If ever there was a reason to break your diet, book a plane ticket, and pack your loosest linen trousers, Bali’s booming culinary scene might just be it. From avant-garde sugar alchemy in Ubud to laidback Greek vibes on the cliffs of Uluwatu, the Island of the Gods has become the Island of Gourmet Gods.
Here, tradition dances with innovation, local farmers rub shoulders with Michelin-trained chefs, and flavour isn’t just celebrated — it’s revered. We’ve hunted down four of the island’s most original, mouth-watering, and utterly unforgettable dining experiences that would make even the most stoic traveller weak at the knees.
Room4Dessert – Ubud’s Sweetest Rebellion
🎯 Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Bali 80561
Room4Dessert
There are desserts, and then there’s Room4Dessert — a place that scoffs in the face of convention while serving whipped coconut yoghurt with trout roe (yes, you read that right) and makes it work with jaw-dropping panache.
Led by the ever-irreverent Will Goldfarb, dubbed “World’s Best Pastry Chef 2021” and star of Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pastry, this isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a universe. Think Willy Wonka, but if he were a fermentation-obsessed mad genius who swapped Oompa Loompas for a regenerative garden, a boutique inn, and a zero-waste culinary academy.
Goldfarb’s latest menu, S19: FIGHT CLUB, is part confessional, part culinary caper. Expect 15 “desserts” that defy logic and tradition. The Lak Lak pandan sponge, smothered in coconut yoghurt and topped with trout roe, is bold enough to start diplomatic incidents. The Klungkung sweet potato fries with cashew aioli and kluwak mole? Outrageous — and utterly brilliant.
Room4Dessert isn’t just sweet — it’s subversive. It’s theatre, memoir, and gastronomy rolled into one sugar-dusted experience. And once you’ve nibbled your way through the main event, the Powder Room beckons with nostalgic treats and natural wines, while Shelter Island’s guesthouse lets you sleep off the sugar high in style.
Syrco BASÈ – A New Chapter in Ubud’s Culinary Story
📍 Jl. Sri Wedari No. 72, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80561
Syrco Base – © Chantal Arnts
Some restaurants open with a bang. Syrco BASÈ arrived with a quiet, confident brilliance, like a jazz solo that builds slowly, then leaves you breathless. And really, would you expect anything less from a two-Michelin-starred chef?
Syrco Bakker’s Ubud debut is not just a restaurant—it’s a manifesto. Grounded in his TNT philosophy—traceability, Nature, Transparency — this lush garden eatery delivers a “taste-feel-think” experience as poetic as it sounds.
The dishes read like a love letter to Indonesia’s forgotten ingredients. Beef Tartare Rendang with Mansur rice bread? A meaty masterpiece. Bali Bouillabaisse? A seafood symphony straight from the hands of local fisherman Oka. Then there’s the Banteng Tenderloin — the plate that silences even the loudest table.
Drinks here are no mere sideshow. Claypot Negronis, vetiver spritzes, and botanical blends are served with theatrical flair and a whisper of storytelling — a cocktail bar where Mother Nature is head bartender.
It’s no wonder Syrco BASÈ nabbed gold at the 2025 Prestige Gourmet Awards. This is your place if you’re after a meal that feeds your conscience as much as your belly.
KALA – Uluwatu’s Sunset Secret
📍 Jl. Labuansait, Pecatu, Bali 80361
Padang Padang Beach may be known for surf breaks and selfies, but just steps away, KALA is quietly building a following of those in the know. It’s the sort of place you stumble upon, fall in love with, and spend the rest of your trip pretending you discovered.
KALA oozes Greek-Mediterranean charm, but with enough Balinese soul to feel local. The interiors are warm, breezy, and edgy enough — like your best friend’s beach house if your best friend moonlighted as an interior designer.
And the food? Let’s say they didn’t win hearts on looks alone. Feta Tempura with lemon marmalade and caper meringue is a joyous smack of flavour. Dolmadakia, rich with minced beef and lamb, redefines comfort. And the Baklava Cheesecake? One slice away from causing an international dessert incident.
The drinks list is equally seductive. Lemongrass Martinis, Elderflower Wine spritzed with vodka and Riesling, and a Japanese Negroni with raspberry-infused gin and umeshu make up a cocktail lineup that’s downright flirty.
Oh, and don’t miss their once-a-month Sunday brunch — a boisterous, beautiful affair filled with DJs, guest chefs and too many empty wine glasses. It’s the brunch you’ll be boring your friends about for months.
Artisan – Where Comfort Meets Craft
📍 Multiple Locations: Uluwatu, Ungasan, Bingin, Pererenan (Sept 2025)
Started as a humble café and now a culinary constellation, Artisan is Bali’s feel-good dining empire. Co-founders Charlotte Callow and Khairil Ibrahim have created something rare: a restaurant group grown without losing its soul.
Each location has its tempo. Uluwatu is for candlelit dinners and deep conversations. Bingin hums with live jazz and bold plates. Ungasan leans breezy and social, with pizza nights that often run suspiciously late. Come September, Pererenan joins the mix — if rumours are true, with more sourdough and sea views than we deserve.
The food is comfort at its classiest. Chicken Pappardelle with rosemary ragu, Seared Scallops with parmesan sourdough cream, Clams in White Wine with smoked pepper tapenade — every dish feels like a warm hug from someone who can cook. And yes, they do a Swiss Burger so good it could make Zurich weep.
Service is unfailingly kind. The cocktails are crafted. And whether it’s a flaky croissant or a glass of natural red, everything feels considered — but never fussy.
Artisan doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It wins hearts the old-fashioned way: one perfect meal at a time.
Final Crumbs
In an age of overhyped food trucks and Insta-only eats, Bali’s best restaurants prove that substance still matters — and that storytelling, soul, and seasonality are far more satisfying than likes on a feed.
Whether you’re in the mood for fermented foam, feta tempura, or a fire-kissed lamb shoulder that makes you question all your life choices until now, the island delivers, and then some.
So book the ticket, unbutton the waistband, and taste what happens when culinary tradition meets tropical rebellion.
By Octavia Koo
