Personally meeting hundreds of customers every week, all of them in search of the tastiest food from around the world, over the years we have shared countless times our favorite restaurants from every city we know.
The truth is people seem to trust chefs’ picks when choosing food and since everyone asks our humble opinion, we have decided to start a proper Our Picks section where we give you our recommendations on where and what to eat. But just because we may help you find a new favorite please don’t forget about your first love, Cuca!
The Bali food scene has changed a lot over the last 10 years with numerous great restaurants popping up using the bounty of amazing local produce. As crazy as it sounds, delicious traditional Balinese food is still very difficult to find in Bali. So, with that said, these are Cuca’s picks for the Island.
Jimbaran
Cuca
You have probably already been to Cuca and that’s why you are reading our recommendations on where to eat in Bali, but if you haven’t tried our food yet, trust our word or that of the wise friend who sent you this link… A trip to Bali without a meal in Cuca is like going to the movies and not having popcorn, you will forever feel like something was missing.
Created entirely by us, Kevin & Virginia, a husband-and-wife team, Cuca serves-up a radically different, casual meets fine-dining experience of Tapas, Cocktails and Desserts where absolutely everything is home-made with only what’s available in Indonesia. While Virginia gives the restaurant its personality and direction, Kevin, who spent years throughout some of the world’s best kitchens, serves intensely flavor focus creative dishes.
So remember, just because we may help you find a new favorite, don’t forget about visiting us at Cuca!
Price: ****
What to order: Tasting menu.
Akua de Bilbao
A rare find of great home style Spanish cooking with key ingredients imported from Spain or extremely well sourced in Bali. Akua delivers a fantastic Spanish experience in a beautiful open-air style restaurant just next to Jimbaran’s famous beach. Jose, the charming owner, loves a good chat and is always up to help people discover and island he knows
well.
Price: ***
What to order: Pisto with poached egg.
Lia Cafe
This place serves Jimbaran’s best seafood BBQ period. Sitting with your feet in the sand and chomping on fire grilled fresh seafood right on the beach…need we say more?
Price: ***
What to order: 2 large prawns per person, a fresh red snapper and fried squid.
Scones Bali
Perfect breakfast and brunch spot with shockingly good bakery and a made-from-scratch mentality with cinnamon buns, scones and croissants. Don’t leave without one of the best cups of coffee in Bali. Not to be missed are their just pressed juices, fruit bowls and egg dishes cooked to perfection. This is breakfast as good as it gets!
Price: **
What to order: Cheesy omelette or classic Benedict.
Imadoki
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Watermark hotel, this restaurant is an absolute gem serving seriously delicious classic Japanese cooking. Their Japanese chef specializes in buckwheat soba noodles and also stocks a hefty menu of well executed and meticulously prepared dishes. We love it!
Price: ****
What to order: Soba with Tempura or for lunch try the hefty bento set.
Nusa Dua
St. Regis Kayuputi Restaurant
Copied by many but created and mastered by Kayuputi, this place serves the best luxury brunch in Bali hands down, and has been doing it perfectly for years. This elegant beachfront restaurant has a stellar culinary team and brilliant service to gently guide you through the endless table side offerings. The price of IDR 1,100,000 is a steal for what you get!
Price: *****
What to order: Saturday Brunch 11am – 3pm.
Bumbu Bali
This place is Cuca’s favorite on the island for delicious authentic Balinese food in a classic tranquil setting. Great value, hearty, super tasty well executed food.
Price: ***
What to order: Sate Lilit.
Canggu
Indigo
Perfect Japanese… perfect. Not a dish leaves this kitchen that could not be served in any of the world’s top restaurants. Subtle twists on classics and brilliant produce are masterfully prepared by the Kyoto-born Chef. This husband and wife team has built a temple of deliciousness that is no longer a secret.
Price: ****
What to order: Spicy Salmon Maki, New Style Sashimi.
Cibo
Bali is full of Italian restaurants, but Cibo stands out. Dishes are made from scratch with pastas meticulously prepared and cured meats all done in-house. Everything is bursting with flavor and meant to be devoured. Go here to eat and remind yourself how good food should be.
Price: ***
What to order: Squid Ink Tonnarelli in Prawn Sauce, Porchetta Ham.
Seminyak
Mauri
One of Bali’s stand out restaurants, Mauri has earned its reputation through hard work and great cooking. Extremely elegant dining space with a well-trained service team and timeless cooking have quickly bumped them to the short list of Bali’s best. Chef Mauritzio is extremely dedicated to anyone who walks through his doors.
Price: *****
What to order: Tasting menu.
Queen’s Tandoor
Indian food is delicious and Queen’s Tandoor takes their food seriously. Freshly prepared and wonderfully spiced dishes are served as they should be, with many staples being quite possible the best you’ve had. As authentic as can be with a team of Indian chefs cooking masterfully to order.
Price: ***
What to order: Harra Chicken Tikka, Butter Chicken, Cheese Naan.
Habitual
Being Rated number 29 on the list of 50 best burgers in the world ain’t a joke, and this place delivers. From the bun to the beef, every ingredient means business and the entire menu sounds delicious. Fries are home cut, cooked fresh and the whole package is tough to beat anywhere.
Price: **
What to order: Big Mac.
Sangsaka
This place serves clever and very tasty Indonesian fusion cooking. This is their sister restaurant to Merah Putih and is much smaller but more intimate. Say hello to chef Kieran and tell him Cuca sent you.
Price: ***
What to order: try some small plates like Opor Bebek.
Ubud
Pande Egi
A destination for Bali’s most iconic dish (babi guling), Pande Egi has earned a solid reputation serving quite possible the best version. Their menu is simple, with one option of food served in either a normal or larger portion with everything assembled fresh. Coconuts are cleverly served ice-cold from the freezer and not to be missed.
Price: *
What to order: Babi Guling, whole coconut.
Pizza Cult
The world of plant-based food needs a hero and Pizza cult might just be the one. This small Melbourne-style slick dining space is where surprisingly delicious things happen with clever combinations of ingredients delivering equally delicious results.
Price: **
What to order: Holy Eggplant, House Made Ginger Beer.
Siboghana Waroeng
Traditional Balinese house with simple home-style cooking spanning back 3 generations. A memorable experience of daily Balinese life and the way food and family’s eat and live.
Price: **
What to order: Nasi campur.