Ubud Indonesia – Best Ideas on Where and What to Eat

Ubud is so much of abundance. Colour, smells, styles, cultures, and prices. Whether you’re vegan or a hard-core meat-eater, Ubud has got you covered.

Local dishes to try

Bali’s cuisine scene is somewhat renowned amongst pork lovers for its expert creation and delivery of suckling pig. In amidst a predominantly Muslim country, tourists exhibit untold patience in waiting for their very own order of it. The pork is rubbed with an intoxicating combination of turmeric, lemongrass, coriander seeds, lime leaves, chilli, black pepper, ginger and shallots. The slow roasting process provides the most tender, juicy, and simply superb slice of pork.

Bebek betutu is another special dish. The slow cooked duck has to be cooked so slowly and deliberately, you’ll have to order it a day in advance! While the dish can be a tad on the expensive side, it is well worth it.

Street food and local markets

The Ubud Gianyar Street Night market is, without a doubt, where you need to head for a full on sensory attack. For a real, no holds barred experience of true Bali life, there is where you need to be. Cloths of each side of the road go on for as far as the eye can see. Expect to struggle with the language barrier and expect to pay a minuscule amount for your anything you but. Revel in the simplicity of it all, take in the colours, the smells and the smiles. If you’re up before 8 am, try and get to the morning market – the chaos of the day to day bustle is electrifying.

Food and drinks are cheap in the markets and in the streets. You can pay as little as 30,00 IDR and be full on food and a few drinks. Lookout for bakso – rumoured to be one of Obama’s favourite dishes in the world. You can grab a bowl of this on nearly any street in Ubud in the afternoon. A wonderful way to start the day for some, and a way to tide you over until the next meal for others, are the hordes of deep-fried fruit, meat, and vegetables available on the street. We most enjoyed the banana goreng. However, the sweet potato goreng was not short of flavour.

Local restaurants

There are, of course, plenty of local spots to stuff your stomach with rarely acquired Indonesian fare. Among the nicest of these spots is Lada Warung. Point to your favourite dishes and have a seat in the rustic seating area. Wooden floors, wooden beams, plates on the wall and light streaming in through the large windows all complement the overall feeling of authenticity and charm. We loved the tempe here especially.

Another fantastically authentic and enriching experience can be had at the Dewi Warung. Have a seat at long tables beside people you’ve to meet, order plates upon plates for the table and indulge in conversations, tastes and moments that leave you feeling purposeful and content. The restaurant serves all the local favourites, like Nasi Goreng, Chap Chai, Chicken Satay, Tofu Satay, etc. Grab a few beers here, too, and manage to avoid the higher prices of the more commercialised joints. Follow up your meal with a classic Indonesian dessert like bana with rice cake and coconut milk!

While these are just a couple of the many spots to grab some local fare, you’re bound to strike lucky in Ubud with a simple walk down the street, so don’t be afraid to explore!

Western and international food

Alchemy, on Penestanan Kelod road, knows exactly how to leave you feeling full and satisfied. The level of flavour in their shockingly healthy food is difficult to describe. The restaurant addresses the need for healthy western food in Ubud. We must say, they deliver in style at a modest price tag of around 350,000 IDR for two. Fresh juices, smoothies and tonics are perfect sides to wonderfully cooked burgers and other such delights!

If you’re in the mood for splashing out in a serious fashion, then hit up Mozaic on Raya Sanggingan road. Expect to pay around 2,500 000 IDR for two, or to have your liver removed from your body after you’re through. The menu is a combination of fusion and Western cuisine, served with the utmost care and attention to detail. The flavours are almost as abstract and descriptive as the words found on the menu, and will have you feeling things you thought not possible. Should you be able to foot the bill, the restaurant promises a night to remember.

There are many other Western and fusion type restaurants in the main areas of Ubud. Around Jalan Raya Ubud, Jalan Monkey Forest, and Jalan Sanggingan you are sure to come right with something to suit your taste and budget.

Cafes and coffee houses

While life on the road as a traveller can have you getting used to, and even appreciating coffee made from small sachets, your expectations will be set at new heights leaving Bali. Soaring high above a chipped and stained cup, the presentation at the coffee spots round these parts is all sorts of boutique-y. Seniman Cofee studio is a prime example of this, with their rocking chairs and paddle-board plates. Head to Jalan Sriwedari road to check it out!

Easily the most picturesque spot to grab a cup of js the surreally beautiful Hubud. The coffee spot doubles as a workspace for digital nomads and those needing to send some urgent emails. While you work away the ambient noises from the surrounding rice fields together with the thousand shades of green create a workplace of enviable proportions. Why isn’t the whole world like this?

Coffee is important, but so are snacks and freshly squeezed juices. When in desperate need of a splash of some avo, so like, once a week, head to the Atman Café. The juices are fantastic and the bread is baked daily. Grab a bite and watch the world happen before you with a street facing seat.

Bars, pubs and other drinking venues

The Melting Pot Saloon is Ubud’s very own western styled bar. With flags from all over the world, several beers on tap, and many of pale-skinned tourists in the chairs, you’ll feel right at home. The bar is stuffed with all sorts of games to keep your inner child entertained and will surely escalate into some sort of competition. Leaves before this happens – unless it happens late at night – at that point you’re unlikely to be missing out on anything more enriching. End your nights off at the Laughing Buddha Bar.

Learn to cook local dishes

A brilliant way to learn about the cuisine itself is through an in-depth, smoky and lively cooking class. Learn about the basic ingredients that form the foundation of the Balinese flavour, learn to cook your own dishes, and take a small piece of Bali home with you. The cooking courses in Ubud are amongst the most attended in the world, so be sure to check out what all the hype is about!