Sometimes you come across a place you never want to leave again. Tree Top restaurant, set in the hills overlooking the bay of Labuan Bajo is one of these places. Labuan Bajo is the capital of Flores, part of the lesser Sunda islands.
The island, and its capital, are most often used as a springboard to visit Komodo, home to the infamous Komodo lizards. Yet, as owner Mattheus Siagian knows, Flores has so much more to offer. In a single breath he mentions the Ulumbu hot water river, the white sand beach of Ketebe, the old towns of Bejawa and Ende, the fishing village Lembata where people hunt whales traditionally every October, Tiwu Lewu lake, filled with crocodiles and of course…Tree Top Restaurant.
Mattheus is half Swiss, half Indonesian. After studying hotel management in Switzerland, he worked for the department of tourism on Flores (hence his in-depth knowledge on what to see and do on Flores).
In 2011 Mattheus decided to build his dream restaurant. In 4 months time, Tree Top Restaurant was built, with materials taken from two wooden ships (one of which had been lying on the sea bed for 7 years). With the help of a German architect, Tree Top’s unique look took ‘ship shape.’ The furniture was also built with materials from the ships. Tree Top features three floors: the first floor houses a bar, the second floor the restaurant en the top floor is decorated as a lounge area.
Its location is absolutely breathtaking, as the sun sets, the bay of Labuan Bajo turns from orange, to pink to purple. Quite a dramatic backdrop for savoring some delicious cocktails, a vegetarian shake, or a freshly brewed Luwak coffee!
It’s not just drinks in Top Tree, as the menu features over 200 dishes. Guests can choose between European, Indonesian or Flores fare. Recommended are the ikan kuah asam (fish in sour soup) and rice steamed in bamboo. All the food is freshly cooked and the fish is acquired from local fishermen. Enjoying the catch of the day in the most beautiful setting you could dream of must come at a price right?
Well, actually no. The mains range from a modest Rp. 28.000 (about 3 USD) to Rp. 50.000 (about 5.50 USD)! Besides the restaurant, which opens daily from 7.30-23.00 Tree Top also features a bar (with a billiard and free wifi) that opens till late.
You will find Tree Top here:
Address: Jalan Soekarno Hatta, Kampung
Tengah, Labuan Bajo, Flores, NTT, Indonesia
Tel: 0062-385 42093 or 0062-82124111221
treetoprestaurant@yahoo.com
Find Tree Top on Facebook too!
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