Winner of Exquisite Awards 2025 – Best New Bar: Dualism
What happens when a single idea splits into two, revealing contrasting layers that change how we taste, see and feel? Jakarta’s nightlife now has an answer with Dualism, the newest concept from SwillFam Group. Situated in the SCBD area, this bar transforms cocktails into a study of opposites, presenting each creation in twin forms that highlight what the other cannot.
Every drink starts with a single set of ingredients yet branches into opposing forms. One may be intense and spirit-forward, while its counterpart appears lighter and more playful. The goal is not to take sides but to discover how one version enriches the other. Guests are encouraged to taste both, exploring how flavour, perception and even narrative shift with each glass.
This philosophy reflects the partnership of its founders: one rooted in music, style and sensory play, the other in technical mastery and precision. Its vision is brought to life by head bartenders Ghalim Pati and Aldho Goenawan in their debut menu titled Chapter I: The Founders. Each pairing reads like a dialogue between art and philosophy. For instance, Tragedy feels rich and soulful, while Comedy is crisp and spirited. Marie Antoinette blurs fact and fiction with layers of cream and tea, while Caravaggio balances light and shadow through exotic fruit and wood.
Local ingredients such as Dayak onions and cuko add an Indonesian character to the line-up, ensuring that global artistry is grounded in local context. With seasonal editions and collaborative events on the horizon, Dualism is shaping up to be one of Jakarta’s most intriguing new cocktail destinations.
Exquisite Taste Volume 49
Dualism
SOL Collective Space, SCBD
Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
T: (+62) 81252227022
IG: @dualism.bar
