Balinese food is its own thing - spicier, more aromatic and more pork-heavy than mainland Indonesian cuisine. The best meals on the island are often the cheapest: a bowl of nasi campur at a local warung for Rp 30.000 beats most $30 tourist restaurants.
The 8 dishes to try
Nasi Campur - the house plate: rice + 4-6 small dishes. Every warung does its own version. Order once a day.
Babi Guling - Balinese suckling pig, crispy skin, spicy sambal. Ibu Oka in Ubud is the famous one.
Bebek Betutu - slow-cooked duck wrapped in banana leaf with spice paste. Order at Bebek Tepi Sawah in Ubud.
Lawar - vegetables + grated coconut + spices + (sometimes) minced pork. A true local dish, not for the squeamish.
Satay Lilit - minced meat and coconut satay wrapped around lemongrass stalks. Unique to Bali.
Nasi Goreng / Mie Goreng - fried rice/noodles, topped with egg, everywhere, reliable, perfect breakfast.
Gado-Gado - vegetable salad with peanut sauce, a vegetarian staple.
Soto Ayam - turmeric chicken soup with rice, vermicelli, fried shallots. Comfort food after a long flight.
Warungs worth a detour
Canggu: Warung Bu Mi, Warung Varuna, Warung Nia for BBQ ribs.
Ubud: Warung Biah Biah, Warung Teges, Ibu Oka (babi guling).
Seminyak: Warung Eny, Warung Made.
Sanur: Warung Mak Beng (fish soup, institution), Warung Pregina.
Uluwatu: Warung Ojek, Nusantara Uluwatu.
Big dinner splurges
Ubud: Locavore (fine-dining tasting menu, book weeks ahead), Mozaic (French-Asian classic), Room 4 Dessert.
Seminyak: Merah Putih (modern Indonesian), Sarong (pan-Asian), Mama San.
Canggu: Mason, Barbacoa, Lucky Fish on the beach.
Uluwatu: Cuca (Jimbaran), Om Uluwatu, El Kabron for sunset.
Vegetarian and vegan
Bali might be the world’s best vegan travel destination. Alchemy, Moksa, Sayuri and Kafe in Ubud. Peloton Supershop, Shady Shack and Give Cafe in Canggu. Most non-vegan restaurants also have strong vegetarian options on request.
Food safety and water
Don’t drink tap water. Bottled is cheap (Rp 4.000 a bottle) but better: buy a filtered refill bottle or refill at one of the many Refill My Bottle stations (refillmybottle.com).
Bali belly is usually caused by ice made from tap water or unwashed produce, not the food itself. Stick to busy warungs where food turnover is high and you will be fine.
