Tip Top Restaurant — Restaurant in City of Medan

Historic eatery offering indoor and outdoor seating on one of the main streets in downtown Medan. Great spot for people watching but less stellar for actual eating. Service is impeccable and employees are solicitous and friendly. English availability varies. Credit card or cash payment options.

Tip-Top's history goes back to the early 20th century under Dutch colonial rule and that history is prominent throughout the restaurant. With the exception of AC available indoors it's easy to imagine little has changed in 100 years. History buffs will definitely want to make this a stop if you're visiting Medan. Lots of old photos, news clippings, and other items of interest related to the restaurant's history framed on the wall.

Alas, their food is not nearly as interesting. Basic Indonesian options along with some Western traditional favorites. It's a deep menu with a lot of different options to choose from (including a Chinese food section). However whether you order Western or Eastern the food lacks flair. It isn't bad, it just isn't memorable in any fashion. It's prepared and served with attention to detail but the flavor is perfunctory and muted at best.

Their calamari/cumi/fried squid entree is light and tasty enough but served without rice (virtually a crime in Indonesia!). Sweet and sour dishes are unmemorable. Again, nothing tastes bad, it just seems that a restaurant that's been around for a century should have figured out some equally epic ways of cooking.

If you want to visit I'd recommend sitting with a coffee or iced drink and people watching. Chat with the staff a bit if you're able - they're...

Positioned in the popular Kesawan Medan City and Adjacent to the legendary Tip Top Restaurant, Tip Top Bakery & Cake Shop (only managed to try here) is a cozy, old-school bakery that’s been around since the 1930s, carrying the charm of the good old days. Walking in carries you to where the smell of butter and sugar brings back childhood memories.

Tried two of their popular items: the Pineapple Pie and Black Forest Cake.

Pineapple Pie – The filling tasted like homemade jam goodness with chunky pineapple that gave a nice, natural sweetness. Wished the crust was a little more buttery and crumbly with more filling so every bite could be as satisfying as the first.

Black Forest Cake - A fun twist on the classic that we (or I) know, Instead of the usual cherries/ blueberries, it had raisins inside, which added a different kind of sweetness. The cake was moist and chocolate sprinkles on the sides gave it a playful touch. Not what I expected, but still tasty!

Tip Top remains a must-visit for anyone in Medan, whether you’re a local craving childhood flavors or a visitor looking for a taste of history. Prices are fair, and the vintage vibe makes the experience even better.

Tip: enjoy a cuppa with your choice of goodies from the bakery during day time and or stay over for dinner with ice cream 🍨...

This restaurant is situated in a busy road. There's no parking lot so you need to park your car on the side of the road.

Quality of the food: we ordered Tip Top fried rice, beef steak (on hot plate), fried vermicelli, and ice cream. I personally liked the mashroom souce for the steak. I usually dont like it, but this one was good and not too creamy. The ice cream was so-so and pricy.

Service: good, friendly, and quite fast.

Interior and exterior: it's mix between vintage and chinese interior. You can feel the vibes of an old restaurant here.

Ambiance: it's quite noisy as it's on the side of busy road and open space, and it's quite hot during the day as they dont use AC.

Cleanliness: very good. they clean the table and floor right away after the customer left. The toilet also quite clean and I comfortable to use it.

Value for money: aside the pricy ice cream, I think the price is suitable for the foods.

Recommendation: I recommend the restaurant for family and group for lunch or dinner.

Overall, it's a good restaurant to try on...