Almost everyone has heard of the famous ‘nasi goreng’ and ‘mi goreng’ dishes hailing from the humble country of Indonesia, and where best to get a sample of the delicious internationally renowned dishes than from the popular tropical island of Bali, where the sunsets glow brighter than a diamond and the waters are crystal clear.
Visiting Bali, where culture runs deep and traditional is rooted in structures, manners, food, and service, you probably wouldn’t expect to expect to be dining on much more than delectable dishes such as those aforementioned, along with babi guling, nasi campur, bebek betutu…the list could go on forever.
However, whilst gouging on only Indonesian cuisine whilst in Bali is not necessarily a terrible thing at all, prepare to be surprised at sheer number of non-traditional cuisine restaurants because the island of Bali, in fact, hosts some of the world’s best restaurants serving foods from all corners of the earth.
Mediterranean restaurants serving up the creamiest pastas and freshest antipasto dishes; American restaurants boasting the tastiest, smokiest ribs; other South-East Asian restaurants bringing spice to the table like never before – you’ll be blown out of this world when you realise the talent and the variety of food this island offers.
It’s insane to think that you could travel to a country that’s known to be more rich in fresh vegetables and herbs than they are talented in spinning dough, but it’s the exactly that – the diversity in cultures especially deep-rooted in the food scene – that keeps bringing in bigger and better crowds to Bali every year.
On top of the various award-winning restaurants opening up like flies around the island, there is an incredible café brunch and lunch scene that Bali is loud and proud of, but today, we’re going to let you guys in on the secret of the top 10 best restaurants as of right now.
1. Aya Street
Cuisine – Peruvian Fusion | Dining Experience – Fine Dining
A unique entrance to the thriving Seminyak food scene, Aya Street offers a contemporary take on the globally loved Peruvian cuisine with an Asian twist, served in a classy, upmarket fine dining establishment.
The prices are high, but the quality of the experience is higher still, leaving you with no choice but to order multiple starters (their classic ceviche is most loved, and their spicy tuna tartar packs a punch), even more mains (anything served with their chimichurri sauce deserves try, and their BBQ meats are insanely tasty), and lastly, drown out the overwhelming happiness from consuming the exuberant amount of food by ordering various tequila shots from their extensive drinks menu.
Tequila shots a bit too much for you on a Tuesday night? Their superior list of cocktails will stump you every time you try and make a decision.
Settle in for the evening amongst the standout interiors, bold street art and eccentric restaurant installations and you won’t be sorry for your decision – the hard part will be tearing your eyes away from the gorgeous interior to the possibly even more stunning stylish dishes.
- Location: Jalan Petitenget 99A, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: 6:00pm – 1:00am
- Website: Aya Street
2. Da Maria
Cuisine – Italian | Dining Experience – Casual
Designed and curated by the famed Maurice Terzini, who created some of the most iconic Australian dining venues including Bondi Icebergs, this hip Italian restaurant, known as Seminyak’s ultimate hot spot, brings in the right crowds with an irreplaceable chilled dining atmosphere and the latest and greatest music.
Transport yourself to the balmy summer nights in Italy as you share slices of thin traditional Neapolitan pizzas amongst family and friends, challenge yourself to trying more than a handful of their delicious starters, and mull over whether to get one or three pasta dishes because they just all sound amazing.
All crowds are welcome here, as the staff and atmosphere are as friendly as it can get. If you dine during the day, the gorgeous blue and white interior of the restaurant will have you reminiscing about the stunning display of Greece architecture, and both the outdoor and indoor dining areas are as inviting as each other. Grab a cocktail and make sure you’re treating this holiday the right way it should be treated.
- Location: Jalan Petitenget 170, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 1:00am
- Website: Da Maria
3. Kubu at Mandapa
Cuisine – Mediterranean-European | Dining Experience – Fine Dining
As you would expect of a restaurant situated above the Ayung River, located within a Ritz Carlton Reserve at that, Kubu at Mandapa has irrevocably long set the bar for outstanding fine dining experiences, particularly for couples who are after an unforgettable romantic dinner (although reservations for large groups are equally welcome!).
The gentle gushes of water from the river below, the soft melodic tunes of the harmonious music, the signature bamboo cocoons in which you’re relaxing, the gorgeous view of the valley before you – this is the ultimate destination for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
The chef’s six to eight dish degustation menu, made entirely of the region’s fresh premium produce, is highly recommended. Customers of past have raved on about their degustation menu which simply denies any disappointment whatsoever – their Hokkaido Scallop, Wagyu Beef Rib-eye, and Chocolate Fondant are amongst some of the most talked about dishes.
If you’re looking for a place to take your special someone, whether it be for an anniversary or a honeymoon celebration, this is the place to be. Remember to make a booking and let them know ahead of time that you’re celebrating!
- Location: Jalan Raya Kedewatan at Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
- Opening Hours: 6:00pm – 11:00pm
- Website: Kubu at Mandapa
4. Mejekawi
Cuisine – European Fusion| Dining Experience – Intimate, relaxed, informal fine-dining
A masterpiece of the concept of new-tasting kitchen and laboratory dining, Megekawi made a splash as the extraordinary dining restaurant everyone needs to try, and it hasn’t looked back ever since.
If you’ve never heard of it, you would have probably heard of its host, the famed Ku De Ta beach club situated right in the midst of Seminyak’s thriving party scene. Mejekawi, which translates to ‘sacred table’, will always have something up their sleeves.
Their extraordinary team of chefs – Ben Cross and Stephen Moore – are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel and serve up fine dining degustation menus in a sharing plate style, so you can come here with one or ten other people and still be able to enjoy the food and experience equally.
If you book ahead, you might be able to nab a table which overlooks the gorgeous Seminyak Beach – good food, great atmosphere, and gorgeous views, what more could you want? They even spice it up a little by having an open-plan kitchen when you can see the Masterchefs at work, pouring all their love and dedication into the dishes.
- Location: Jalan Kayu Aya No. 9, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: 5:00pm – 12:00am
- Website: Mejekawi
5. Starfish Bloo
Cuisine – Pan-Asian, Western | Dining Experience – Casual Fine-Dining
Starfish Bloo is without a doubt one of the most engaged and sought after brunch restaurants in Bali. It broke into the scene with its now famous Sunday Brunch (think ultra-luxurious seafood dishes coming out by the dozen, with free flowing bubbles, wines, beer, selected cocktails, soft drinks and juices with stunning views across the Seminyak Beach – it’s no wonder it’s one of the best brunch places on the island!).
However, apart from its almost celebrity-status brunch session, its dinner menu options are some selections that are absolutely to die for. Seafood lovers, this is where you need to be. Their menus are heavily influenced by the daily availability of fresh seafood, and their chefs are renowned award-winning experts.
Did we also mention that it’s situated within W Bali – Seminyak, one of the swankiest, upmarket hotels in Seminyak? Don’t be deterred though, because as much as it is a super chic, that’s how much Starfish Bloo is laid-back and relaxed.
Whilst the menu for the brunch tends to change regularly, you can expect to see the likes of (or similar to) sushi, sashimi, whole roasts, dim sum, Mexican, prawn-stuffed chicken wings, pork ribs, curry – the list is endless. For dinner, you absolutely cannot go wrong with the massive selection of seafood (both grilled and fresh) – anything along the lines of crab, prawns, lobster, oysters, you name it, it’ll be on the menu. You don’t want to miss out at this place.
- Location: Jalan Petitenget, Seminyak (located within W Bali – Seminyak)
- Opening Hours: 7:00am – 10:30pm
- Website: Starfish Bloo
6. Merah Putih
Cuisine – Indonesian | Dining Experience – Fine Dining
If you’re as much about the restaurant dining interior as you are about sublime food, then Merah Putih is the answer. Indisputable stunning architecture that’s rich in culture and craftsmanship will leave you breathless the moment you want in.
The chefs’ takes on traditional famed and loved Indonesian dishes and twisting it with experience and surety that only experts can muster have impressed people far and wide who have had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant.
If you can tear your eyes away from the cathedral-like ceiling installations and jaw-dropping pillars surrounding the dining room, you can see that all possible care has been taken to make your dining experience a memorable one – fairy lights adorn perfectly placed greenery which enhance the attractiveness of the room, lush suede seats, and an often forgotten but much welcome lit candle in the centre of the table brings the warm and fuzzy feelings.
Try all the traditional Indonesian foods that you love here, but be prepared for the impressive way they’ve been altered to send your tastebuds on a journey.
- Location: Jalan Petitenget 100x, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 12:00am
- Website: Merah Putih
7. Barbacoa
Cuisine – Latin American | Dining Experience – Casual, Group Dining
Foodies, make sure this one is on your list. Located on Jalan Petitenget, which has quietly but surely become one of the hottest restaurant strips in Seminyak, Barbacoa’s dominant position as the best Latin American barbeque joint in town is evident through the consistent flocks of food savvy crowds and distinct smoke and smell from hoards of meat preparation to meet demands of the masses.
They use only fresh, local produce to cater for their customers, who happen to include vegetarians also (they offer a wide selection of vegetarian dishes on their menu).
If you’re after the full circle experience of an impressive food spread in an even more expressive restaurant décor, this is where it’s at. High ceilings lend themselves to mosaic paintings along the roof, rustic furnishings complete with decorated tiles and Mediterranean-influenced serving styles, and wooden décor throughout complement the smoke symbol of the restaurant.
- Location: Jalan Petitenget 15, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: Lunch – 12:00pm – 5:00pm, Dinner – 6:00pm – 11:00pm
- Website: Barbacoa
8. Sarong
Cuisine – South-East Asian Street Food | Dining Experience – Classy, Casual
Whilst dining on South-East Asian street food usually conjures up the image of Bintang singlets, flip-flops, and standing on the side of the street polishing off chicken satay sticks and then using the skewers to piece through a piece of fresh mango cut up by the cart-owner just down the road, Sarong demands that you respect its classier affair.
In saying that, this is by no means a suit-and-tie event. Simply imagine stunning Asian-influenced restaurant décor with chandeliers, plush velvet cushion seating, stunning one-of-a-kind artworks and the presence of the much-revelled colour of deep red, and you’ve got yourself a knock-out of a restaurant.
You can grab a refreshing cocktail by the bar as you wait for your table; once it’s been set, head on over and order all the dishes (which are meant to be shared) to your heart’s content – if you’re a lover of the unique herbs and spices South-East Asian street vendors are renowned for, you will love this place.
Lemongrass, coriander, Sichuan chilli, hoisin, sambal, turmeric, cumin – there will be no shortage of spices here. Some notable dishes include the crispy salmon salad, panang curry, and grilled scallops with sweet duck.
- Location: Jalan Petitenget No. 19x, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: 6:30pm – 12:00am
- Website: Sarong
9. The Plantation Grill
Cuisine – BBQ & Grill | Dining Experience – Smart-Casual
The Double-Six Hotel in Bali, home to the famous floating pod lounges of the Double-Six Rooftop Sunset Bar overlooking the beach and especially wonderful daily sunset, is also home to one of the best bar and grills on the entirety of Bali.
If you’re the type to be able to appreciate a perfectly wood-grilled rack of ribs, cooked steak, or grilled lobster, then you have to drop by this restaurant. The luxurious and impeccable décor of this place has had some people claim they’ve felt like they’ve stepped into another time period once they enter the restaurant.
Decked out in Gatsy-style glamour, with dark lighting, wine-red velvet lounges and cushions, classic wooden tones, regular live music and a distinct smoky smell permeating through the restaurant all night long, the atmosphere is unlike many other restaurants in Bali. A wonderful place for a casual dinner, and yet classy enough as a celebratory experience, this highly-rated grill restaurant should be one of the first things you book in Bali.
- Location: Double-Six Luxury Hotel 4th floor, Seminyak, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali (located within the Double Six Luxury Hotel, Seminyak)
- Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm
- Website: The Plantation Grill
10. Teatro Gastroteque
Cuisine – French with an Asian twist | Dining Experience – Fine Dining
The complexity of the food served at Teatro Gastroteque is no joke: they’ve loudly and proudly claimed to be serving sophisticated exquisite French dining with a distinct Asian twist, and Indonesian Chef Mandif Warokka lives by the reputation of serving up some of the meanest fusion dishes in Bali.
Their highly creative dishes can be sampled as part of the elaborate degustation menus carefully curated by the kitchen team – there are at least four to choose from, and they offer a food-only choice or one accompanied by the perfect wine pairing. However, if you want the flexibility of choose only the dishes you want to try, by all means order off the diverse a la carte menu.
The sommelier will happily point you in the right direction of an accompanying wine if you would like. The interior is gorgeous and breathtaking, and yet completely unobtrusive in a way that only the distinct colonial European style fused in harmony with the Zen-characteristics of Asia décor can yield.
As they are a small establishment, bookings are absolutely essential if you want the pleasure of dining at this incredibly distinct restaurant.
- Location: Jalan Kayu Aya Blok C No. 1-2, Seminyak
- Opening Hours: 6:30pm – 10:30pm
- Website: Teatro Gastroteque
We understand that you may not be able to get through this entire list, or even half of this list for the matter, but we highly, strongly, fully encourage you to select a handful (at the very least!), make the necessary bookings, and start planning your outfits with expandable waistlines immediately, because to not be able to experience these unique, one-of-a-kind restaurants only in Bali would be an insult to the foodie within you.
Great post!