10 Best Restaurants
Bali rewards a journey planned around a few contrasting places. Inland, Ubud and the surrounding villages bring rice landscapes, art collections and some of the island’s most inventive restaurants into the same trip. On the Bukit Peninsula, contemporary villas face the Indian Ocean from limestone cliffs; Jimbaran offers another coastal rhythm, with established resorts close to the bay. Farther east and west, Manggis and Tabanan suit travellers who want more time with the landscape and less movement between addresses. This guide covers the main island of Bali. Its hotel selection balances exceptional service with architecture, privacy and a strong connection to place. The restaurants range from ambitious Indonesian tasting menus to contemporary Italian cooking and relaxed plates designed for sharing. Experiences are chosen to give cultural and natural context to the stay, rather than to fill a checklist of photo stops. Choose a base for each part of the trip and group nearby outings together. Leave generous space between reservations, arrange transport locally and check access conditions before setting out. At temples and working cultural sites, follow the guidance of the people responsible for them; observing respectfully can be more rewarding than trying to participate in everything.
Locavore NXT
Lodtunduh, Ubud, Indonesia
Locavore NXT turns a restaurant visit into an exploration of what can be grown, gathered and transformed locally. The purpose-built setting outside central Ubud brings the kitchen’s research and cultivation close to the dining experience, with a tasting menu that changes as the team develops its ideas. This is a destination meal for curious diners who enjoy a clear culinary point of view. Allow the evening to unfold at the restaurant’s pace, and arrive ready to engage with unfamiliar ingredients.
An ambitious Indonesian tasting journey
Room4Dessert
Sanggingan, Ubud, Indonesia
Room4Dessert gives the sweet end of a meal the attention normally reserved for an entire savoury tasting menu. Will Goldfarb’s Ubud restaurant connects inventive pastry work with its garden and a deliberately exploratory approach to flavour. It belongs on the itinerary of diners who enjoy surprise and are willing to reconsider what a restaurant evening can be. The experience has evolved over time, so let the current menu guide expectations rather than assuming an older course count or format still applies.
A different perspective on dessert
Mozaic
Sanggingan, Ubud, Indonesia
Mozaic remains a distinctive Ubud address for diners who enjoy the rituals of a carefully paced restaurant evening. The current experience moves between the Tipple Room, dining room and garden, with seasonal tasting menus at its centre. French culinary technique and Indonesian ingredients provide a coherent thread through the meal. Choose it for a celebration that calls for attentive service and a sense of occasion, while selecting the specific dining format that best suits the mood of your group.
A polished evening of contemporary gastronomy
Syrco BASÈ
Ubud, Jalan Sri Wedari, Indonesia
Syrco BASÈ puts the origin of ingredients at the centre of its identity. Chef Syrco Bakker’s Ubud project combines Indonesian culinary roots with a contemporary approach, drawing attention to the farmers, fishers and producers behind the meal. The setting includes distinct restaurant, bar and counter experiences, making it important to choose the right reservation. It is particularly appealing to diners who want provenance to influence the cooking itself, with botanical drinks adding another way to explore the kitchen’s perspective.
Ingredient-led contemporary Indonesian dining
Apéritif
Petulu, Ubud, Indonesia
Apéritif brings a more formal kind of restaurant glamour to Ubud without losing sight of Indonesian ingredients. The meal is framed as an occasion, with degustation menus, a substantial wine programme and an interior that encourages guests to dress for the evening. Global influences give the cooking range, while the setting rewards an unhurried pace. It is a persuasive choice for anniversaries or a special dinner when polished surroundings and a carefully managed experience are part of the attraction.
An elegant celebratory tasting menu
MAURI
Petitenget, Seminyak, Indonesia
MAURI offers a focused change of culinary register in Seminyak. Maurizio Bombini draws on his Puglian background for contemporary Italian cooking that gives ingredients room to speak, with tasting menus and an à la carte option providing different ways into the kitchen. The restrained, light-toned interior supports the restaurant’s measured style. Choose it when a trip calls for a polished Italian dinner with a clear regional identity, rather than a broad international menu attempting to satisfy every appetite.
Contemporary southern Italian cooking
Kubu at Mandapa
Kedewatan, Ubud, Indonesia
Kubu’s bamboo architecture and riverside setting provide a striking frame, but the current culinary direction deserves equal attention. Chef Eka Sunarya builds the experience around locally sourced and foraged ingredients, with a root-to-leaf philosophy informing the tasting menu. The result is an occasion restaurant with a clear connection to Bali’s landscape and producers. It suits diners who want a romantic setting and thoughtful cooking together, while remaining interested in the story and practical choices behind each plate.
Place-based cooking beside the river
Cuca
Jimbaran, Indonesia
Cuca makes an appealing case for a relaxed meal with serious culinary intent. Kevin Cherkas and Virginia Entizne’s Jimbaran restaurant pairs globally inspired ideas with local sourcing, offering tapas, cocktails and desserts designed for a sociable table. A chef-selected meal provides an alternative to choosing individual dishes. The appeal is its accessibility: curious cooking is presented in a format that encourages conversation and sharing, making it a useful counterpoint to Bali’s more ceremonial tasting-menu destinations.
Inventive plates for sharing
Merah Putih
Petitenget, Kerobokan Kelod, Indonesia
Merah Putih gives Indonesian cooking an architectural stage that is memorable without overwhelming the meal. Tall columns, greenery and generous space create a striking room for exploring familiar recipes alongside contemporary interpretations. The menu’s national reach makes it a useful introduction to flavours beyond Bali, particularly for guests who enjoy ordering several dishes across a table. Choose it for a sociable dinner with a sense of occasion, supported by an established drinks programme and a confident, clearly defined identity.
Indonesian dining in a dramatic room
Sangsaka
Kerobokan Kelod, Seminyak area, Indonesia
Sangsaka rewards diners who look beyond the most conspicuous restaurant frontages. Kieran and Yunika Morland bring their culinary experience and family influences to modern Indonesian dishes, with wood-fired cooking helping shape the kitchen’s character. The smaller scale makes it especially appealing for a dinner with friends or a couple’s evening out. Its combination of confident flavours, a considered room and thoughtful hospitality offers a different kind of occasion from the island’s grand resort restaurants.
Intimate modern Indonesian cooking