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Best Restaurants in Canggu

Best Restaurants in Canggu

Canggu Indonesia Travel Guide

Culinary Overview

Cultural Context & Ingredients

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

Spices are a defining 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 various flavors.
  • Meal Times: Breakfast is often light. Lunch & Dinner are main meals. Cafes serve Western breakfast and brunch from early morning.
  • Coffee Culture: Canggu has a thriving cafe scene, many serving specialty coffee and all-day brunch.

Flavors & Regional Variations

Flavors

Balinese food is complex 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 cooking methods.

Canggu's Culinary Scene

Canggu is renowned 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. Avoid 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 with a rich spice mix.

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

Lawar

A complex and fresh salad made of finely chopped meat (or jackfruit for vegetarian versions), mixed 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, often served with 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 grilled.
  • 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 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 popular spot 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 affordable and authentic 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 in 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 Indian 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 a global 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 satisfying plant-based meals.

Halal, Kosher & Allergens

Halal Availability

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

Many packaged foods carry halal certification.

Kosher Availability

Kosher food is generally not available in Canggu or Bali. Travelers should plan to bring their own provisions.

Vegetarian/vegan options may suit some dietary requirements.

Allergen-Aware Dining

Common Dietary Needs
Gluten-Free options
Dairy-Free options
Nut-Free options
Many Western-style cafes are aware.
Communicate clearly 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 vegan restaurants globally. Speak with restaurant staff to explain your dietary needs.

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

Culinary Experiences and Resources

Cooking Classes
  • Balinese cooking classes teach local dishes.
  • Often include 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 various food festivals (Ubud Food Festival).
  • Smaller local events or pop-ups may 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 various food festivals throughout the year, though large-scale ones are typically in Ubud or Seminyak.

Check local listings for current events.

Unique Dining Concepts

  • Beachfront Dining: Numerous restaurants and beach clubs directly on the sand, offering stunning 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 with live music.

Food Tours

Customized Food Explorations

Less common as organized tours specifically for Canggu, but private guides can customize food explorations, taking you to local warungs and hidden gems.

Culinary Insight

Flavor Complexity

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

Cooking Techniques

Grilling, frying, and steaming are common cooking methods 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 good hygiene 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.