It’s no secret that Bali is a foodie hotspot. They did a great job getting their claws around the Instagram foodie community, bringing them to their smoothie bowls like moths to a flame. Not only is the Indonesian food in Bali incredible, (and so, so cheap) but they’ve cultivated a haven of food from all over, with lots of Asian-fusion restaurants, some Australian favorites, and trendy bars and pubs to wash it all down with. If you visit Bali, be prepared to go out to eat every day, there’s no point in trying to cook for yourself in this paradise of culinary experimentation and flavorful explosions. Here are some of the great places I went:
My favorite dish that I got addicted to while staying in Bali was Mie Goreng Ayam, a dish of fried noodles with chicken and vegetables. You can get it from small, family-owned restaurants and stands on the side of the road for a few dollars at most, or get it delivered for an additional 50 cents with GrabFood. I love the prawn crackers that it comes with, and you can get the fried rice version, Nasi Goreng, which is also amazing. Be careful of the green chilies they throw in, I accidentally chomped on it a few times and the spice nearly blew my head off.
Motel Mexicola
This is such a fun restaurant to visit! The Mexican food was pretty good and the entire restaurant seemed to explode with dancing and fun. Motel Mexicola is definitely a good “nightlife” spot in Bali to experience.
Potato Head Beach Club
Potato Head is a nice beach club, but I’d categorize it as being more “family-oriented” than some of the other beach clubs in Bali. It has a lovely beachfront, unique cocktails, and a nice pool. Enjoy some tiki drinks and soak up the sun for hours.
Finns Beach Club
This beach club is more targeted at 20-30 somethings without kids. It’s not raunchy or too wild, but there aren’t lots of children everywhere, which I appreciated. I loved relaxing and drinking mojitos and other cocktails, and they had a good food menu too. A thing to note about the Beach Clubs is that for a couch reservation, you’ll need to reserve and pay a food and beverage minimum. It’s going to be more western prices, so don’t expect a super cheap day. They are worthwhile though, it’s nice to relax in a beach setting without constantly being harassed to buy stuff.
Ingka
I went here A LOT as it was right across the street from our villa in Seminyak. I loved it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They had great coffee and an extensive menu, with a variety of both western and Indonesian items. The Thai Basil Chicken dish was probably my favorite thing I had here (pictured below). It’s also a great spot for folks working online – they have fast internet and comfortable seating if you’re looking to get work done.
Bo & Bun
This was an amazing find in Seminyak for some Vietnamese/Thai food. I loved the pho and Thai iced tea. It’s on a busy street in Seminyak, near a lot of the shops and markets. I ate here and then spent a few hours getting work done on my computer.
Kinky Tiki
Great for cocktails near the beach, this spot is great to stop for tiki cocktails. They have a lot of drink specials to take advantage of. We brought a deck of cards here and played games while enjoying a few rounds after being in the sun all day.
Kosta Hostel Cafe
Since I was staying here and working a lot during my time in Bali, I ate a lot at the hostel cafe for convenience and ease. They had a variety of healthy menu options, and the prices, though higher than what you can find in Bali, were reasonable. It was nice to enjoy a salad and not get sick from it. This is also where I fell in love with smoothie bowls! I also really recommend Kosta Hostel if you’re looking for a chill place to stay during your time in Bali.
There are SO MANY restaurants and places I’d love to go back to Bali to enjoy, as well as many places I went that I forgot about or didn’t take pictures of.
Where are your favorite spots in Bali? I want all the restaurant recommendations!
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