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Top 10 Best Restaurants in Bali for 2022
Written by Nate Robinson
From Seminyak’s sensational plates to tiki tipples on Legian Beach, Bali is a gourmand’s wonderland. Here are our Top 10 Best Restaurants in Bali.
The island of the gods demands cuisine to match. From fire-roasted suckling pig to five-star omakase sushi, Bali doesn’t shy away from flavour – or adventure. A rush to put concept to plate – honouring old methods whilst forging new paths – places Bali firmly at the head of Southeast Asia’s blazing gourmet revolution.
We’ve asked Jason Fong, @bossofbali and luxury travel maestro, for his insider recommendations on the island’s best plates. There’s no better guide – follow the Boss of Bali’s appetite and a world of culinary brilliance is open to you.
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Barbacoa, Seminyak
Fuelled by fire and ruled by smoke, Barbacoa effortlessly blends asado traditions with a modern flair to produce a dining experience unlike any other. Here, the charm is in the char – whole pigs are roasted over the charcoal pit, prawns and calamari are grilled quickly over the parilla and fresh bread is stolen hot from the wood-fire oven to be taken straight to your table. Balance is brought by Barbacoa’s spectacular sides – yellowfish tuna ceviche with smoked yucca crema and vegan white chocolate flan are highlights – and a versatile vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: Eight-hour woodfired pork asado, 220gm, served with roasted grapes and chimichurri. Best enjoyed with a Lemon Meringue cocktail (vanilla vodka, limoncello, cinnamon, lemon juice, meringue).
Da Maria, Seminyak
Find la dolce vita in the buzzing heart of Seminyak at Da Maria. Roman architects Lazzarini Pickering bring the Amalfi Coast’s sunshine-kissed energy to the osteria’s breathtaking interiors, while the dishes, designed to be enjoyed family-style, are so mouthwateringly good they’ll take you straight to the old country. With highlights like naturally fermented pizzas baked Neapolitan-style and topped with homemade sausage and parmesan, handmade spaghetti swiftly tossed with prawns and lemon butter and fresh burrata topped with shiso oil, you’ll savour every bite. A celebration of everything Italian, Da Maria also boasts a wonderful kids’ menu that’s sure to delight even the fussiest eater.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: Anything from the pizza menu, plus an N147 (vodka, coconut, passionfruit, falernum, pineapple and lime).
The Plantation Grill, Seminyak
Tucked within the opulence of Double Six Luxury Hotel, The Plantation Grill brings the riotous splendour of the roaring ‘20s to Bali. It’s impossible not to become excited as you approach – descend a spiral staircase to a room boasting mighty glass windows offering views of the shimmering seascape beyond, old-school leather booths, vaulted ceilings and decadent marble finishes. The menu more than lives up to the décor – dry-aged, exclusively sourced beef, the restaurant’s uncontested speciality, is imported from across the world and grilled to perfection over woodfire. Matched with line-caught sustainable seafood and a cocktail menu that’s the gosh-darn bee’s knees, it’s a glimpse of old New York right in the heart of Seminyak.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: The Plantation Rib-Eye, 250g, savoured with the Spiced Colada (spiced rum, coconut liqueur, house-made coconut ice cream, fresh pineapple juice and coconut cream).
Mama San Bali, Seminyak
All roads lead to Mama San Bali – at the junction of the Seminyak thoroughfare, Oberoi Road, Eat Street and Sunset Road, this Balinese icon has been serving steaming bowls joy for over a decade. Designed with comfort in mind, the restaurant’s décor blends historical imagery and warm Indonesian touches to create an ambience that you’ll never want to leave. Here, street food is king – the menu dazzles with brilliant Southeast Asian flavours, and favourites such as Thai basil, coconut and chilli bring heat and sweetness to every dish. Dine on classics like Hainanese chicken rice, crispy lemongrass chicken and slow-cooked beef cheek rendang, grab a Balinese craft beer and let the good times roll.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: ‘Halong Bay’ chilli salt soft shell crab, with cracked duck egg and enjoyed with the Coco Lychee Crush (fresh lychee, coconut milk, mint and lemon juice).
MAURI Restaurant, Seminyak
Voted Asia’s #6 fine dining restaurant in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards 2021, MAURI Restaurant’s powerhouse reputation belies a cuisine that is simple, elegant and irresistible. Step into a light-filled atrium inspired by northern Italy’s sun-bleached cliffs and rich countryside, brimming with warm stucco and marble highlights, and let the restaurant’s vivid flavours and aromas whisk you to summery Puglia. Perfect for a romantic evening, its tasting menus celebrate Bali’s excellent local produce, elevated by authentic Puglian cookery – take one bite of the 24-month-aged Parmigiano cheese ravioli in onion consommé and you’ll forever dream of vast olive groves and shining cerulean seas.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: Tagliata di manzo Wagyu (smoked beef rib eye, pumpkin, carrot and ginger juice, matched with a Lemon Limoncello Mule (lemon, limoncello, vodka and ginger ale).
Azul Beach Club, Legian
Sprawling from sweeping golden sands to a sky-high infinity pool overlooking swaying palms, Azul Beach Club Legian’s open-air, bamboo facade epitomises laidback luxury, overlooking the island’s cherished sunset beach. Classic Beachcomber concoctions dance wickedly on the tongue with handpicked local ingredients at the first tiki bar in Bali, and a rotating schedule of events means that the nights are always popping. The menu is focused, celebrating the best of the island’s produce from land and sea, and the preparation is flawless – try the Jimbaran baby snapper, served with roast pumpkin and a caper and butter sauce, for a taste of what makes Indonesia’s seafood some of the best in the world.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: 12-hour cooked crispy Balinese pork belly with mashed potato and fern tip salad, best enjoyed with The Island Nectar (gin, vodka, passionfruit, orange juice and coconut, served in a Moai mug).
The Café at The Mulia Bali, Nusa Dua
Award-winning, iconic and oh-so-photogenic, The Mulia Bali Nusa Dua is a taste of five-star surfside serenity that’s considered one of the very best resorts in existence – and with the restaurants to match. The Café’s simple elegance rivals fine dining tables across the world, designed to accommodate even the most discerning of guests. Dine across seven spectacular cooking stations specialising in authentic international favourites – including sushi and sashimi, succulent Chinese barbecue, fiery papaya salads and handmade pastas – and finish with a mighty dessert section that’s packed with homemade ice creams, cakes, mousses and gleaming chocolate fondues.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: Cheese naan with condensed milk and an Espresso Martini (vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso).
Ginger Moon, Seminyak
Nestled in Eat Street, Seminyak’s culinary heart, Ginger Moon serves up Bali on a plate with helping a side of mischief – executive chef Dean Keddell’s irreverent take on Indonesian classics is sure to delight. Designed to share with tight-knit friends over a beer (or three!), the restaurant proudly serves ‘Balinese’ nachos – repping spicy-sweet sambal instead of salsa – and a lofty gado-gado salad pulled from Ginger Moon’s own rooftop herb garden. Don’t sleep on the restaurant’s signature cocktail list – some of the island’s very best cocktails can be uncovered here, including the utterly magical Ginger Mist (light rum, coconut rum, ginger and pineapple).
The Boss of Bali Recommends: Peking duck pancakes with spring onions, cucumber and plum hoi sin, knocked back with a Frozen Fruit Daiquiri (mango, pineapple, passionfruit, lime, dragonfruit).
Sundara at the Four SeasYons Bali, Jimbaran
Sundara is an institution, a pioneer of the island’s now magnesium-bright dining scene, yet keeps its Jimbaran roots close. Serving nightly barbecue feasts, inspired by the region’s history, drawing from its rich local produce and electrified by its brilliant culinary talent, every plate at the Four Seasons Jimbaran’s flagship restaurant has been kissed by fire or caressed by smoke and is backed by a five-star flair and laidback vibes. Sundara’s prodigious bar is the perfect place to try arak, Bali’s national drink, claypot aged and distilled from coconut flowers and sugarcane, and the restaurant’s rolling five-hour brunches are legendary – we recommend sticking around to catch the equally lauded sunset, perfectly witnessed from the restaurant’s deck.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: The Kelapa Negroni (gin, vermouth, Campari, aged for two weeks in a smoked coconut), with 12-hour smoked beef short ribs to follow.
Nampu at Grand Hyatt Bali, Nusa Dua
For a true taste of Tsukiji on the sweeping golden sands of Nusa Dua, look no further than Nampu, tucked inside Grand Hyatt Bali. Serving sushi and sashimi that is second to none and a sizzling range of accompanying yakitori and teppanyaki, Nampu’s exquisite cuisine is presented with a meticulous level of attention and care. Those looking for an extra taste of luxury will savour the restaurant’s private tatami room and extensive saké list, and Nampu’s serene, wood-panelled interiors and traditional Japanese water garden will linger your memory for years to come.
The Boss of Bali Recommends: The teppanyaki set with a side of ebi tempura, savoured with a Mojito.
Looking for more inspiration? Read Un-Bali-Vable: 7 Things to do in Bali to Make Your Escape Unforgettable.
