Want to know where the industry insider’s drink & eat? As a foodie turned restaurateur, who has lived in Ubud for the past 3 years, I am compiling my list of the best restaurants in Ubud for lunch & dinner. Plus a bonus mention of 2 bars with delicious bites.
The restaurants are listed alphabetically and not sponsored. Just my honest opinions on where to eat when in ubud. From the must visit bars to the best cafes and the hottest restaurants, this is the ultimate guide for the quintessential foodie.
Batubara – Best Steak in Ubud.
Why do we love it?
Look no further than Batubara for a good steak night. The Argentinian restaurant does not resemble the old school steakhouses we see everywhere. But do not mistake the casual barn style decor for a casual dining experience. The quality of the meat is great, the variety of cuts incredible and the hospitality matches the delicious dishes on offer.
What to order?
My personal favourite is the Sumatran flap steak. They grill it at your table and the cut is consistently tender and cooked to perfection. The patatas bravas or the grilled vegetable is the must have side with it. Batubara also serves an incredible mascarpone gelato with roasted berries for dessert. It’s a throwback…we love it…you would too. Ask the staff for wine recommendations which are decent for Bali standards.
Location: Jl. Raya Pengosekan Ubud No.108, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: IDR 400.000 ++
Batubara grill their steaks on your table.
2 Bulan – Best for Thai food.
Why do we love it?
From the first look, there seems to be nothing Thai about 2 Bulan. The restaurant is not a hodgepodge of bright colours & tacky aesthetics that plague most Thai restaurants outside of Thailand. There is no cliched mural of an elephant or a rice farmer in the conical cap. It’s not loud. It’s not trying to fit into the mold of what a Thai restaurant should be. At the same time, it is very much Thai. The space reminds me of the rustic ceramic factories found in northern Thailand. Only here, they are blended with a lot of greenery and figurative art. There is an open kitchen that is reminiscent of the street side joints where you catch in on all the cooking and swearing.
As for the food – it is familiar, it is bold and it is unapologetic. The curry pastes are homemade and the noodles are made from scratch. You will find a Som Tam salad next to a chilli pepper stuffed with Green Curry and Ricotta (part of their menu takes a creative play on some traditional dishes – somewhat Thai, as they call it). The drinks menu is not just limited to beers and Thai ice tea. There is a natural wine list that goes surprisingly well with the food. In 2 Bulan, you finally have a restaurant whose ambience does justice to the reputation Thai cuisine commands in the world.
What to order?
The pad kra pao (pork basil stir fry) and pad kee mao (beef noodles) are the standout dishes. For a more hearty affair, the Khao Soi (yes they serve it here) is ideal for the rainy days. The surprise pick was the Wagyu Ribeye with Massaman Curry butter. The Hi So cocktail is a must try and the natural wine list is affordable, but only served by the bottle. Visit it for lunch and you will want to come back for dinner.
Location: Jl. Nyuh Bulan, Mas, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: IDR 250.000 ++
Cool decor, natural wines & a modern thai menu all come together at 2 Bulan.
Cantina – Mexican & more.
Why do we love it?
Boasting incredible temple views from a rooftop that once used to be the stomping grounds of artists and musicians in the 70/80s, Cantina is infamous for their tacos and a range of dishes inspired from the land and sea of latin america. The decor is casual and laidback. Bring your phone fully charged and turn on your Shazam because the playlist is one of the best on the island and stealworthy. Part of the restaurant opens into their speakeasy bar Boliche with guest DJs every week. The din of the conversations, fantastic music, the sizzle of the open grill and the cocktail shaker in full swing all create an electric atmosphere here. It’s worth the two story climb (a mini workout so you can eat more).
What to order?
The fish tacos are one we order every time we visit and our second favourite dish is the jerk chicken. There is a rotating steak list with each cut better than the one previously ordered. There is a crepe suzette for dessert. You must try the crepe suzette for dessert.
Location: Sayan, Ubud, Gianyar Regency, Bali
Average Spend per person: IDR 400.000 ++
Make sure to get in early to catch the sunset at Cantina
Galle Club – Sri Lankan & Coastal Indian cuisine.
Why do we love it?
Like in Geography, the cuisine of Sri Lanka almost always gets overshadowed by that of its larger cousin – India. So seeing Galle Club open its doors as Bali’s first Sri Lankan restaurant is not just a sight for sore eyes (there are about 30 Indian restaurants in Bali alone) but also a reminder that Sri Lankan cuisine deserves a special place globally. Enter the charming 36 seater and you will be immediately transported to the living room of a boutique hotel or an upscale gallery of the Galle Fort. The colonial meets tropical decor is inspired by Geoffery Bawa’s design ethos. The outdoor seating overlooks the neighbourhood park and makes an ideal setting for the day to go by while you sip on a Ceylon cocktail or debate on the global affairs with a strong filter coffee. The flavours are bold, the service warm, the drinks punchy. You will end up ordering more than you can chew because at Galle Club, you also feast with your eyes and heart.
What to order?
The menu is small but diverse and definitely a flavour bomb. Despite the liberal use of spices and curry leaves, no dish tastes the same. You might be tempted to visit for the curries but it is their appetisers that will make you stay. In fact, during your first visit, you should order all 6 of their appetisers if you are dining as a group. In fact, order them even if you come here alone. The Roast pumpkin curry takes you to the fiery cuisine of northern Sri Lanka while the Grill Cabbage transports you to the central highlands of the teardrop island. Order a chicken buriani to share, though we recommend not to. The pandan brulee is mandatory for dessert.
Location: Jl. Nyuh Gading No.2, Mas, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: IDR 350.000 ++
Galle Club epitomises periodic charm from a bygone era.
Locavore NXT – a league of its own.
Why do we love it?
Let me start by saying that I have never been a fan of multi-course tasting menus. I find them pretentious. I find them creating palette fatigue (did I say I am not pretentious?) and I find that most of the time the chefs are just trying to out-nerd their previous tasting menu or of their competitors. However, I am happy to say that all these notions of mine were happily crushed by Locavore NXT.
The new Locavore (dubbed Locavore NXT) is basically a jaw dropping 3 hour dining experience. The tasting menu is served in 4 different dining rooms. One of them is a mushroom chamber. An artifact that I thought was for display was actually our dish for that course! There are noodles made of cassava and water made of bananas. It’s visionary. It forces you to really challenge the limitations of what is possible with an ingredient, a restaurant, and an entire ecosystem. While hyperlocalisation is the latest buzzword among the culinary heavyweights, you actually see it in action in a way that is expertly executed by Ray & Eelke, the chef founders. And despite all that they have accomplished and innovated, they are also one of the most humble and accessible chefs out there. And I am delighted to say that this humility and familiarity is also effortlessly reflected in their menu.
Visit them not just for the food but to experience what pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a restaurant is all about. Whet your appetite with the Kintamani cocktail though.
Location: Jl. A.A. Gede Rai Gang Pura Panti Bija, Lodtunduh, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: Tasting Menu starts from IDR 1.800.000.
Lovacore is the most innovate restaurant in Bali.
Honey & Smoke – Modern Australian & Grill.
Why do we love it?
I have always wondered what exactly ‘modern Australian’ cuisine is until I visited Honey & Smoke. The menu pays homage to the diverse immigrant communities that have made Australia their home over the past centuries. The two storied restaurant has a semi open floor with seatings at the kitchen counter to watch in on all the action. The upstairs area resembles a first class coach of a train from a bygone era.
What to order?
The Lamb skewers and the grilled snapper skewers are a must order to kickstart the eating journey here followed by their Steak and the kale salad as a side. While the dessert might need some more work, the cocktail list makes a great substitute for skipping the sugar.
Location: Jl. Monkey Forest No.67B, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: IDR 500.000++
Visit Honey & Smoke for a casual yet sopshicated dining experience.
Mori – Teppanyaki
Why do we love it?
I am always skeptical of Teppanyaki restaurants outside of Japan simply because the focus on the flair often overshadows the food. Thankfully that is not the case in Mori. This 10 seater restaurant is located in the far corner of the Bisma Eight hotel and the low ceiling, dark walled, kitchen counter dining experience entraps you in a way that you do not feel the presence of the buzz of all the guests sitting next to you. The menu is a straight forward teppanyaki tasting menu with an option to select between seafood and steaks. The Bisma Eight guys have been in the restaurant business for almost a decade now and Mori definitely is their crown jewel.
What to order?
I went for the set menu with the steak and while no doubt the meat was tender and flavourful as expected, it was the produce of the other dishes that was the statement piece of the experience. The vegetables are grown in the farm of one of the owners and you can see the care that has gone into the produce. Definitely do not forget about the sake.
Location: Jl. Bisma No.68, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: Tasting Menu starts from IDR 1.500.000
Mori is known for their oustanding produce.
Nusantara – Pan-Indonesian.
Why do we love it?
I am not sure why Nusantara feels like coming home. Maybe because it is my family’s favourite restaurant in Ubud, or it’s always that one restaurant my friends remember every time they visit me in Bali. It could also be because no week is complete without me visiting them once (and on some occasions, more than once). The history nerd in me believes the ancient cultural & spice trade links between my Indian ancestors and Indonesians might have something to do with it. Maybe it is because somehow, every new dish I have eaten here feels intimately familiar. Or maybe, it’s the only restaurant that indulges me by my requests of ‘can you please make me the tamarind fish from a few years ago that you had on your menu?’. Something that only your home does for you. Whatever the reason be, I am certain you will discover your own ways of falling in love with what turns out to be an incredible journey of cuisine from the Indonesian archipelago. Nusantara hits all the right notes.
What to order?
My top picks from their menu are the Moringa soup & the grilled beef tongue. The lamb curry and the grilled fish with their grilled banana leaf rice is a must try if you can handle some heat! If you are not sure about where to begin, I recommend their set menu which includes a range of appetisers, main and side dishes. Peyem, a fermented cassava and coconut dessert is one of my all time favourite desserts. It’s a crime to visit them and not order it.
Location: Jl. Dewisita No.09C, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: IDR 350.000 ++
Nusantara is the go to spot for everything Indonesian.
Pica – Latin American.
Why do we love it?
The fact that this restaurant has been around the block for 10 years is a testament to its ability to consistently deliver an incredible dining experience across the food and service. It’s located in the town centre. The decor is minimal & simple, the cuisine completely the opposite. You’re sitting close to the other tables and I can’t help but eavesdrop. Sometimes that has led to some great conversations, and on a few occasions sharing recommendations on what to order. I have seen the same faces behind the kitchen and on the floor since my first visit there in November 2018. That consistency is also reflected in their menu. There are no bad surprises. You can be certain of having a good time in Pica.
What to order?
The three ceviches on the menu are yum, the empanadas are punchy and the goat cheese souffle is decadent. The grilled prawns and the tiradito are a must order. In fact, you should just order all the appetisers on your first visit. In fact, do the same on your next. Order the tres leches and thank me later.
Location: Jl. Dewisita, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571
Average Spend per person: IDR 400.000 ++
Visit Pica for all the Latin American cravings.
Uma Cucina – Italian.
Why do we love it?
Of course no list is complete without at least one Italian restaurant being featured in the list. And just like any other town / city / country / continent that is littered with Italian restaurants, finding the right one takes a while. It definitely took me 2 years to find one and thank god I found it in Uma Cucina. This no walls Italian spot is cosy, warm and always has the entire team coming together to make every dining experience here memorable. Swing by for a solo lunch in the day or get your group in the evening, their menu is one for every occasion.
What to order?
The grilled octopus and the tuna carpaccio is a must try to start with. While you may be spoilt for choice with the mains and the pasta menu, I cannot help but get one of their six pizzas and pair it with a nice bottle of red (they are happy to let you bring your own, there is corkage fees).
Healthy Italian cuisine meets warm Bali hospitality at Uma Cucina.
Average Spend per person: IDR 400.000 ++
Bars with the Best Bites.
Bacari – Wine & Tapas Bar
Why do we love it? There are 50 wines on the menu at Bacari but only 10 dishes. And you can’t help but want to eat each and everyone of them and cancel the subsequent dinner plan you have made at any of the restaurants above. The portions are tapas style, made to share (though you really shouldn’t) and should be enjoyed over the course of 2-3 rounds as opposed to ordering all at once. It does not help that you will end up spending more time than intended given the people watching that most visitors in Bacari do. The most talked about dish is the grilled halloumi and the burrata on sourdough. The lamb shoulder with eggplant will take you straight to Persia in one bite and then to India in the next.
Average Spend per person: IDR 250.000 ++
Pair the tapas at Bacari with more than 20 wines by glass on offer.
Night Rooster – Speakeasy & Eccentric Eats
Why do we love it? My friends do not understand why I go to one of the best bars in Ubud and do not order a cocktail. If you are a foodie like me and have eaten at Night Rooster, you will know why. The food menu is small. They call it Eccentric Eats. I am not sure about the eccentric bit but it sure is incredible. From the flank steak to the prawn sausage and the must try pumpkin sando, you would rather get into a food coma than get drunk here. It is a minute walk from Bacari and if you plan to visit both (which you must), then definitely cancel those dinner plans later.
Average Spend per person: IDR 250.000 ++
Night Rooster is the coolest speakeasy bar in Bali
