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Best Restaurants in Canggu

Best Restaurants in Canggu

Bali Indonesia Travel Guide

Culinary Overview

Cultural Context & Ingredients

Balinese cuisine is heavily influenced by its Hindu traditions. Recipes regularly center around rice, fresh vegetables, fish, chicken, and sometimes pork.

Spices are a key characteristic, with intricate blends known as "bumbu" forming the base of many dishes. Common ingredients include coconut milk, peanuts, chili, garlic, and turmeric.

Dining Customs & Meal Times

  • Eating with Hands: In traditional settings, people often eat food with their right hand. Avoid the left hand.
  • Sharing: Dishes are often ordered and shared communally, allowing sampling of several flavors.
  • Meal Times: Breakfast is often light. Lunch & Dinner are main meals. Cafes serve Western breakfast and brunch from early morning.
  • The Coffee scene: Canggu has a thriving cafe scene, many serving specialty coffee and all-day brunch.

Flavors & Regional Variations

Flavors

Balinese food is multifaceted and aromatic. Dishes often balance spicy, savory, sweet, and tangy notes, frequently with an earthy undertone from various spices.

Cooking Methods

Grilling, frying, and steaming are common ways of cooking.

Canggu's Culinary Scene

Canggu is famous for its international cafes, extensive vegan and vegetarian eateries, and trendy restaurants, catering to its large population.

Dress Code & Tipping

  • Dress Code: Casual dress suits most warungs and cafes. Some upscale restaurants may suggest smart casual attire.
  • Tipping: Not mandatory, but appreciated for good service.
  • Note: Balinese culture considers the left hand unclean. Steer clear of using it for eating or passing food.

Must-Try Dishes

Signature Dishes

Babi Guling Suckling Pig

A Balinese specialty featuring a whole roasted pig, prized for its crispy skin and tender, flavorful meat, stuffed possessing a wealthy spice mix.

Locate it at Warung Babi Guling Bu Dayu in Canggu, or Ibu Oka in Ubud.

Lawar

A complicated and fresh salad made of finely chopped meat (or jackfruit for vegetarian versions), combined with vegetables, grated coconut, and rich spices.

Often served as a side dish with other Balinese meals.

Nasi Campur

Meaning "mixed rice," this is a plate of steamed rice served with small portions of various Balinese dishes.

Widely available at most warungs, offers a good introduction to Balinese flavors.

Street Food & Beverages

  • Bakso: A popular meatball soup, usually accompanied by noodles, tofu, and vegetables.
  • Martabak: Comes as sweet (thick pancake with fillings) or savory (pancake with egg and minced meat).
  • Sate Lilit: Minced fish or chicken mixed with coconut, spices, and coconut milk, wrapped around lemongrass stalks and cooked on a grill.
  • Gorengan: An assortment of fried snacks, including tempeh, tofu, or banana fritters.

Beverages & Desserts

Traditional Drinks

Es Kelapa Muda (young coconut ice), Jamu (herbal drink), Fresh Juices. Bintang Beer (local beer), Arak Bali (distilled rice wine - consume with caution).

Iconic Desserts

Pisang Goreng (fried banana fritters), Dadar Gulung (pandan crepes with coconut), Klepon (glutinous rice balls with palm sugar).

Dining Options

Fine Dining

Canggu has an increasing number of upscale restaurants providing refined international cuisine in elegant settings.

  • Mason: Modern Australian and Mediterranean-style cuisine, focus on fresh ingredients.
  • SKOOL Kitchen: Contemporary, open-fire cooking with stunning ocean views.
  • Santorini Canggu: Upscale Greek dining experience.

Mid-Range Restaurants

Canggu is abundant with mid-range restaurants, offering a mix of international, fusion, and elevated Indonesian cuisine.

  • Penny Lane: Eclectic decor and comfort food menu, a well-liked place for photos.
  • Crate Cafe: Famous for its massive, affordable breakfasts and brunches, always buzzing.
  • Shady Shack: Popular vegetarian and vegan cafe, known for healthy dishes.

Budget & Markets

Warungs and street food stalls provide cheap and genuine local dishes.

  • Warungs: Local Indonesian eateries for affordable Nasi Campur, Nasi Goreng. (e.g., Warung Bu Mi, Varuna, Sika)
  • Street Food: Bakso, Sate, or Martabak from carts at local markets or smaller side streets.
  • Markets: Samadi Market (organic, Sundays), Batu Bolong Market (local morning market).

International Cuisine

Diverse Flavors

Canggu is known for its diverse international culinary scene. You find Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Thai, Vietnamese, and Hindu options.

These options present varied tastes, matching Canggu's global appeal.

Unique Dining Concepts

Beachfront Dining

Restaurants and beach clubs directly on the sand, with stunning sunset views.

Co-working Cafes

Many cafes blend dining with co-working spaces, providing healthy food options.

Health & Wellness Cafes

Focus on organic, locally sourced, and plant-based ingredients, with unique smoothie bowls.

Deus Ex Machina

Combines a restaurant, bar, and custom motorcycle shop, often with live music.

Special Dietary Needs

Vegetarian & Vegan Options

  • Canggu is an international hub for vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
  • Almost all cafes and many restaurants present extensive plant-based menus.
  • Shady Shack: Famous vegetarian and vegan cafe known for creative dishes.
  • Peloton Supershop: Popular vegan cafe offering healthy and fulfilling plant-based meals.

Halal, Kosher & Allergens

Halal Availability

Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, so halal food is widely available, notably chicken and beef meals at local warungs.

Many packaged foods carry halal certification.

Kosher Availability

Jewish-approved food is generally not available in Canggu or Bali. Visitors should plan to bring their own provisions.

Vegetarian/vegan options may suit some dietary requirements.

Allergen-Aware Dining

Common Dietary Needs
Gluten-Complimentary choices
Dairy-No-cost alternatives
Nut-Free options
Many Western-style cafes are aware.
Clearly communicate with staff.
Translation apps can assist.
Give Cafe

A unique vegan cafe that donates its profits to charity, providing a meal with a purpose.

  • Vegan dishes.
  • Charitable mission.
  • Meal with a purpose.
Resources for Travelers

Use the HappyCow app or website for finding vegetarian and restaurants that are vegan-friendly globally. Speak with restaurant staff to explain your dietary needs.

Join Bali expatriate or traveler Facebook groups for advice and advice.

Culinary Experiences and Resources

Cooking Classes
  • Balinese cooking classes teach local dishes.
  • Commonly contain a market visit to learn about ingredients.
  • "Permaculture Bali Cooking Class" is an option.
Food Tours & Farm Visits
  • Private guides customize food explorations to local warungs.
  • Organic farms offer tours and farm-to-table dining.
Food Festivals & Events
  • Bali hosts a range of food festivals (Ubud Food Festival).
  • Small local events or pop-ups could occur in Canggu.

Culinary Experiences

Cooking & Farm Visits

Cooking Classes

Options in Canggu and nearby teach Balinese and Indonesian cooking, often including a market visit to learn about local ingredients.

Permaculture Bali Cooking Class | Hotel/Villa classes
Book a cooking class
Farm Visits

Some organic farms outside Canggu offer tours and farm-to-table dining, providing insight into sustainable agriculture.

Coffee plantations are also popular day trips.
Food Festivals & Events

Bali hosts a range of food year-round festivals, though large-scale ones are typically in Ubud or Seminyak.

Check local listings for current events.

Unique Dining Concepts

  • Waterfront Dining: Numerous restaurants and beach clubs directly on the sand, providing beautiful sunset views.
  • Co-working Cafes: Many cafes blend dining with co-working spaces, providing healthy food options.
  • Health & Wellness Cafes: Emphasis on organic, locally sourced, and plant-based ingredients.
  • Deus Ex Machina - Temple of Enthusiasm: A unique spot combining a restaurant, bar, and custom motorcycle shop, often having live music groups.

Food Tours

Customized Food Explorations

Less common as organized tours specifically for Canggu, but private guides can customize food explorations, taking you to neighborhood warungs plus secret places.

Culinary Insight

Flavor Complexity

Balinese food is intricate and aromatic, balancing spicy, savory, sweet, and tangy notes, often with an earthy undertone.

Cooking Techniques

Grilling, frying, and steaming are common ways of cooking in Balinese cuisine.

Seasonal Foods

During religious ceremonies (Galungan and Kuningan), special offerings and dishes like rice cakes and traditional pork or chicken are prepared.

Food Safety Tip

When trying Arak Bali (distilled rice wine), consume with caution and only from reputable sources for safety. This traditional Balinese drink can be potent.

  • Always choose establishments with cleanliness standards.
  • Opt for bottled water over tap water.
  • Be mindful of street food preparation.
  • Wash fresh fruits thoroughly before consuming.
  • If a dish tastes off, it is best to avoid it.