Go for the beaches, stay for the food: when it comes to palate-pleasing eats, Bali’s packing heat.
‘The Island of the Gods deserves cuisine to match,’ and this statement is truer than ever as Bali’s culinary scene blossoms from Kutu to Kubu. From a Wonka-esque gastronomic wonderland in Ubud’s jungle-hugged heart to American-style steakhouses on Seminyak’s ultra-hip streets, every corner of this island is brimming with surprises to tickle the tastebuds.
Prepare to take a bite out of Bali’s best restaurants in 2024.
Where to find Bali's best restaurants in Seminyak
The beating heart of Bali’s food scene. If you’re hungry, this is the place to be.
Barbacoa
Fuelled by fire and ruled by smoke, Barbacoa blends asado traditions with a modern flair to produce a dining experience unlike any other in Bali. Here, the charm is in the char – whole pigs are roasted over the charcoal pit, prawns and calamari are grilled quickly over the Argentine parilla and fresh bread is taken hot from the wood-fire oven straight to your table.
Must-try dish: Go for the whole octopus, barbecued and topped with jalapeno salsa verde, labneh and fruity roasted Basque peppers.
Sangsaka
Explore any of Seminyak’s twisting back alleys and you’re guaranteed to stumble upon somewhere secret and delicious. With a few charcoal grills and a dynamite rooftop bar, Sangsaka proves that sometimes simple is better, reimagining beloved Indonesian classics and packing them with signature deliciousness.
Must-try dish: Prawn fried rice, topped with softshell crab and a crispy fried egg.
Ijen
Nowhere’s quite got Seminyak spirit like Potato Head Beach Club, and the hotel’s radically sustainable – think ‘nothing left over, ever’ – restaurant, Ijen, elevates raw ingredients and freshly caught seafood into something extraordinary. Taste your way around the Bali Sea: start with oysters with ginger and tamari clams and see where the meal takes you.
Must-try dish: Clams cooked in citrus vinegar and avocado cream are bright, velvety and irresistibly zesty.
Kaum
Potato Head Beach Club’s other star restaurant, Kaum, drills down to deliver truly authentic Indonesian cuisine. Showcasing recipes from more than 600 islands – and drawing on ancient techniques, from bamboo-grilling to pit-roasting – the restaurant provides a glimpse into the nation’s culinary heritage. In keeping with theme, dishes are best enjoyed family-style.
Must-try dish: Everything (trust us), but whatever you order, be sure to order a side of sambal, Indonesia’s white-hot curry paste – Kaum stocks some of the country’s finest.
Si Jin
Balancing an American steakhouse sensibility with Korean smokehouse flair, Si Jin dazzles with the world’s best cuts of beef on demand. Dry-aged to perfection, kissed by flame and accompanied by an impressive array of house pickles and sauces, each bite offered here is a masterclass in meat.
Must-try dish: Order something extra special from the Reserve Cuts menu or elevate your steak with shavings from a handpicked Piedmont Summer Black Truffle.
La Lucciola
Classic Italian pasta, a gorgeous beachside setting and three decades of history: La Lucciola is a Seminyak institution. Its adjacency to Bali’s centuries-old Pura Petitenget and a robust tropical cocktail menu suggest the perfect daytrip, where temples, tipples and 00 flour await.
Must-try dish: Sourdough bruschetta with avocado, feta, tomato salsa... and another plate of pasta.
The Long Table Lunch at John Hardy
World-class artisan jeweller John Hardy is making a splash with its signature Long Table Lunch, offering a set-menu dining experience to be savoured over a jamu cocktail (or two). The feast focuses on authentic Indonesian favourites, often finishing with es campur, a mixed shaved ice dessert served with lashings of sweet condensed milk.
Must-try dish: The menu is seasonal, but bebek tangkap is a favourite, with local duck fried and served with lime and crispy pandan and curry leaves.
Where to find Bali's best restaurants in Canggu
Black beaches, incredible surf breaks and an abundance of culinary cool.
Yuki
Blending classic Bali beachfront dining with a fresh take on the humble izakaya (informal Japanese bar), Yuki’s minimalist, relaxed interiors belie a menu that’s dressed to impress. The restaurant deftly performs sleight-of-tongue nightly, remixing local and classic Japanese flavours to create new, bold plates served alongside Botu Bolong Beach. A second Yuki outpost is located in Uluwatu.
Must-try dish: Tsukune yakitori, a charcoal-grilled, soy-glazed Australian lamb mince skewer, plated with cured raw egg yolk and wasabi mayonnaise.
Kong
Kong’s old-world archways, wooden accents and polished decor are nods to colonial-era Singapore. The restaurant's ‘bistro-chic’ offering dances effortlessly between Italian, Japanese and American influences, but it’s the quietly confident caviar and oyster menu that’s unmissable – imported from Siberia and Sakoshi Bay respectfully, each bite is fit for a king (or queen).
Must-try dish: Delicacies aside, go for the vegetarian lasagne, with tempeh bolognese, basil and a decadent, triple-cheese bechamel sauce.
Shelter Restaurant
Canggu’s laidback neighbour, Pererenan, is quickly gaining a reputation for cultivating culinary cool. Enter chef Stephen Moore’s genre-bending venue, Shelter: Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours take centre stage, with spicy, earthy notes rounding out a menu built on traditional wood-fire methods of cooking and the region’s superb seafood offerings.
Must-try dish: Warm za’atar pretzel, slathered with house labneh cheese and Sumbawa honey, produced by the island’s wild forest bees.
Ulekan
If you’re after an authentic taste of the Indonesian archipelago, look no further than Ulekan. It’s easy to feel like a tourist here, in the very best way; the restaurant specialises in Indonesia’s most beloved dishes, and offers flavours and textures guaranteed to bring wonder even to the seasoned Bali traveller.
Must-try dish: Rendang sapi, a rich beef curry that’s become one of Indonesia’s national dishes, lightly drizzled with yoghurt sauce.
Times Beach Warung
Times Beach Warung promises just one thing: slow times by the surf. And it delivers in spades. This small collection of open-air, sand-floored huts, shaded by gently swaying palms, serves everything you need for an easy afternoon, from barista-poured coffee and acai bowls to Canggu Beach’s best fish tacos.
Must-try dish: Satay skewers, served with slices of zingy pickled pineapple, are the perfect chaser to a day filled with surf and sand.
Where to find Bali's best restaurants in Nusa Dua
This picture-perfect slice of paradise has over-achieved on the restaurant scene. Almost every resort hides one or more must-visit restaurants within.
Izakaya by OKU
The Apurva Kempinski Bali’s signature Japanese restaurant hits all the izakaya favourites with small, sophisticated twists, like truffle-salted edamame and Oku Aburi, salmon that is blowtorched and topped with caviar. Go omakase (the chef’s picks) if you want to taste as much as possible – you won’t leave disappointed.
Must-try dish: The Matchamisu amalgamates bitter and sweet to put a Japanese spin on an Italian classic dessert.
Cuca
Tapas, cocktails, desserts: Cuca’s holy trinity covers the beachside classics and more. The restaurant’s laidback, service-focused approach flows into its wonderful spaces: an open garden lounge for drinks in the shade, a relaxed dining room and an open-kitchen spectator bar, perfect for watching Cuca’s chefs work their magic.
Must-try dish: The lobster roll – generous chunks of lobster, served warm and buttered, in a fresh sesame bun slathered with lemon mayonnaise.
Soleil at Mulia Bali
It’s easy to see why Mulia’s legendary brunch was crowned by Architectural Digest as one of the world’s most luxurious. Expect dishes such as prime-cut steak cooked to order, lobster tails, foie gras and a spectacular dessert bar. Naturally, it’s paired with a drinks menu stacked with world-class offerings, including optional bubbles, cocktails or mimosas.
Must-try dish: Honestly? All of it.
Koral at Kempinski
Hidden deep beneath The Apurva Kempinski Bali exists Koral, an underwater kingdom filled with gastronomic delights. Bali’s first aquarium restaurant’s true magic is in the dramatic splashes of colour as marine life moves above and around you.
Must-try dish: Here, seafood is king, and we recommend the Koral Degustation menu, with fresh oysters, Japanese seabass and slow-cooked spiny lobster lavishly tossed in a mango vinaigrette.
Bai Yun
The Apurva Kempinski’s second star restaurant brings Asia’s hot-pot craze to Bali’s shores. It’s perfect for guests travelling with friends or family, with a vast selection of ingredients – including Japanese Wagyu beef, deshelled lobsters, forest mushrooms and live seafood – that’s guaranteed to please everyone around the table.
Must-try dish: The Meat Lover, arriving complete with seared Kiwami M9+-grade ribeye, Black Angus beef short ribs, Australian beef and lamb loin and pork shoulder.
Where to find Bali's best restaurants in Uluwatu
Cliffside cookery and the island’s most legendary sunsets – where else but Uluwatu?
ours Uluwatu
Balinese open-living design, Scandinavian architecture and an easy-going vibe seemingly plucked straight from Bondi Beach: ours Uluwatu perfectly balances its disparate influences. The rustic, Mediterranean-adjacent menu matches perfectly, with rustic flourishes and a commitment to sustainable produce.
Must-try dish: Avocado on toast, topped with feta, watercress and confit cherry tomatoes.
Bartolo
Bartolo’s bistro service and European-inspired menu bring the spirit of Urbino to laidback Uluwatu. Start with a spritz or carafe of sangria, fortified with vanilla-infused rum, and see where the evening takes you.
Must-try dish: The rigatoni pasta with sautéed eggplant, enveloped in a rich tomato sauce and decadently topped with parmesan, promises a true taste of the Continent on Bali’s shores.
M. Mason Bar
The spirit that all the best things are made by hand is what prompted woodfire restaurant M. Mason Bar to open its Uluwatu outpost. Local ingredients are lovingly fermented, pickled, cured, grilled and otherwise transformed; even the minimalist restaurant interiors shine with a meticulous love of artisanal and the handmade.
Must-try dish: Anything from the woodfired oven and grill, but especially M. Mason Bar’s take on the charcoal chicken – an Australian classic – served generously with piri piri sauce and aioli.
La Terrazza
Charcuterie and freshly deep-fried arancini on the Uluwatu cliffside – what could be better? La Terrazza has more than Italian culinary magic up its sleeve, with an alfresco terrace that offers a staggering view over the (rightfully) famous Balinese sunset.
Must-try dish: La Terrazza’s signature gelato bar is packed with sweet treats, but it’s hard to go past the affogato al caffe, with a scoop of vanilla and bourbon gelato with a shot of fresh espresso.
Where to find Bali's best restaurants in Ubud
Ancient traditions meet brilliant culinary invention in the jungle’s sacred heart.
Locavore NXT
More than just a restaurant, Locavore NXT works exclusively Indonesian ingredients into unforgettable experiences. Stop first at the bar, flanked by arrak palms, and itself a working micro-distillery, before continuing to more miraculous climes: a honeybee forest, mushroom chamber, koji fermentation sauna and massive open-space dining room.
Must-try dish: The only way to truly understand Locavore NXT’s mission is to sign up for the incredible tasting menu, pulling from every area of the facility to provide flavours seemingly from another planet.
Aperitif Restaurant
Step into Aperitif Restaurant’s extraordinary dining room, inspired by the Roaring Twenties and surrounded by lush jungle, and you know you’re in for something special. ‘Eclectic fine-dining' is a dangerous concept, but Aperitif handles it with care on its seafood-centric lunch and dinner menus.
Must-try dish: Go for the Avant-Garde Degustation Menu and embark on a gastronomic journey, beginning with chicken liver mousse balado and ending with goat’s cheese, milk chocolate and a selection of petit fours.
Mozaic
Blending classic Indonesian flavours with molecular gastronomy, Mozaic’s reputation as one of Bali’s best fine dining establishments is well deserved. The restaurant’s glass dining room, set magnificently among the building’s hidden inner gardens, transforms an evening meal into a fairytale.
Must-try dish: The dry-aged duck breast, seared and topped with caramalised grapes, pomegranate and laksa puree (from the current seasonal menu).
Kokokan
Kappa Senses Ubud’s newest restaurant, Kokokan, offers a refreshingly approachable ‘semi-gastronomic’ menu inspired by the great French brasseries of old. Expect frogs legs, truffles and an outside deck that’s perfect for whiling away the warm afternoon.
Must-try dish: The babi guling, traditional Indonesian roast pig hand-turned over a roaring firepit, reinvented by way of French cookery.
Where to find Bali's best restaurants in Sanur
Sanur’s laidback southeastern coast, where warm sands and world-class restaurants are the rigeur de jour.
Naughty Nuri’s Sanur
Legendary celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, upon finishing several of Naughty Nuri’s signature martinis during filming, exclaimed, “This is the best martini I’ve had outside of New York.” If that doesn’t convince you to nab a table, consider the pork ribs: each 600-gram portion is smoked and glazed to perfection.
Must-try dish: No visit to Indonesia is complete without trying satay skewers and Naughty Nuri’s massive pork-belly sticks, slathered with peanut sauce, are ideal for sharing.
Jalapeño
Jalapeño slings tacos and tequila with signature swerve, teaming up with the island’s most beloved suppliers to produce upmarket plates guaranteed to tickle your tastebuds. It’s backed by an incredible cocktail menu, with a selection of agave classics given the love they deserve.
Must-try dish: You haven’t had a real spicy margarita until you’ve tried the ‘Los Jalapeno’ – house-roasted jalapeno-infused tequila, mango, lime and tequila reposado.
Genius Cafe
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that tapas plus beach is a winning equation so grab a couple of friends, head down to Genius Cafe and share a glorious afternoon in paradise. The vegan-focused, wide-ranging menu accommodates all dietary requirements, so tuck in.
Must-try dish: Three Heavenly Dips, an assembly of hummus, beetroot, baba ganoush, olives and warm bread, perfectly accompanied with ice-cold beer and beachside views.
Soul on the Beach
Laidback all-day beachside bites by day, chilled-out tiki cocktails and barbecue buns by night: if you’re looking for the place to soak up Sanur’s good vibes, Soul on the Beach delivers. The restaurant’s gourmet pizzas steal the show – perfect after a day soaking up Sanur’s sun, surf and sand.
Must-try dish: The Tricky Ricky pizza. As fun to eat as it is to say, each slice is topped with ricotta cheese, sauteed kale, Italian sausage and shaved parmesan.
Sala Bistro
Big nights in Bali demand a brunch offering to match, and Sala Bistro comes in swinging with one of the island’s best. Breezy, light-filled interiors, fresh-pressed juice and a robust coffee menu seal the deal – this is the place you want to start your morning.
Must-try dish: Egg dip, a jar stuffed with sous-vide eggs, truffle-infused potato puree and spring onion, served with plenty of sourdough.
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