Aside from diving I also really do enjoy food, some might say I’m a big foodie. I travel all round Bali and enjoy tasting any new foods. For me it’s no big deal to drive the 3 hours to Gilimanuk to eat the best Ayam Betutu on the island, and hey while here I may as well dive Secret Bay too.
I also enjoy the finer side of diving, oops and dining, it’s Mozaic that has always been for me the ultimate in what I can only call a true fine dining experience. Sadly many places in the south have sold out to the masses, packing in diners like sardines in a can where as Chris Salans has gone out of his way to avoid this in Ubud – much respect!
Below are a few places of interest and some hints and tips on dining whilst in Bali:
Warung Sanur Segar
A personal value for money go to. Try the mexi salad and ask for a wrap seperate to make your own wrap
Address: Jl. Pantai Sindhu no. 2a | In Front Of The Sindu Market, Sanur.
Phone: +62 81237600256
This is one of all my all time favourite go to places, not only in Sanur probably in the whole of Bali too. Mainly a kind of fusion Mexican food with fantastic flavours that is also really super fresh and healthy and excellent for vegetarians too.Very small, intimate and a great place to meet people too. I eat here a lot and love it!
Price: Very cheap, the best value for money food in Bali.
MD Warung
Another favourite that really is a hidden gem. This is best for great value for money curries in Sanur with great rote prata to go with it!
Address: Jl. Betngandang 1 no. 3a, By Pass Ngurah Rai Sanur
Phone: +62 85232275555
This is a Sanur locals secret hotspot. Excellent value for money local foods with a slight leaning towards curries with excellent Indian bread and great flavourful meals at all times.
Price: Low
Jhoii
A brand new and very hot favourite for the best value health foods in Sanur and also Bali!
Address: Jl. Danau Poso No.31, Sanur
Phone: +62 812-3928-0441
New for 2024 in Sanur! This is the best vegetarian and vegan food in Sanur and one of the best in Bali. Chef Cynthia is up on the latest and greatest in vegan food and has an incredible way with flavour and layering textures too.Great value for money too!
Price: Mid
Cafe Smorgas (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jalan Danau Talblingan, Sanur
Web: http://www.cafesmorgas.com/
Tel: 0361 289361
A fantastic Swedish cafe with great varied menu, healthy drinks, a great breakfast and incredible deserts for those with a sweet tooth. Also the new bar is one of the best places in Sanur to get quality imported beer and cocktails too. Look out for their special monthly dining events, these are first class.
NOTE: One of very few cafes in Sanur area that really care for the environment and act on it too!
Price: Low-Mid
Genius Cafe
Address: Jl Mertasari Beach, Sanur
Phone: +62 8113888568
Genius cafe caters a lot to the healthier crowd in Sanur, lots of digital nomads hang out here and take part in their regular events. Great healthy foods at an awesome location with fair prices for what you get.
Price: Mid
Soya Japanese
Address: Jl. Danau Tamblingan, Sanur
An excellent quiet place for really good quality Japanese food, a little on the pricey side for many Sanur locals though food quality here really is excellent. Good cocktails here too.
Phone: +62 361 8497830
Price: Mid to high
Malaika Secret Moksha
Address: 68, Jalan Danau Poso, Sanur
Phone: +62 81238341000
For those interested in really healthy local foods with a slightly more alternative flair who are interested in trying new flavours this is the place. Excellent healthy food in a very quiet and mellow setting. Be aware that food here can at times take a while so don’t go here if you are in a rush or after fast service.
Price: low to mid
Warung Kecil
A great place to try local style warung (street food) in a much more comfortable setting.
Address: Jl. Duyung no. 1, Sanur
Phone: +62 361 9380103
An excellent to try really good quality Indonesia food in a super clean environment with great service. The style here is go to the counter and chose your food or you can take food from the menu though this takes a lot longer to prepare. All freshly cooked and healthy too.
Price: low
Soul on the Beach
Address: Jl. Danau Tamblingan no. 180, Sanur.
Phone: +62 361 4720063
International cuisine that is good for vegetarians in top locations with a really good atmosphere, friendly staff. Portions can be a little on the small side for the price paid.
Price: Mid to high for what you get, though it’s all about location.
Arena Pub & Restaurant (not suited to vegetarians)
Best value for money meaty dishes in Sanur. Blue cheese steak with a glass of 30mile Shiraz ooh la lahhh!
Address: Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai no 115 Sanur, 100m from McDisaster
Phone : + 62 361 287255 Web: http://www.arenabali.com/
A local expat hang out with a varied traditional and Austrian menu, probably the best meaty dishes in Bali with excellent service. A great local drinking hole and ideal place to meet more expat’s.
NOTE: The baby back ribs have to be the best BBQ’d ribs in Asia!
Price: Excellent value for money food
The Cat & Fiddle Bar and Restaurant
Address: Jalan Cemara No. 36, Sanur
Tel: +62 361 282218 Web: http://www.catfiddle.com/
Great for British people missing home cooked foods, great Sunday roast and British breakfast just order the Full Irish.
With a whole range of live music in the evenings from Irish to mellow blues.
Price: Low, good value for money
Café Batu Jimbar (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jalan Danau Tamblingan 75A, Sanur
Tel: +62 361 28 7374 Web: http://www.cafebatujimbar.com/
Good local foods with western mix, great salads and soups! Ideal for afternoon lunch. They also have Sunday market, with fresh veggie, snacks and food vendors, local expatriate hang out place for Sunday brunch. Very small portions!
Price: Mid
The Village
Address: Jalan Danau Tamblingan, Sanur.
One of Sanur’s great restaurants with excellent Italian foods and great ambience, my favourite place for Italian thin crust pizza.
Price: Mid to high!
Da Massimo
A huge crowd attractor in Sanur for it’s value for money gelato
Address: Jalan Danau Tamblingan, Sanur.
Tel: 0361 288 942 Web: http://www.massimobali.com/
Good Italian foods with great desserts and huge portions of gelato. Their gelato here is famous and queues can be down the road at times and the restuarant is often really busy so best to book if you have a larger group.
Price: Mid
Ryoshi
Address: Jl. Danau Tamblingan Sanur
Tel: http://ryoshibali.com/
Great Japanese food with great service, part of a chain in Bali.
Price: Excellent value for money Japanese food
Gateway of India
Address: Jalan Danau Tamblingan, Sanur
Good, cheap Indian restaurant chain in Bali at very reasonable prices and good service. The better Gateway is on Jalan Dyana Pura, Seminyak.
Price: Good value for money
Kayu Manis
Address: Jln. Tandakan 6 | Shindu, Sanur.
Phone: +62 361 289410
A great little secret spot in Sanur for a very reasonably priced fine dining experience. Excellent menu choice, first class service and very small and intimate, making this one of those special go to places in Sanur for sure…
Price: Mid range though excellent value for money.
Warung Babi Guling Sanur
Address: Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai, Sanur
Phone: +62 361 287308
For the more adventurous eaters wanting to Bali’s most famous food. Babi guling is spit roast pig which comes with lots of pig innards and spicy sambal and a soup. Well worth trying for those who don’t mind a bit of spice.
NOTE: If you want more meat or less of something simply go to the counter where the food and ask the staff to prepare as you wish, be patient English is not very good here.
Price: Low
Sanur night market
Address: Jl. Danau Tamblingan No.10, Sanur
For the real deal Indonesian street food experience.
Price: Very low
DINING OUT IN LEGIAN & SEMINYAK
***** Sarong Restaurant Bali (not so vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl. Petitenget No. 19X, Kerobokan
Tel: +62 361 737 809 or 7331175 Web: http://www.sarongbali.com/
This is my favourite Asian fusion cuisine in Bali. My preference is to go for lots of the starters and skip the main courses, most of the starters are well worth checking out. If you do choose main courses be aware that some are rather large and may be good for two! If you are hungry or have a large group simply get a lots of different dishes and share.
Cocktails are getting and better with each visit.
NOTE: There are some areas in the restaurant that get very hot with very little air movement, to avoid this book early and ask for a table that is in a more open air space. Excellent service with outstanding food.
Price: High but great value!
*** Tako Casa (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl. Pengosekan (South end of Ubud), Ubud. Jl. Petitenget (North End of Seminyak), Kerobokan.
Tel: Ubud: +62 812 2422 2357 Seminyak: +62 812 2422 2358
Web: http://tacocasabali.com/
This is my go to food here in Bali, if I’m ever unsure of what to eat I can always enjoy this place! A truly fantastic 8 layer burrito, best burrito on the island, unless anyone knows otherwise! The Lemon, orange, mint and ginger drink is well worth trying too!
Price: Cheap, excellent value for money
Samaya Resort – Breeze
Address: Jl. Laksmana, Seminyak Beach
Tel: +62 361 731 149 Web: http://www.thesamayabali.com/
Great beach front dining, great food and cocktails, though when we’ve been here with groups the service tends to be somewhat unorganized!
Price: Mid to high
La Lucciola
Address: Jl. Oberoi, Kayu Aya Beach.
Tel: 0361 730838
Good beach front dining, recently the food hasn’t been as good as it used to be. The most recent meals here were not so memorable. I only recommend this for late afternoon cocktails if you don’t want to check out the crowds at KuDeTa.
Great cocktails, try the fresh berry mojitos!
Price: High
Mannekepis
Address: Jl. Raya Seminyak No.2
Tel: +62 361 8475784 Web: http://www.mannekepis-bistro.com/
Changed hands recently, not so sure how it going, last few times they didn’t have any mussels so I didn’t bother.
Price: Mid and great value for money!
Hu’u
Address: Jl Petitenget
Tel: 736 443 Web: http://www.huubali.com/
Said to have great food. This is up there amongst Bali ‘s trendiest hangouts, though it doesn’t get started till after midnight. Great service though some might also say a bit over priced. There’s a small pool and a nice breezy drinks area to wile away an afternoon…
Price: High
The Living Room
Address: Jl. Petitenget 2000 xx, Kerobokan
Tel: +62 361 735735 Web: http://www.thelivingroom-bali.com/
An excellent ambience with outdoor candlelit dining, great service and food, location is very near to the main road, can be a little noisy with cars passing by all the time.
There has recently been a sort of mini club/dance night going on later with DJ’s, this attracts lots of the hip expatriate crowd.
Price: High
Blossom
Address: Jl. Pura Telaga Waja, Petitenget, Seminyak
Tel: +62 361 730 540 Web: http://www.balisentosa.com/
Part of brand new villa complex “Sentosa” and already busy, they have great selection of cocktails and asian fusion food.
Price: Mid to high
Rumours
Address: Jl.Laksmana No. 100, Seminyak
Tel: 0361-738720 & 738721 Web: http://www.balinesia.co.id/
Very busy with good steaks and meat dishes all very reasonably priced and other dishes are very tasty, however the service is some of the worst I’ve experienced in Bali. Loud progressive music makes this place more geared for a younger crowd.
Price: Low to Mid
Ultimo (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl. Laksmana No. 104X, Seminyak.
Tel: 0361-738720 & 738721 Web: http://www.balinesia.co.id/
Same management as Rumours but for some reason very different service standard. A more fancy Italian restaurant located just next to Trattoria, you can choose to sit outside or inside or in the back terrace. This is now one of the busiest places to hang out and dine along this road. Excellent food and cocktails served by the best staff of all the restaurants on this street!
Price: Mid
*** Café Bali (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl Laksmana, Seminyak
Great food and service with a fantastic variety of small tasters, this is a very popular with the expat crowd and is open in the day as well!
Price: Low to Mid
Mykonos
Address: Jl Laksmana 52, Seminyak
Tel: 733253 Web: http://www.mykonos-bali.com/
Greek food. Always busy, so it can be an idea to book in advance. Good value for money though portions are starting to shrink! My preference for Greek food is Pantarei below.
Price: Low to Mid
Pantarei
Address: Jl Raya Legian (nest to Ryoshi)
An old Greek restaurant now with new management, this is for those wanting a more comfortable environment for Greek food, small portions, though very tasty, if your lucky on Tuesdays and Fridays, the new owner shows his entertaining skills, great voice and very entertaining indeed!
Price: Mid, good value for money
Trattoria (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl. Laksmana, Seminyak.
Tel: 757082 Web: http://www.trattoriabali.com/bali/
A very busy restaurant with excellent value for money Italian foods, Very cramped and very noisy, located next to the roadside.
Price: Low – mid, excellent value for your wallet!
Warisan
Address: Jalan Raya Kerobokan
Tel: 7331175
French cuisine, some say this is their favourite restaurant in Bali, though I have tried a few times with friends who are big foodies and the experience was average when compared to the taste, price and the service was not all that friendly compared to many!
From my experiences here – very slow service and rather bland food.
Price: High
Gado Gado
Address: Jl Dhyana Pura 99, Seminyak.
Tel: 736 966 Web: http://www.gadogadorestaurant.com/
Great restaurant with a great but simple selection on the menu, lunch and diner menus are different. The roast lamb always was their signature dish here, it’s been a while for me though! They also used to have the most incredible hot chocolate desert.
Beach front fine dining with excellent Mojito’s.
Price: High
Bali Deli
Address: Jl. Kunti 117X, Seminyak
Tel: 738686 Web: http://www.balideli.net/
Import supermarket and also restaurant. They have great sandwich counter for you to choose from and make your own filling and sauce.
Price: Mid
Warung Italia
Address: Jl. Kunti, Seminyak
A basic Italian restaurant with selection of buffet or a la carte, good Italian food and also good pizza.
NOTE: This is a place to go for great service!
Price: Very cheap
Café Degan
Address: Jl. Petitenget No.9
Tel: 0361 8893271 Cell: 0813 3726 5686
Thai food with great service.
Price: Mid
Kin Thao
Address: Jl. Kartika Plaza No. 170, Kuta.
Tel: 0361 757808
I’ve always been surprised by the lack of good Thai food in Bali. The good thing is that I can always satisfy my hunger for fresh, tasty Thai food in Kin Khao. Even though it may not be the most authentic Thai food, this is probably the best Thai restaurants in southern Bali that I know of. Do not be put off if there are not many customers, the food is very good indeed. Be aware that the service here can be a little slow and at times somewhat slapdash but it’s well worth it for the food.
Price: Mid
Mades Warung
Address: Jl Raya Seminyak
Tel: 732130 Web: http://www.madeswarung.com/
Good Indonesian and western favourites with a great atmosphere and good service. A great introduction to Indonesia foods
Price: Low to mid!
Café Moka
Address: Jl. Raya Seminyak
Tel: 731424
French bakery serving the best French bread in Bali! Indoor air conditioned café. A good place for lunch with great baguettes, cakes and pastries. They also have a tapas menu and a selection of homemade gratin type dishes such as Lasagna.
Good value for money.
Price: Low-mid
Queen Tandoor
Address: Jl Raya Seminyak (across from Made’s Warung)
Tel: 732770 Web: http://www.queenstandoor.com/
For those wanting a more fine dining kind of Indian food in Bali with a great atmosphere and excellent service. For the real deal of cheap Indian food check out Gateway To India, though only the one in Jalan Dyana Pura, Seminyak, the others in Kuta and Sanur just don’t seem to be as good for some reason!
NOTE: There is another Queen Tandoor in Kuta with terrible service and food was not so good!
Price: Mid!
*** Gateway of India
Address: Jalan Abimanyu (Dyana Pura) 10, Seminyak
Tel: +62 361 73 2940
This is my favourite (British style) Indian food in Bali at very reasonable prices and great service. I used to eat a lot of Indian food in the UK and this is the only place that has that authentic Indian taste to it
Price: Low and great value for money!
Poco Loco
Address: Jl. Padma Utara
Tel: 756079
Lively Mexican restaurant. Great selection of dishes and large portions, though the taste is not all that good! Good for large fun, outgoing groups wanting to start their night off…
Price: Low to Mid range
Mojo’s Burrito’s
Address: Kuta, Jalan Benesari, Seminyak Jalan Petitenget and Ubud
Tel: 0361 764930
I have yet to try the two in Seminyak but Kuta is so far my favourite for Mexican food, the nachos are not worth writing home about but they serve excellent burritos and very cheap Margarita’s and Mojito’s.
NOTE: My experience in Ubud was not so good!
Price: Very cheap, excellent value for money!
Sushitei
Address: Jl. Sunset
Japanese franchise with branches in Jakarta & Singapore. Great selection of dishes and the price range from very cheap to mid range.
Price: Mid range
*** Sakanaya
Address: Jl. Sunset 77X, Seminyak
Tel: 0361 8475950
One of Bali’s best kept secrets, soon to become really popular I’m sure! This is part of the Ryoshi chain and offers excellent sushi and also great fish burritos and aside from this they also have excellent Ramen noodles and other dishes.
MUST TRY: check out the chilli crab, or even if they have no fresh crab simply ask the chef if he can cook some prawns and squid in the same sauce – heavenly!
NOISY – as this is on the main sunset dual carriageway this can be noisy, though it’s well worth it for the food, there is also air conditioned room though only has a few seats!
Price: Very cheap, excellent value for money!
***** Fivelements (vegetarian at it’s best)
Address: Not quite Ubud, though it’s probably the closest place! Puri Ahimsa Banjar Baturning, Mambal, Bali.
This is very difficult to find, better to call Fivelements and allow the lovely staff to arrange your transport to & from here.
Tel: +62 361 469 260 +62 361 469 206 +62 821 46587975
Email: contact@fivelements.org
Web: http://www.fivelements.org/en/
Fivelements may have knocked Mozaic of it’s perch for me, only time will tell! I found Fivelements to be the most delicate, well balanced, creatively unique food I’ve ever had. Then there is the setting, this has to be one of Bali’s most calming, peaceful and aesthetically pleasing places to eat such great food.
Price: Mid/High – High though very much worth the journey.
Note: The tasting menu if the way to go here. I think it must be incredibly difficult to make the menu sound anywhere near as good the actual food.
***** Mozaic (with great vegetarian too!)
Address: Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Ubud.
Tel: 0361 975 768 Web: http://www.mozaic-bali.com/
Probably one of, if not The best food, service and ambience in Bali. This is gourmet fine dining at its best. The tasting menu was so good it is now the restaurants main feature and lasts for most of the evening! A must for the real food lovers! Every client we have recommended this too say it is one of their best ever dining experiences, and this is from people who travel the world eating at only the best places!
Update (October 2016) for vegetarians: At long last I tried the vegetarian tasting menu here. I was pleasantly surprised that the vegetarian offering was just as good as their regular tasting menu and now I can highly recommend Mozaic to vegetarians too! I can also say that Mozaic constantly continues to take steps to improve the experience. Moziac continues to be my all time favourite fine dining experience.
Price: Very high by Asian standards though very much worth it, this is not only a meal but a whole dining experience, well worth splashing out on…
Note: Be sure to make a reservation and credit card number to guarantee your booking, if there is no show up there will be cancellation fee charge to credit card.
Clear Cafe (Excellent for vegetarians)
Address: Jalan Hanoman 8
Tel: (0)361 – 8894437 Web: http://www.clear-cafe-ubud.com/
Clear re-opened in their old location on Jalan Hanoman and I am so happy to say that they have recreated and even further enhanced the vibe of the old Clear, now it’s back to being the great venue that was lost with their temporary venue.
Price: Good value for money
Lamak
Address: Jalan (road) Monkey Forest
Tel: 974668 Web: http://www.lamakbali.com/
A great interior design with a very varied menu, serving great quality food, with very good desserts and cocktails, sit at the bar and enjoy a few drinks with the friendly staff before embarking on your dinner.
Price: Mid
Tutmak
Address: Jalan Dewi Sita, next to football court in center Ubud.
Tel: 975754
Another great place, with variety of foods. Located almost across from Lamak. Great coffee and desserts.
Price: Mid
Ari’s Warung
Address: Jalan Raya Ubud
Tel: 0361 978 359
A gourmet style of presentation with huge white plates and small portions, generally rather rich food in a modern fusion style environment. Well worth a visit if only to try their super special Durian Brulee – ooh la lah, don’t be put off by the durian, this really is heavenly!
NOTE: Sadly they dropped their great ginger fizz, for this drink see Cinta Grill below!
Price: Mid – High
Cinta Grill
Address: Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud
Excellent food, snacks and outstanding drinks, try their special Ginger Fizz, for those who like a stronger tipple, add a double Vodka, or go with one of the barmans special Mojito’s! This must Ubud’s best new place to go for cocktails, though best to sit at the bar and have fun with the great local barmen!
Price: Mid
MOJITO NOTE: between late afternoon hours Cinta Grill offer a great deal – two for one Mojito’s, trust me these could now be the best Mojito’s in Bali, Ginger Mojito is simply – ooh la lah!
Indus (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl Raya Campuan
Tel: 977 684 Web: http://www.casalunabali.com/indus-restaurant/
Situated above the Ayung river, Indus is blessed with a great view, healthy foods and a relaxing ambiance. Try to sit on the downstairs terrace at the back of the restaurant, you can enjoy stunning views of a beautiful gorge and rice paddled valley while you eat, Enjoy a relaxing lunch here if you visit Ubud. Visit Indus for sunset drinks to enjoy the view with best light.
Price: Mid
Casa Luna (vegetarian friendly)
Address: Jl Raya Ubud
Tel: 973 283 Web: http://www.casalunabali.com/
There are many selection of Indonesian dishes and here you’ll find good fresh ingredients and a lovely dessert selection with healthy juices to boot. Casa Luna also offer a cooking class should you wish to recreate the holiday feel in your own kitchen!
Price: Mid
Maya Ubud
Address: Jl. Gunung Sari, Peliatan, Ubud
Tel: +62 361 977 888 Web: http://www.mayaubud.com/
Excellent food in a fantastic hotel environment with outstanding service.
Price: High
Bumbu Bali
Famous for Balinese food in Jl. Monkey forest They also have cooking class. In my experience rather bland Indonesian food, my preference would be Made’s Warung or lots of smaller local warungs. Though I do hear they are great for teaching Indonesian cooking classes!
Ibu Oka’s Babi Guling (not suitable for vegetarians)
Next to the Ubud Palace
This is Bali’s most popular place for trying out the famous Balinese Babi Guling (spit roast pig). There is only one dish to be had here, serving a range of different pork pieces and rice, served from mid day to early afternoon, on busy days they may run out early. For those with mild palettes prepare for a spicy food experience, though in opinion the spiciness of the Babi Guling here is generally toned down a lot for the tourist market!
NOTE: This is one of the only Babi Guling vendors that do not serve their Babi Guling with a soup, the soup come at an extra cost which just about every other Babi Guling vendors serve as standard and is also an excellent dish and well worth trying in its own right. I personally prefer a few other places for a more traditional and spicy Babi Guling. See Warungs below for more on this!
Price: High for a Bali Guling vendor but cheap for tourists
Naughty Nury’s Warung (not really for vegetarians)
Address: Jalan raya Campuhan
Web: http://www.naughty-nuris.com/
A buzzing atmosphere and most famous for chicken and pork rib BBQ and one of the best Martini’s on the island. On Thursday they have fresh tuna. If it just for the BBQ, my personal favourite BBQ’d ribs can be found at Arena in Sanur (ask for the baby back ribs) or just up the road from Nuri’s at Fly Café, the sauce is not quite a sweet as Nuri’s!
NOTE: This is now a bit of a sell out with huge Japanese marketing which means lots of Japanese tourists.
Price: Cheap
Fly Café
Address: Jl Raya Campuan
Tel: +62361 975440 Web: http://www.fly-cafe.com/
My personal favourite BBQ’d pork ribs in Ubud, guaranteed to make you want to come back for more. They also serve a range of other fantastic dishes here in a very relaxing and quiet atmosphere… With FREE INTERNET!
Price: Cheap
Ryoshi
Address: Jalan Raya Ubud
Web: http://ryoshibali.com/
Japanese chain restaurant with good sushi and selection of different Japanese foods.
Price: Cheap
Jazz bar and restaurant
Address: Ubud
The food is said to be delicious and the live music at times can be very good, for me the music can often be far too loud whilst dining.
Price: Mid
Bali Buddha
Address: Jl Jembawan #1 (across from the Ubud Post Office)
Tel: 0361 976324 Web: http://www.balibuddha.com/
A good selection of healthy food, very tasty… Below is a store that sells all organic and healthy breads, groceries etc..
Price: Low
*** Warung Sopa (excellent Indonesian vegetarian food)
Address: Jl.Sugriwa no.36 Padang Tegal Ubud Bali
Web: http://www.warungsopa.com/
Tel: 0851 0076 5897
Excellent healthy Indonesian food at really cheap prices in a lovely cosy setting. Great for families as they cater really well for children here too!
Price: Very cheap
NOTE ON UBUD CLOSING TIMES: Most places in Ubud close down very early at around 10 pm, from time to time there may be the odd place open late, ask the locals for these places if you want a later night!
Address: Jimbaran Beach, south Bali.
A very large range of places to choose from, the far left side nearer to the high end hotels like Four seasons etc are more fancy with western plates and higher prices, though some do serve wines by the bottle or glass, the far right side serves food in traditional wicker baskets and prices are slightly cheaper. All the places on this beach front serve just about the same kind of food and sauces. A large selection of locally caught fish, lobster, shrimps, squid, clams can be chosen. All meals come with potatoes, rice, a local vegetable Kangkung which like water spinach and a range of sauces and different chilli sambals usually very mild for the western palette. We usually recommend Roma, though the choice is too daunting to think about going to check them all out, also Ramayana is very good quality! Oh yeah, there is also a local musical group that do their rounds and take requests, if you give a request please be courteous and give a tip!
Price: Used to very cheap and cheerful fresh seafood, prices have risen by local standards but not this is still great value for western standards
HINT: IF YOU REALLY LIKE SEAFOOD AND ENJOY IT EVEN MORE WHEN IT’S CHEAP, MESSAGE FOR THE LOCALS TIP!
Hints on choosing the best quality fish – The freshest fish will have clear eyes, the more opaque and discoloured the eyes are, the older the fish, for a more thorough check, look at the fishes gills, the redder the gills the fresher the fish, if gills are brown avoid it! Most fish are very fresh as the local fish market is to the far right of Jimbaran bay. If you want to visit the fish market, best go early to avoid the heat.
Local Warungs (food vendors) all over Bali
If you are adventurous with your eating and want to try the real local cuisine it is much better to go with someone who knows the right places to avoid the dreaded Bali Belly. In some of the local warungs you can find food and drink about a dollar.
Balinese dishes like Babi Guling (spit roast pig), Bebek Betutu/Ayam (slow cooked spicy duck/chicken) and the pepes ikan/ayam (mild spicy fish/chicken cooked in banana leaf) are all best experienced in real local warungs, in most tourist places and restaurants these dishes need to be ordered a day in advance. If these dishes are served without ordering in advance they are usually not authentic and lack the real flavours, many even use the wrong ingredients, such as nasty, tasteless farmed animals. I have yet to have a really good Balinese dish anywhere other local food vendors or in Balinese friends homes.
Price: Cheap and cheerful. Strong stomachs may be required!!!
NOTE: some tours also go through some of Bali’s most unique scenery! This can be something to add to your Bali diving experience!
If you are really interested in local foods and scuba diving I can personally take you round Bali, if timing is right. I love food and to share some of favourite foods here is such an enjoyable experience for me! Contact me for more details
High end restaurants: At many of the best restaurants in Bali I would always recommend an advance booking to ensure you get a table without any waiting around.
Alcohol issues in Bali: Recently Bali has been having major problems with the alcohol importer who seems to have a monopoly here. The prices on all alcohol has gone through the roof and drinks in most places are now the same as western prices, in some places even higher than western standards. If you enjoy your liquor or wine, best to bring your own, or be aware of the new high prices!
Wines in Bali:
NEW NEW NEW
SabaBay Wines
Web: http://www.sababaywinery.com/
Bali is not known for wine, Indonesia is not known for it’s wine and I can’t say that I know much about wine. I happened to be at a tasting promotion for Sababay’s new wines and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. It wasn’t only me that thought it was good, I sat back and watched as just about everyone that tried the wine commented on how good it was. The whites were all really good, for some they may be slightly on the sweet side, though slightly sweet is better than the rest of Bali’s wine offerings at the moment!
Often your wine bill in Bali can cost you much more than your meal and choices are not anywhere near as good as you can get in the western world. The majority of wines I’ve had in Bali seem to loose the taste they should have, I think this can be at times due to wines being stored too hot, or having to sit in containers for weeks or months when being imported! If you really enjoy find a place that has their own cool room for wines!
Taxis: Always use the Blue Bird Blue Taxis (literally the light blue coloured ones) the number is 701111 all hotel receptions can call them for you. Price for a 10 minute journey is less than US$ 2, all the Blue Bird taxis have a meter (which they must use) which means you never get ripped off!
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