he moves. Calmly, deliberately, without urgency. Choosing manual brewing was never about being different for the sake of difference. It was about alignment. With his personality. With his way of living. With the belief that craftsmanship shows itself not through speed, but through care.

In a coffee world obsessed with volume and visibility, Lestari chooses something far less fashionable: being present. Brewing slowly. Speaking softly. Letting silence exist. Here, coffee is not a spectacle. It is a conversation, sometimes with words, often without them.

Yogyakarta plays its part quietly. The city’s warmth, patience, and unhurried rhythm seep into the space. Guests tend to lower their voices without being asked. Time stretches. Cups are finished without glancing at the clock. Lestari becomes less of a café and more of a pause.

This story is not about chasing trends or building hype. It is about resisting them, gently. About believing that “ordinary” can be meaningful, that one cup can be enough, and that calm, when practiced daily, becomes a form of sustainability.

BACHTIAR RIVAI - The founder of Lestari, Yogyakarta.

Can you tell us who Tiar is in the simplest way? 

Hello, Hudes Magz. My name is Bachtiar Rivai, but most people call me Tiar. These days, I spend my time managing a manual coffee brewing space called Lestari in Yogyakarta. At Lestari, I take on multiple roles as the Founder, Brewer, Roaster, Curator, and also the Art Director.

When did your interest in coffee begin? Was there a specific moment, or did it just flow naturally?

My interest in coffee started around 2009. There wasn’t a specific moment that sparked it. It was more about my surroundings that slowly grew my curiosity about enjoying coffee. That was when my journey as a coffee drinker began, and back then, it started with instant sachet coffee. Then in 2012, I was introduced to specialty coffee. Around that time, many coffee shops began to appear in my neighborhood, which made specialty coffee more familiar. I think that period also became an integral part of urban lifestyle in Indonesia. That was when the transition happened, from sachet coffee to specialty coffee and I’ve been enjoying it ever since.

Out of so many coffee shop concepts, why did you choose a slow manual brew bar instead of espresso machines and speed-focused service like most cafés?

The foundation of this concept is simply because it fits me, my personality, my lifestyle, and my character. Everything feels aligned, it just matches. My tendency toward a minimalist lifestyle and my desire to stay mindful in whatever I do are the two main reasons behind choosing this concept for Lestari.

That’s why the choice fell on this concept: a Hand Drip Coffee Bar. Lestari only serves black coffee, fully made by hand, and it has been that way until today.

In practice, it’s actually not as slow as people might imagine. Everything has been calculated and planned carefully, so the workflow related to service can be adjusted to the number of guests on any given day. It’s all planned and executed in a measured and systematic way, so work efficiency is always maintained.

In the end, Lestari is a representation of the person behind it. The goal is for Lestari to truly be attached to me as the front line of this place, just as it is, so I can run it with a calm heart.

The name Lestari carries a deep meaning. Can you share the philosophy behind it?

The word “Lestari” in Javanese means everlasting or sustainable. Through this name, I hope that this place can grow, develop, and have its existence well preserved. Beyond that, I also hope that the relationship between myself and this place can be long-lasting with everyone involved in it, from the surrounding environment, raw material suppliers, production-supporting vendors, to the guests and customers.

Lestari was born in Yogyakarta. How much has this city shaped the character of the space, the pace of service, and the way you interact with customers?

Jogja is home. This city, with all its beauty and the warmth of its people, has had a very strong influence on Lestari.

Jogja’s friendliness makes everyone who comes here become friendly as well, more relaxed, slower, and calmer. That magical quality is what gives Lestari its character. Because of that, I feel responsible for preserving this sense of reverence, and what I can do is uphold good manners and maintain harmony in human relationships.

Through service, I always try to be polite in my attitude, soft in my voice, and ethical in my interactions with guests, so that this sense of calm and reverence can continue to exist.

Many cafés focus on volume and speed. But you choose a slower, more patient rhythm, one cup for one person. What value are you trying to protect?

The answer connects directly to the previous question. What we are protecting here is the sense of reverence. The process of manually brewing coffee is meant to be done slowly. We shouldn’t let that essence disappear.

The essence of manual brewing lies in doing it one by one, calmly and patiently. There’s no need to rush to finish it. Everything already has its own sequence; as a brewer, all that’s needed is to follow the steps properly and with intention.

Some people might say, “Wow, it takes so long just to brew a cup.” How do you deal with that, both internally and when responding?

That question is quite amusing. I usually respond with a smile and gently explain: manual brewing works like this, anything done by hand naturally takes more time, and that’s where the craftsmanship can be seen. It’s not about speed, but about precision.

Then I usually add a small line: Thank you for waiting. I hope this becomes your first enjoyable filter coffee experience.

In your opinion, do people come to Lestari just to drink coffee, or to experience something?

The main purpose is definitely to drink coffee. Other reasons might be to recharge energy or simply to look for inspiration, because they say coffee shops are places where inspiration is found. Maybe that’s true, hehe.

Do you believe coffee needs to be understood, or is it enough to simply feel and enjoy it?

Both are connected. But one important thing to remember is not to forget the true essence of drinking coffee, which is enjoyment.

Through feeling it, coffee drinkers can then understand that the best coffee is the coffee that is enjoyed. Because in essence, coffee is not meant to be debated, it’s meant to be enjoyed with a happy heart.

When choosing coffee beans for Lestari, what matters most to you? Flavor, the farmer’s story, the process, or something more personal?

For me, there are only three main points. First is the coffee category level, which must be specialty grade. Second is the source. Third is the completeness of its data.

Beyond that, I look at unique aspects like the variety or the post-harvest processing background of the coffee itself.

Is there one coffee that feels the most “you”? The kind that makes people say, “Oh, this is Lestari.”

I think every coffee released here is a face of Lestari itself. Each brew or roast represents the style of the brewer or roaster behind it, which creates a distinction from others, making it easier to recognize through its development and production style.

Since brewing at Lestari happens face-to-face, with slow conversations, has there ever been a conversation that truly changed your perspective?

Maybe there have been some, but not to the point of completely changing my principles in business or in life.

Out of all the guests who come to Lestari, what kind of visitors do you enjoy the most?

Their presence here is both an honor and a joy for me and this place. I should be the one thanking them for coming, so there’s no reason not to like any of them.

How do you keep Lestari as a calm and intimate space while still running it as a business?

The best way to keep Lestari calm is by not throwing sentimental questions at guests.

The effort to maintain integrity and the values that have been built is done by maintaining discipline, keeping the business rooted in its origins, idealistic yet realistic, so it can sustain life and continue to grow. Run it according to plan, execute it with strategy, and follow the formulas that have been created so the business stays healthy and runs well.

Was there ever a difficult phase where you thought about quitting? If so, what made you keep going?

There are definitely difficult phases, but quitting entirely has never crossed my mind, because this business is worth fighting for and preserving.

For those who want to open a coffee shop but don’t want to join the “hype competition,” what’s the most honest advice you can give?

To those who are just starting, remember this: playing someone else’s role will only make you tired. Playing someone else’s role will only make you obsessed with competing over and over again. As long as you’re playing someone else, you’re not free.

Make yourself or your business valuable by not becoming someone else. Trust me, being yourself makes you more valuable and happier. Stay calm, your sustenance will never be exchanged with someone else’s.

If Lestari were a life message in one short sentence, what would it be?

“Being ordinary is totally okay, because it helps the heart and mind stay calm.”

In the next 5–10 years, what do you see Lestari becoming? Staying small and intimate, or growing while remaining truly sustainable?

Lestari will move according to what has already been planned. Five to ten years ahead is a mystery; for now, the closest goal is simply to do the best we can so Lestari becomes more valuable in the present, and even more valuable in the years to come.

Based on future projections, Lestari wants to continue growing and developing, whether in quality, market, or space. What’s certain is that if one day Lestari has a larger space than it does now, it will always maintain a calm and comfortable atmosphere, without leaving behind Lestari’s own style and way of doing things. 

(Hudes Magazine)

all photos by Lestari, Tiar.