The 20 bucket-list restaurants you must try in Bali

It’s rumoured the Michelin Guide has developed an appetite for the world’s biggest archipelagic nation, but there’s reason to believe that Bali, Indonesia’s most famous island, is establishing, stars or no stars, quite a culinary name for itself regardless.

Even without Michelin, the iconic Gallic restaurant guide with the three-star rating system, the hits in Bali keep coming.

Koji pudding at Lovacore NXT, Ubud.

Take the contemporary restaurant Syrco BASE. It opened in Ubud, the island’s cultural heart, late last year with Netherlands Michelin star-awarded chef Syrco Bakkar at the helm.

Bakkar has dialled into his Indonesian ancestry to create a first-of-its kind tasting menu from produce sourced solely from Indonesia.

At around the same time, long-term Bali chef-restaurateurs Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah opened Ubud’s Locavore NXT, a game-changing conceptual restaurant that has taken the plant-based, minimal-protein approach of their previous restaurant and upsized it.

Room4Dessert’s dining room in Ubud.

Its new tasting menu experience goes hi-sci employing lab techniques such as fermentation and distillation to extract pure flavours from local ingredients. Diners roam from a futuristic underground mycelium lab to a roof-covered edible plant garden before sitting in the dining room.

Another thriving foodie destination is celeb New York chef Will Goldfarb’s Room4Dessert restaurant, also in Ubud. It offers a unique dessert-based degustation menu that taps native plants from the restaurant’s own “food forest”. In January, Goldfarb opened guest accommodation in response to an increasing number of visitors keen to extend their stay and immerse themselves in other foodie experiences.

Yet finding good food in Bali isn’t only about the fine end of dining out, elaborate tasting menus or even Ubud itself.

That’s why we’re prepared this special Traveller guide with our choices of the top places to eat right across the island (note that the quoted estimated prices for each restaurant are per person and include taxes).

As you’ll see, they range from special occasion affairs to casual come-as-you-are boltholes. And even when the cuisine skips around the globe, the emphasis remains on native ingredients, on-the-ground producers and local culinary artistry. Michelin? Who needs Michelin?

SIMPLY THE BEST: Home by Chef Wayan, Pererenan

The lowdown
Home is an understated open-air warung sporting wooden tables and chairs, a splash of green paint and a couple of indoor plants. The simple decor belies the modern Balinese and Indonesian cuisine, which gets five stars, every time.

The chef
Hailing from Bali’s Nusa Penida, executive chef Wayan Kresna Yasa Wayan has headed up some of Bali’s best-known Indonesian restaurants. When the G20 came to Bali in early 2023, he was selected to be chef for then Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

The dish
Menu stalwart babi Bali is a succulent rectangle of pan-roasted pork cheek served with ginger and turmeric bumbu (Balinese spice paste), and garnished with radish slithers, calamansi lime and chilli.

Don’t miss
Chef Wayan and Australian-Balinese co-author Tjok Maya Kerthyasa’s cookbook Paon was published by Hardie Grant in 2022. Buy it from Home, or in bookstores in Australia and Bali.

Essentials
Jl. Pantai Pererenan No. 92, Pererenan; Wed-Mon 11am-10pm, lunch dishes $5-15, dinner dishes $8-$15; https://bychefwayan.com/

THE STAR IMPORT: Syrco BASE, Ubud

The lowdown

If you can’t source the products in Indonesia, then it’s not on the menu at Syrco BASE.

Syrco BASE melds the refinement of degustation eating with a tropical, more relaxed vibe. The restaurant’s three contemporary buildings, including a walk-in bar and a chef’s table venue, surround an edible garden. Three menu styles – “plant-base”, “heritage” and “pure local″⁣, explore the Indonesian archipelago. If you can’t source it in Indonesia, then it’s not on the menu.

The chef
Netherlands chef Syrco Bakkar arrived fresh in Bali last year. His two Michelin stars gave him the status he needed, but the nature-inspired menu takes its culinary cues from his Indonesian grandparents.

The dish
From the “pure local″⁣ menu: spiny lobster is poached in a French broth, served on a bed of carrot, papaya and kang kung (water spinach) and drizzled with a lobster, ginger and aromatic spice jus.

Don’t miss
The boutique: Syrco BASE supports Ubud’s art and craft community by selling the handcrafted steak knives and ceramic dishes that are used in the restaurant.

Essentials
Jl. Sri Wedari No. 72, Ubud; tasting menu from $140; chef’s table from $245; restaurant Tue-Sun 5.30pm-12am, bar daily 5pm-12am; Ku chef’s table Wed-Sat 6pm-12am, shop daily 2pm-12am. See syrcobase.com

THE GAME-CHANGER: Locavore NXT, Ubud

The lowdown

Lovacore NXT inhabits a modernist concrete structure.

Opened late last year, Locavore NXT inhabits a modernist concrete structure overtaken by solar power, grey-water waste, worm toilets and a wild edible rooftop garden. The 19-course tasting menu exemplifies modern cooking techniques straight from the lab – no imports, no dairy, no wheat or gluten, less animal protein.

The chef
Chef-restaurateurs Eelke Plasmeijer, from the Netherlands, and Ray Adriansyah, from Indonesia, made their culinary mark at Ubud’s original Locavore restaurant by championing Balinese producers and locally grown ingredients.

The dish
Delicate slices of cuttlefish ceviche are layered on a flower of smooth creamy white soursop fruit, which is adorned with slithers of pale green chayote – a local gourd, and droplets of aloe vera.

Don’t miss
Three new lux wooden guest houses have queen beds and decks that overlook the surrounding rice farms. Rooms include local chocolate, a bottle of pet nat sparkling and an in-room edit of fashion items from NXT boutique.

Essentials
Jl. A.A. Gede Rai, Gang Pura Panti Bija, Lodtunduh, Ubud; restaurant Mon-Sat from 5.30pm (bookings only), bar (open to public) from 8pm-11pm; 20+ course tasting menu $217, add $50/69 for non-alcoholic/alcoholic drinks pairing; https://locavorenxt.com/

THE SWEETEST SPOT: Room4Dessert, Ubud

Room4Dessert - Ubud.

The lowdown
In a characteristic red brick and bamboo building on one of Ubud’s main streets, R4D, as it’s referred to, is unique in its devotion to desserts. While the current 15-course tasting menu starts with five savoury sensations, the remaining dishes are plucked from the restaurant’s tropical garden and conjured into syrups, foams, glazes and creams. The restaurant turns 10 this year.

The chef
Celeb chef Will Goldfarb has had various iterations of fame, the big one being a starring role on Netflix’ Chef’s Table, which helped extend his New York dessert maestro fame to Bali where he has lived for 17 years. In 2021, World’s Best 50 Restaurants awarded him the title of World’s Best Pastry Chef.

The dish

The Sugar Refinery features palm sugar, one of Bali’s most decadent flavours.

The Sugar Refinery features one of Bali’s most decadent flavours, palm sugar. It is found here in an equally intoxicating creamy base, layered with tangy sorbet and topped with shards of caramel-tinged meringue.

Don’t miss
Opened in January, Shelter Island is R4D’s guest quarters with nine suites combining a Bali aesthetic with the colour pop of Palm Springs-style modernism.

Essentials Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Jedewatan, Ubud; Tue-Sun 2pm-10pm, tasting from $147; https://www.room4dessert.com/

FINER DINER: Aperitif, Ubud

Aperitif Bali: European classics with subtle Indonesian flavours.

The lowdown
Elegant Aperitif, at boutique Viceroy Bali resort, has a grand portico entrance, bow-tied staff and chequerboard marble floor tiles all sitting under a white peaked Indonesian joglo-style roof. The degustation menu is a plate-perfect culinary journey of European classics with a subtle hint of local flavours.

The chef
Executive chef Nic Vanderbeekan, from Belgium, has cooked at Michelin-starred restaurants in France and Belgium where he mastered traditional European cooking. A stint in Vietnam and then a move to Bali connected him to the unique flavours of Asian produce.

The dish

Argentinian Red Prawn at Aperitif.

Shared between two, venison Wellington is a wheel of pink venison married to a crunchy pastry crust by a rim of rich foie gras. It is served with sweet potato and a drizzle of rendang jus, which is spooned on at the table.

Don’t miss
A pre-prandial tipple at dapper new Pinstripe. The adjoining cocktail bar combines the elegance of the Jazz Age with the iconic cultural moments and personalities of Bali in the 1930s.

Essentials Jl. Lanyahan, Br. Nagi, Kecamatan Ubud; lunch Sat-Tue 12am-2pm, dinner daily 5.30-8.30pm (last orders), Pinstripe daily 4pm-late; lunch from $167, dinner from $211; https://www.aperitif.com/

THE SUN SET: Il Ristorante – Luca Fantin, Uluwatu

The lowdown
Uluwatu’s best sunset happens here at Bulgari Resort. Making the most of the exquisite setting in an open-sided pavilion, Il Ristorante – Luca Fantin is the Bali outpost of the eponymous Michelin-starred Tokyo flagship. The five and seven-course degustation menus artfully uses premium local ingredients to give classic Italian recipes a contemporary edge.

 Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Uluwatu.

The chef
When executive chef Luca Fantin opened the original Il Ristorante in 2009, he became the only Italian chef to be awarded a Michelin star in Japan. In 2017 he opened Il Ristorante in Bali, with resident Italian head chef Alessandro Mazzali following in his footsteps.

The dish
Homemade tagliatelle, tossed in vanilla butter from Bali’s Kintamani highlands, and dolloped with a generous mound of glistening caviar.

Don’t miss
An aperitivo at The Bulgari Bar. Italian favourites include grappa and limoncello-based cocktails, Aperol spritz, Pernod and prosecco.

Essentials
Jl. Goa Lempeh, Banjar Dinas Kangin Uluwatu; dinner from 6pm; from $311; https://www.bulgarihotels.com/

THE STREET FOOD SUPREMO: Hujan Locale, Ubud

The lowdown

Ubud’s Hujan Locale serves authentic street food from across Indonesia.

Hujan Locale is on the top floor of a charming old building with wood floors, timber beams and shutters that open onto Ubud’s tiled rooftops and ornate temples. The grazing menu puts a modern spin on authentic street food from across Indonesia’s vast archipelago.

The chef
UK-born, Australia-based chef Will Meyrick is the poster boy for modern South-East Asian food in Bali. Before he opened Hujan Locale he says he “really needed to win the hearts of Indonesians by showing them I understood the cuisine and had the passion for the culture”. After presenting a TV show exploring the Indonesian archipelago’s street warung eateries, he felt ready to take on the task.

The dish

Slow-cooked beef rendang at Hujan Locale.

Slow-cooked beef rendang simmered in a creamy concoction of West Sumatran spices and coconut milk, and served with green cassava leaf sambal ijo.

Don’t miss Will Meyrick runs foodie experiences including a street food tour in Denpasar, and cooking classes in Canggu.

Essentials Jl. Sri Wedari No.5, Ubud; Mon-Sun lunch 12-3pm, dinner 5.30pm-10pm; Feed Me menu $51, a la carte dishes $10-$47, https://hujanlocale.com/, https://willmeyrick.com/

DEGUSTATION OF A NATION: Rumari, Jimbaran Bay

The lowdown

A nine-course exploration of Indonesia is offered at Raffles’ Rumari.

On a candlelit terrace overlooking the Indian Ocean, fine dining Rumari, at Raffles Bali, exudes the attentive service and sophistication that the luxury brand is lauded for. Guests can embark on a seven-course journey through Bali’s regional cuisine, or spread the map wider on a nine-course exploration of Indonesia.

The chef
Culinary director Gaetan Biesuz believes Indonesian cuisine “doesn’t get the attention it deserves on a global scale”. The French native’s tasting menus aim to change that by showcasing Balinese and Indonesian ingredients and produce.

The dish
Named for the nearby fishing community bordering Bali’s Jimbaran, “Kedonganan” is a smoky sweet dish of charcoal-grilled octopus on a bed of eggplant marinated in balado sambal (a traditional red chilli seasoning from West Sumatra), with bite-sized urutan, a traditional Balinese black heritage pig pork sausage.

Don’t miss
Raffles’ Writer’s Bar for libations made from Bali’s traditional arak spirit crafted from the fermented sap of palm trees.

Essentials
Raffles Bali, Jl. Karang Mas Sejahtera 1A, Jimbaran; daily 6-10pm, seven-course $211, nine-course $240; www.rafflesbali.com/

AT THE CHEF’S TABLE: Sokasi, Sayan

Sokasi is housed in a riverside bamboo pavilion.

The lowdown
In a riverside bamboo pavilion at Four Seasons Sayan, Sokasi is a dedicated chef’s table experience that explores the heritage dishes cooked for Bali’s ceremonial and festive occasions. Guests are privy to cooking techniques including a traditional underground clay oven, and open fire.

The chef
Chef Wayan Sutariawan (known as Suta) was born and raised in Bali’s Klungkung regency. His passion for classic Balinese cuisine saw him help launch Sokasi’s menu in 2018. Pepes klengis, a fish dish marinated in coconut pulp, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over coconut husks, is from his hometown.

The dish
Ayam timbungan is chicken marinated in Balinese bumbu spice paste and cooked timbungan-style in a segment of bamboo placed fireside or in hot coals. It is cooked on religious holidays.

Don’t miss
Chef Suta hosts a five-hour cooking class which begins with a local market visit and ends with a lunch dining on the six dishes you’ve learned to cook.

Essentials Four Seasons Resort Bali, Jl. Raya Sayan, Sayan, Ubud; Mon, Wed & Fri 7.30pm; dinner from $263; daily cooking class $167; https://www.fourseasons.com/

IT’S ONLY NATURAL: Mosto, Berawa

The lowdown

Mosto’s tagliolini arrabbiata has been a hit since the bar opened in 2021.

Mosto is one of Indonesia’s few natural wine bars. The Euro-cool, 70-seat bistro is as good for a casual vino at the bar as it is for a convivial bench-seat sit down around wooden tables. The small and big-plate share menu is a modern pairing of European techniques and Asian ingredients to standout effect.

The chef
Italian executive chef Lorenzo Depeteris has spent time rattling the pans in Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy and the UK. Since moving to Bali he has become skilled at combining classic recipes with a local palate of flavours.

The dish
Tagliolini arrabbiata: pasta with a tomato-based sauce laced with hints of chilli sambal and topped with coriander. It has been a hit since Mosto opened in 2021.

Don’t miss
Sommelier Nicolas Lento’s low-intervention wine list is Italia-centric but offers excellent cameos including Mosto’s own brand Lazarus Pulp, Indonesia’s first pet-nat sparkling (made from South Australian grapes).

Essentials
Jl. Pantai Berawa No. 99 Kecamatan Kuta Utara; daily from 5pm; dishes $6-38; https://mostobali.com/

Ten more foodie favourites in Bali

Skool Kitchen, Batu Bolong (Canggu)

Skool Kitchen, Canggu.

On a spectacular beachfront terrace, Skool Kitchen’s flavour-forward contemporary Euro-Asian dishes have all been kissed by charcoal embers and an open-flame. Skool Kitchen

Fed by Made, Seminyak
Young emerging chef Made Dhanu and his two co-founders are Bali locals whose share menu is inspired by their time in Melbourne. It has a zero-waste focus and changes every four weeks. Fed by Made

Pica, Ubud
This small South American kitchen is headed up by Chilean chef Cristian Encina whose menu champions empanadas, ceviches and slow cooked meaty main dishes. Pica

Dome, Seminyak
Dome is a new wine bar and eatery at Potato Head with a grazing menu channelling French and Italian recipes with ingredients sourced from sustainable Indonesian producers. Sip on natural wines, slouch in couches, listen to DJ tunes. Dome 

Shelter, Pererenan
In a traditional teak wood Javanese joglo hemmed in by tropical garden, Shelter has a contemporary Middle Eastern and Mediterranean menu with fresh produce and clean flavours. Shelter

Ghost, Berawa (Canggu)
New kid on the block Ghost serves up bistro-style wood-fired meat and seafood from an open kitchen, while diners tune in to a vinyl collection, cocktails in hand. Ghost

Yuki, Uluwatu
Bali’s tropical lifestyle meets a Japanese aesthetic at Yuki, a Balinese family owned eatery where plant-based dishes meet chargrilled meaty options on big breezy share tables. Yuki

Bar Vera, Pererenan
In a groovy sepia red brick building, this French style bar with chairs facing the street, dishes up some of Bali’s best contemporary European dishes. Bar Vera

Sayan House, Ubud
Boasting sunset views over the jungle south of Ubud, Sayan House is lauded for fusing South American and Japanese cuisine. Think tacos with teriyaki chicken, sushi with guacamole. Sayan House

Honey & Smoke, Ubud
Another of chef Will Meyrick’s restaurants, this one focuses on cuisine that is wood-smoked, grilled and fired. Honey & Smoke