By Bec Milligan.
Image Credit: The Shady Shack
Heading to Bali and wanting to know which restaurants are truly great? Well, you’re in the right place!
Bali has one of the most exciting food scenes in Southeast Asia. And whether you’re travelling to Ubud for the culture, Seminyak for the beach clubs, or Canggu for the surf, we’ve got you covered.
Read on for a complete guide to the best restaurants in Bali, from fine dining tasting menus to casual spots that locals actually eat at.
The honest answer is that it depends on where you’re staying and what kind of meal you’re after.
But Bali tends to reward those who go looking; a tucked-away warung in Ubud might serve you the best nasi campur of your life. A rooftop in Seminyak might have a wine list so good, you’ll cry.
Of course, with so many options, knowing where to start can be incredibly overwhelming. That’s where we come in.
The list below spans the island’s most popular areas and caters to a broad range of tastebuds. Here are 17 great restaurants in Bali definitely worth knowing about.
Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali, and its restaurant scene certainly reflects that.
Image Credit: Locavore NXT
For many people (especially foodies), Locavore NXT is the main reason they visit Ubud. The restaurant sits in the rice fields outside Ubud and operates on a principle that is simple to describe but genuinely hard to execute: everything on the table, from the food to the furniture to the glassware, comes from Indonesia.
Chef-owners Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah made history when the original Locavore (which closed in 2022 to make way for NXT) climbed 27 places in a single year at the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards, a record at the time.
The new iteration takes that philosophy further with a rooftop food forest, a fermentation lab, and a mushroom fruiting chamber all of which directly supply the kitchen. The tasting menu changes with the seasons and follows what the team calls ‘a culinary exploration of Indonesian food and culture’. Just book well in advance; the wait list is long!
Image Credit: Aperitif
Aperitif sits within the Viceroy Bali resort and offers a level of formal fine dining that is rare on the island. Executive Chef Nic Vanderbeeken brings over two decades of experience from Michelin-starred kitchens, and the menu at Aperitif shows it.
The setting is theatrical, with a dramatic circular bar, warm lighting, and a wine cellar that guests can walk through. Just beware that the dress code tilts smart, so don’t turn up in board shorts and thongs after a day at the beach.
Image Credit: Honey & Smoke
3. Honey & Smoke
Honey & Smoke is one of those places where people tend to return to. The space has the feel of a 1920s train carriage, with warm retro details and a wood fire that anchors the whole kitchen.
The seared swordfish and grilled scallops cooked over the fire are serious menu highlights, and the cocktail list is impressive. Plus, Honey & Smoke is on Monkey Forest Road, which makes it an easy stop before or after an afternoon in Ubud proper.
Image Credit: Naughty Nuri's
Naughty Nuri’s opened in Ubud in 1995 and built its reputation on Indonesian barbecued pork ribs and martinis. The late Anthony Bourdain famously described the martinis as ‘the best he ever had outside of New York City’, which helped turn what was a humble warung into a Bali institution.
The original Ubud branch is the one to visit if you can, though there are now locations in Seminyak and further afield. It is not a place for refined dining, but it is a place for a seriously good bite to eat.
Image Credit: Copper
Copper sits on a rooftop above the Ubud jungle, which means the food and drinks come with breathtaking views (and sunsets if you time your visit just right).
Copper’s menu blends Indonesian flavours with global influences (the rendang sapi is particularly good) and is as popular with Bali residents as it is with tourists, so you know it truly is a great restaurant.
Seminyak is Bali's most polished neighbourhood for eating out. Petitenget Street and the surrounding streets are lined with restaurants that range from casual beachside spots to impressive fine dining.
Image Credit: Warung Nia
If you’re looking for traditional Balinese cooking, Warung Nia is a good reason to look beyond the upscale restaurants on Petitenget Street. The focus is on traditional grilled and roasted meats; if you want to try a bit of everything, we suggest ordering the Balinese Rijsttafel.
Ultimately, the setting is simple, the prices are very reasonable, and the food is delicious. Plus, watching the meats being prepared over charcoal in an open kitchen makes the whole thing feel like a proper experience.
Image Credit: Sangsaka
Sangsaka offers some of the best modern Indonesian cuisine on the island. The restaurant takes traditional flavours and rebuilds them using smoked, grilled, and charred techniques.
Our favourite dishes include the smoked duck and the lobster dumplings, but the menu does change regularly. There is also an eight-course tasting menu for those who want to really indulge.
Image Credit: Estia
Estia sits on Jalan Kayu Cendana in Seminyak and has quickly built a strong following since opening. The kitchen centres on a wood grill and wood-fired oven, which means smoky, charred flavours run through the entire Greek-inspired menu.
Everything really is excellent, but our tip? The puffed sourdough flatbread and spreads – like whipped feta, tzatziki, and taramasalata – are well worth ordering before you decide on your mains.
Image Credit: Nui da Mano
Nui da Mano sits right on Batu Belig Beach with open-air seating and a communal, sharing-plates concept built around scrumptious Polynesian-inspired flavours.
Come with a group and order widely.
Canggu has gone through a significant transformation over the last decade. What was once a quiet surf village is now one of the busiest areas of Bali for eating out, with a great restaurant scene that leans creative and global.
Image Credit: Indigo
Indigo is one of Bali’s most serious Japanese restaurants, sitting in a serene and intimate setting in Berawa. The kitchen is led by Chef Morita Shigehiko and the menu blends contemporary Japanese cooking with a subtle European influence.
It’s the kind of place where the food is taken seriously and the atmosphere is unhurried; heaven!
Image Credit: Bokashi
Bokashi is primarily a health-focused organic grocery store, but the Japanese-inspired cafe and tea house upstairs is the real reason to visit.
While the ground floor is stocked with fresh produce, bulk grains, teas and spices, the second level is a serene dining space with a scrumptious menu built around whatever is freshest downstairs.
Image Credit: Lacalita
Lacalita is a Mexican-inspired restaurant and because it’s not strictly authentic, this frees the kitchen up to do some creative (yet delicious) things with tacos and tostadas.
For instance, the cheeseburger taco is a must-order dish.
Image Credit: SKOOL Kitchen
SKOOL Kitchen operates on a single guiding idea: primitive cooking, modern dining. Every dish passes through fire. Appetisers, mains, desserts, even some of the cocktails involve a wood or charcoal element.
The rooftop setting adds stunning ocean views to the experience, and the open kitchen means you can watch the cooking happen.
Image Credit: The Shady Shack
Attention vegans and vegetarians: The Shady Shack is the go-to plant-based restaurant in Canggu. The menu is built around organic local produce and offers everything from all-day breakfast to burgers to nasi goreng.
We swear even devout meat eaters will leave The Shady Shack satisfied.
Image Credit: Milu by Nook
Set among rice fields on the edge of Canggu, Milu by Nook is a great breakfast and lunch spot with a menu that ranges from Indonesian favourites to international comfort food.
Healthy bowls and local dishes both feature heavily on the menu and the vibe is very relaxed and easy-going.
The clifftop south of Bali has developed a restaurant scene built around dramatic views. The dining here tends to lean upscale, and several of the island’s most visually striking restaurants are in this area.
Image Credit: The Cave
The Cave sure does live up to its name. A 22-seat subterranean dining room built inside a natural limestone cave near Uluwatu, the setting alone makes it one of the most extraordinary places to eat in Bali.
The food is fine dining quality, with guests able to choose between a seven or ten-course menu, reinvented every four months by Chef Ryan Clift. Ultimately, The Cave is the kind of place that justifies making the drive down to the Bukit Peninsula even if you are staying further north; just book well in advance.
Image Credit: Akasa
Akasa at Jumeirah Bali sits on the highest level of the resort and offers amazing views of the Uluwatu coastline. The kitchen produces an Asian fusion menu blending Balinese, Thai, Japanese and Korean influences.
Standout dishes include the yakiniku roasted lamb shoulder and the robata tiger prawn.
Babi guling is the must-eat dish of Bali. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a whole suckling pig stuffed with a spice mixture known as base genep, then slowly roasted on a spit over an open fire.
The result is a combination of crispy skin, tender spiced pork, and flavourful rice, typically served with satay, vegetables, blood sausage, and sambal. It is found everywhere from simple warungs to dedicated babi guling restaurants.
Nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles) are also must-eats if you’re visiting Bali.
On most serious international measures, Locavore NXT holds the top position.
The restaurant and its predecessor, Restaurant Locavore, have been consistently recognised at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.
Other highly rated Bali restaurants include Aperitif and Sangsaka.
Bali belly is the common term for traveller’s diarrhoea, and it is usually caused by consuming food or water that contains bacteria or parasites that your digestive system is not accustomed to.
The most common culprits are tap water, ice made from tap water, raw vegetables and salads that have been washed in tap water.
At reputable restaurants, the water and ice are generally safe, as most established venues use factory-produced, filtered water and ice. But for a full breakdown of how to avoid and/or manage Bali belly, we have a dedicated guide here.
The Best Luxury Resorts In Bali
Get ready to dive into a world where luxury meets paradise on Indonesia's most famous and beautiful island.
Hiring Scooters In Bali: A Guide
Scooters are one of the easiest ways to get around Bali, but if you’re not smart about when, where and if you ride, it can end in disaster.
NZ
AU