This post is all about my food and drink adventures in Ubud. Now that you get the joke of the title (also consult this reference if necessary), feel free to groan and roll your eyes. I'll wait until you're done.
Within twenty-four hours of arriving in Ubud, I was overwhelmed with all the amazing food options and had already experienced some of them firsthand. After that first day, I decided I wanted to try as many places as possible during my month-long stay. Elizabeth Gilbert had it all wrong. Forget praying or loving; Ubud is the place for eating!
Drawing on Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, Wikivoyage, recommendations from friends, and my own observations as I explored the town, I compiled a foodie map to keep things somewhat organized. And in the interest of contributing to communal knowledge, I decided I would push my reviews upstream (via TripAdvisor).
Here are the various "rules" (I use the term loosely) and ideas that governed my culinary walkabout:
Atman Kafe
This place sneaked up on me a bit. It looks like another casual cafe or warung from the street, but its menu and food are reminiscent of Clear Cafe (similar selection, quality, presentation, and prices). The vegan chai shake was okay (room temperature, not cold at all), the California roll with organic red rice was good (and had incredible presentation), but it was the potato and spinach soup that stole the day; it was Soup Nazi good.
It took me several weeks to realize this, but the small gelato stand next door is actually part of the cafe. I think I finally realized this on my fourth or fifth visit; by "visit", I mean "moment of weakness while walking home". If you want gelato, the coffee is tough to beat; if you want non-dairy sorbet, the lemongrass is amazing; if you want something a little different, the lassis are really excellent and have a lot of yogurt, perfect for building up those bacteria!
Bali Buda
When Lonely Planet suggests a daytime activity of wasting hours in a "funky Ubud cafe", they probably have this place in mind. It's got a great open-air cafe vibe, pleasant music, a very welcoming feel, and the requisite menu of organic, veggie-friendly fare and super healthy drinks. It has the feel of a great place to bring your laptop and work for a while, except for the fact that there's no WiFi (intentionally). The raw cacao smoothie was okay (a little disappointing in the same way the almond smoothie from Down To Earth was disappointing), the spring rolls were massive and delicious, and the fake club sandwich (made with tofu) was tasty, though it doesn't really emulate a true club sandwich and falls apart rather easily if you get the rye bread. Nevertheless, everything was great and the menu has lots of goodies. Also, just like Down To Earth, they sell all sorts of earth-friendly products out of their shop.
Batan Waru
Nicer, dare I say upscale restaurant on Jalan Dewi Sita with a very nice bar and lots of tables. Now that I think about it, the very professionally designed menu was indicative of this place's social status. The nasi campur was 70,000 rupiah, which is a bit steep, as I'm used to paying half or sometimes one-third of that price. I ordered it vegetarian, though there was evidently some confusion in the kitchen as I received an unidentifiable chunk of meat in green curry instead of an egg; rather than send the plate back, which would have resulted in thrown-out food (one of my biggest pet peeves), I decided to forge ahead and just eat around. The rest of the dish had greens, soft tofu with sauce, tempeh (quite possibly the best I've had in Ubud), and some sauteed veggies with corn. Meat misunderstanding aside, it was a very delicious dish. After dinner, I caved and treated myself to the bubur injin (black rice pudding), which came with slices of banana and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Excellent all around.
Black Beach
One of the biggest draws here is the third-floor dining, which offers beautiful views of the rooftops and lush greenery of Ubud. At lunchtime, especially with a light breeze, the temperature, atmosphere, and scenery is perfect. I didn't feel like pizza or pasta on the day I went, so I had a few small plates: Greek salad, tomato bruschetta, and grilled zucchini and onions. Everything was prepared perfectly and it was a delicious and healthy lunch. I'll definitely be back to enjoy the views and food once more before I leave.
Bumbu Bali
Nice spot across the street from the Ubud Palace serving mostly Balinese and Indian food. If you eat dinner here during one of the nightly dance performances at the palace, you'll get free music during your meal. The spinach, onion, and polenta soup (which was really more like porridge) was good, but the vegetarian nasi campur stole the show: nasi kuning (yellow rice with turmeric), peanuts, spiced and shredded coconut, lawar (sort of like Indonesian slaw), a large rice cracker, and curried tofu, tempeh, and jackfruit. The nasi kuning was probably the best rice I've had in Ubud, the jackfruit was delicious, and the shredded coconut was perfect for sprinkling on everything else. This meal made me very happy.
Cafe Angsa
Sure, the food here is great, but let's be real, you're really going for the view. This open-air cafe sits next to a very green rice field and if you go when the restaurant isn't very busy, you may be lucky enough to score one of the two coveted tables that sit right next to the scenery. I've been back several times and I always go for the guacamole and rice crackers and the "Ubud Basket", which comes with tofu triangles, tempeh, prawn crackers, peanuts, and some really good sambal. I've very much enjoyed coming here with my laptop (since the cafe is so close to my bungalow) and having a drink or a snack or both while enjoying the music and the scenery.
Within twenty-four hours of arriving in Ubud, I was overwhelmed with all the amazing food options and had already experienced some of them firsthand. After that first day, I decided I wanted to try as many places as possible during my month-long stay. Elizabeth Gilbert had it all wrong. Forget praying or loving; Ubud is the place for eating!
Drawing on Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, Wikivoyage, recommendations from friends, and my own observations as I explored the town, I compiled a foodie map to keep things somewhat organized. And in the interest of contributing to communal knowledge, I decided I would push my reviews upstream (via TripAdvisor).
Here are the various "rules" (I use the term loosely) and ideas that governed my culinary walkabout:
- Food adventures include lunch, dinner, and snacks, but not breakfast. Every morning, I'm more than happy to sit on my patio, enjoy the incredible view, and devour the French toast, fresh fruit, and tea that are brought up to me. (Side note: coconut syrup - for the French toast - is basically liquid crack. You can buy some at Down to Earth for 35,000 rupiah a "flask", which is about one-quarter of the price of imported maple syrup, and arguably better.)
- Drink adventures include bars (for alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks), coffee shops, and fruit shakes.
- My restaurant and food choices will obviously have a very strong vegetarian bias. They will also have a very healthy bias, as I'm quite mindful of eating wholesome, well-balanced meals. I usually don't eat sweets, but for some reason I've been craving them like crazy on this entire trip, so some desserts will undoubtedly creep in.
- Lunch and dinner are effectively interchangeable here because each restaurant has only one menu; offerings and prices are always the same. The only difference between the two meals is that some restaurants will have a sexier ambiance at night as they dim the lights and set up candles.
- I will be eating a whole lot of nasi campur. I've been obsessed with this dish ever since I first learned about it. For starters, calling it a "dish" is a bit misleading; it's more like a framework for a dish. Nasi campur is often a plate with a mound of rice in the middle, surrounded by roughly half a dozen servings of other food and often sambal (a chili-based condiment). The beautiful thing about this is that everyone makes their own version; there are as many variations as there are warungs (small, cheap eateries). The dish can come with any combination of protein (meat, seafood, eggs, tofu, tempeh, etc.), vegetables, curry, greens (collared, mustard, sauteed, etc.), prawn crackers, peanuts, or whatever else the cook feels like including. The rice and especially the sambal can also have a lot of variation. Nasi campur is a wonderful way for a warung to really establish a personality. If you couldn't tell already, I am all about this dish. Not only is it really cool and unique, it's pretty healthy (no dairy and only good carbs) and has a lot of variety, which is paramount for a responsible vegetarian diet.
- As a point of reference, meals for me are often in the $8 - $10 range. A typical meal includes a non-alcoholic drink (fruit shake/smoothie/lassi/juice or iced tea), a small starter, and a main dish. Desserts are around $3 and are laced with guilt. Sweet, delicious guilt.
Food
Atman Kafe
This place sneaked up on me a bit. It looks like another casual cafe or warung from the street, but its menu and food are reminiscent of Clear Cafe (similar selection, quality, presentation, and prices). The vegan chai shake was okay (room temperature, not cold at all), the California roll with organic red rice was good (and had incredible presentation), but it was the potato and spinach soup that stole the day; it was Soup Nazi good.
It took me several weeks to realize this, but the small gelato stand next door is actually part of the cafe. I think I finally realized this on my fourth or fifth visit; by "visit", I mean "moment of weakness while walking home". If you want gelato, the coffee is tough to beat; if you want non-dairy sorbet, the lemongrass is amazing; if you want something a little different, the lassis are really excellent and have a lot of yogurt, perfect for building up those bacteria!
Bali Buda
When Lonely Planet suggests a daytime activity of wasting hours in a "funky Ubud cafe", they probably have this place in mind. It's got a great open-air cafe vibe, pleasant music, a very welcoming feel, and the requisite menu of organic, veggie-friendly fare and super healthy drinks. It has the feel of a great place to bring your laptop and work for a while, except for the fact that there's no WiFi (intentionally). The raw cacao smoothie was okay (a little disappointing in the same way the almond smoothie from Down To Earth was disappointing), the spring rolls were massive and delicious, and the fake club sandwich (made with tofu) was tasty, though it doesn't really emulate a true club sandwich and falls apart rather easily if you get the rye bread. Nevertheless, everything was great and the menu has lots of goodies. Also, just like Down To Earth, they sell all sorts of earth-friendly products out of their shop.
Batan Waru
Nicer, dare I say upscale restaurant on Jalan Dewi Sita with a very nice bar and lots of tables. Now that I think about it, the very professionally designed menu was indicative of this place's social status. The nasi campur was 70,000 rupiah, which is a bit steep, as I'm used to paying half or sometimes one-third of that price. I ordered it vegetarian, though there was evidently some confusion in the kitchen as I received an unidentifiable chunk of meat in green curry instead of an egg; rather than send the plate back, which would have resulted in thrown-out food (one of my biggest pet peeves), I decided to forge ahead and just eat around. The rest of the dish had greens, soft tofu with sauce, tempeh (quite possibly the best I've had in Ubud), and some sauteed veggies with corn. Meat misunderstanding aside, it was a very delicious dish. After dinner, I caved and treated myself to the bubur injin (black rice pudding), which came with slices of banana and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Excellent all around.
Black Beach
One of the biggest draws here is the third-floor dining, which offers beautiful views of the rooftops and lush greenery of Ubud. At lunchtime, especially with a light breeze, the temperature, atmosphere, and scenery is perfect. I didn't feel like pizza or pasta on the day I went, so I had a few small plates: Greek salad, tomato bruschetta, and grilled zucchini and onions. Everything was prepared perfectly and it was a delicious and healthy lunch. I'll definitely be back to enjoy the views and food once more before I leave.
Bumbu Bali
Nice spot across the street from the Ubud Palace serving mostly Balinese and Indian food. If you eat dinner here during one of the nightly dance performances at the palace, you'll get free music during your meal. The spinach, onion, and polenta soup (which was really more like porridge) was good, but the vegetarian nasi campur stole the show: nasi kuning (yellow rice with turmeric), peanuts, spiced and shredded coconut, lawar (sort of like Indonesian slaw), a large rice cracker, and curried tofu, tempeh, and jackfruit. The nasi kuning was probably the best rice I've had in Ubud, the jackfruit was delicious, and the shredded coconut was perfect for sprinkling on everything else. This meal made me very happy.
Cafe Angsa
Sure, the food here is great, but let's be real, you're really going for the view. This open-air cafe sits next to a very green rice field and if you go when the restaurant isn't very busy, you may be lucky enough to score one of the two coveted tables that sit right next to the scenery. I've been back several times and I always go for the guacamole and rice crackers and the "Ubud Basket", which comes with tofu triangles, tempeh, prawn crackers, peanuts, and some really good sambal. I've very much enjoyed coming here with my laptop (since the cafe is so close to my bungalow) and having a drink or a snack or both while enjoying the music and the scenery.
Cafe Bali
Simple, casual cafe next door to the much more popular Atman Kafe. Same general layout where you can sit in front of the restaurant and watch the street or grab a table towards the back. Entire page of vegetarian options. The pumpkin soup with garlic bread was piping hot and very good. The vegetarian nasi campur (greens, sauteed peppers and mushrooms, potato fritters, tofu satay with peanut sauce, and tempeh) was excellent. The potato fritters explode in your mouth with flavor and then melt. Awesome.
Cafe des Artistes
Off the main road a bit, this French-inspired cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, great art on the walls, and a very nice design. I had the pumpkin and tomato soup and Italian salad (greens, tomatoes, and mozzarella), but I found most of the food to be quite bland. It didn't help matters that it was pricey too. The atmosphere is fantastic and very relaxing, but the food isn't worth the trip. Definitely go here for a drink and conversation though.
Cafe Havana
Though known as more of an evening spot with its lively music and salsa dancing, Cafe Havana beckoned to me one day for a leisurely lunch on their patio. At first, I was skeptical that a Cuban restaurant would have anything to offer me until I glanced over their menu and saw a long list of tapas and a vegetarian section. Sold! I built myself a nice lunch from their tapas menu - papas bravas, empanadas (cheese, spinach, and jalapeno), yucca fries, and a spiced corn quesadilla - and paired that with the strawberry mint iced tea. All of the food was starchy and delicious and the tea was very refreshing.
I struck up a conversation with the owner, Ernesto, and he invited me to an informal salsa dancing class that he puts on every Friday evening on the second floor. While the class convinced me I should stick to my usual dancing style, it was fun and I ended up meeting some great people and really enjoyed the whole atmosphere. Ernesto runs the restaurant like he's personally hosting a party in his home and his energy and happiness are very infectious. The red sangria is delicious and addictive; I had to force myself to stop after two glasses or else I'd start ordering pitchers just for myself.
Short version: this place is a must-go in Ubud for food, drinks, music, and an all-around good time. Even for a quiet lunch on the patio, it rocks.
Cafe Pomegranate
Located on the same road as the more popular Sari Organik, Cafe Pomegranate is another open-air, breezy, chilled-out restaurant with a beautiful view and delicious food. The menu caught me a bit off-guard, as I was greeted with pizza and Chinese food rather than Indonesian food and sandwiches. No worries though: the pumpkin and carrot soup and vegetarian dumplings were great and the banana juice was so refreshing I ordered two of them. Definitely worth the walk up from town.
Casa Luna
Super nice, almost bougie restaurant on Jalan Raya Ubud; the first things I noticed when I sat down were the fancy chairs and the chandelier. This place delivers though, as my lunch here was an incredible meal. The banana lassi was awesome (maybe second only to Tutmak Cafe for the best I've ever had) and the tempeh sandwich was probably the best sandwich I've had in Ubud, but the Lebanese feta cigars stole the show. Feta lovers, listen up: imagine a small, fried spring roll, but replace the veggie insides with feta. Like sex in the mouth, seriously. Best lunch I've had in a long time.
Cempaka Warung
I stopped in here one rainy evening for dinner on my way home from a workout, partially because I was starving, partially because I felt bad that this place was always empty when I walked by, even though it's super cute. It's very small (three tables) with an even smaller kitchen and the staff is super nice. The nasi campur (made vegetarian) came with a fried egg, sweet and sour veggies, greens with peanut sauce, prawn crackers, tofu, and tempeh with peanut sauce. Super solid dinner that made me happy I stopped by.
Clear Cafe
Organic, upscale restaurant that is certainly trendier than any other place in Ubud, but is still casual. Call it "island chic" or "accessible chic". Case in point, there is a sandal check (you actually get a tag with a number), they have cloth napkins, and the uber hip playlist of music entering my ears included Jurassic 5, French showtunes, and Jamiroquai. They have an impressive international menu with lots of non-alcoholic drink options. I treated myself to a chai vegan shake (chai tea, cashew nut milk, and coconut ice cream) and the TLT (tempeh, lettuce, tomato). The TLT was actually quite spicy, making me very happy that I had the shake to cool my mouth off. Everything was delicious.
Devilicious
Besides having the best name ever, Devilicious dishes up some tasty food in a typical casual setting. In addition to tables, there's a "counter" at the front of the restaurant where you can watch the street as you eat, a favorite of solo travelers such as myself. The veggie spring rolls (wrapped in cabbage rather than rice paper) are okay, but they felt more like neatly wrapped vegetables; think of a salad that has had its entropy greatly reduced. Go for the Balinese-style spring rolls instead. The nasi campur (modified to be vegetarian) was very good: brown rice, greens, a hard boiled egg with sauce, curry vegetables, tofu with peanut sauce, a rice "sheet" (as opposed to a cracker), and BBQ tempeh crumbles.
Dewa Warung
The first thing I noticed about this place was its non-atmosphere, especially compared to other restaurants in the area. Most of the tables are communal, there's no music, and there's not much of an attempt to give the place an ambiance. I will be the first person to note that there's absolutely nothing wrong with this; I love a simple, hole-in-the-wall place as much as (or probably more than) the next person. However, the other part of the hole-in-the-wall equation is amazing food and, unfortunately, Dewa Warung doesn't live up to that.
The spring rolls were, well, spring rolls (not much to improve upon there) and the vegetarian nasi campur (greens, tofu with "sambal", tofu satay with peanut sauce, and tempeh) was average at best. Everything was lukewarm, the greens were bland, the peanut sauce tasted mass-produced, and the "sambal" (notice my use of quotes for a second time now) tasted like stewed tomatoes straight from the can. The meal was very average; I can't explain it better than that.
I will give Dewa praise for one thing though: this place is dirt cheap. Spring rolls, nasi campur, and a Bintang cost me $4. That's just ridiculous. That said, I'd rather spend a few dollars more and get better food. If you're really on a budget though, Dewa might become your go-to spot.
Down To Earth
For those of you who live in San Francisco, this place feels like the easy-going lovechild of Herbivore and Rainbow. There are tables outside and upstairs for eating and the first floor is a store selling organic goods from produce to packaged foods to toiletries. The food is organic and vegetarian; the menu is absolutely overwhelming in terms of all the options. You could eat here every day for months and never have the same thing twice. The almond shake was good, but the date, banana, and soy milk smoothie was much better. The lentil soup was good, but the pumpkin and ginger soup is excellent. The tofu veggie wrap and the seitan steak (with mashed potatoes and greens) were fantastic. I love everything about this place, though, as you'd expect, the goods in the store are a bit on the pricey side.
Ethos Cafe
Even in a town that emphasizes nutrition and earth-friendliness, Ethos stands out. Besides denoting the usual vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items, the menu points out probiotics, prebiotics, and superfoods. The second half of the menu is essentially a written lecture on nutrition, including statistics and charts. They also make their own yogurt. This place is serious about health!
The blueberry lassi was very good and tasted noticeably different than any other lassi I've ever had: it had a distinct fermented taste rather than the usual yogurt taste, but was still quite tasty. For dinner, I had the tempeh plate, which also included rice, mashed sweet potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms. Everything was super delicious, though the tempeh could use some sauce since the rice, tempeh, and potatoes are all dry.
The cafe itself is super cute, on a quiet side street, and even has a small library and device charging station. This place completely flew under the radar for me when I was researching restaurants in Ubud and I'm really happy I happened to walk by on the way home from a dance performance. Definitely check this place out!
Kafe
Not much needs to be said here as this place already has a massive following in Ubud. Full virtually all hours of the day and evening, this is another one of those funky Ubud cafes (to paraphrase Lonely Planet) where you can spend hours on end eating, drinking, reading, talking, listening to music, or working on your laptop. I had the three berries lassi, the tomato and mushroom soup (a special of the day), and the fajitas wrap. Everything was incredible and now I understand why this place is always full.
Kebun
For a taste of Europe in Ubud, look no further than Kebun. Marble tabletops, wrought-iron lamps and fences, windows with wooden shutters, and a restaurant design that resembles a Parisian courtyard will make you temporarily forget that you're in Southeast Asia. The menu has quite a decent variety of food, from quiche to salads to snails to steak. The mint lime refresher is very true to its name and the vegetable wrap had a great presentation in addition to being delicious. The accompanying fries were perfect and once I saw there was aioli too, it was game over. I had overlooked this place initially because it seemed too bougie, but now I'm really happy I tried it. Hopefully I'll have time to go back and try the pumpkin frittata.
Kue
Pronounced koo-ay, this great spot on Jalan Raya Ubud has a bakery on the first floor and a restaurant on the second floor. The restaurant has a few tables and a large lounge area with sofas that overlooks the street. The menu is mostly western cafe fare (salads, sandwiches, wraps, quiche, burgers, etc.). I opted for the falafel wrap with salad and was not disappointed. I wasn't really in the mood for salad, but once I had some of the honey mustard dressing I realized I could eat those greens for days. The falafel wrap (especially the tzatziki) was excellent and even came with some sambal. I also had the red berries iced tea, which was very refreshing. Superb all around.
Lada Warung
Simple, non-flashy warung at the very north of Jalan Hanoman. The menu had the least number of vegetarian options I've seen since coming to Ubud (two), but fortunately one of them was gado-gado. Their version had carrots, green beans, sprouts, spinach, a hard-boiled egg, potatoes, tofu, and tempeh. The steamed vegetables were all plain (no sauce or spices), so I was extremely thankful for the side bowl of delicious peanut sauce, which I used liberally on almost everything. I treated myself to the "detox" drink (beetroot, ginger, and apple) and the black rice pudding (black rice, palm sugar, coconut milk), which I'd describe as warm, sweet rice soup. Everything was very good and this was possibly the most well-rounded meal I've ever had, mostly due to the variety of the gado-gado. They also sell small bags of crackers and cookies, which I couldn't resist as I was paying my bill.
Lala & Lili Warung
Cute, comfortable warung in Penestanan. I stopped in for lunch in between treks and by the time I was done, I was relaxed, well-fed, and ready for more adventures. The lumpia was very good and the tempeh satay was excellent (perfectly charred). Both dishes come with a very generous helping of peanut sauce and I felt it was my duty to use all of it. Challenge accepted, mission accomplished.
Laughing Buddha
Known for happy hour, live music, and late-night eats. The food is a little bit pricey, but it's definitely good. The creamy edamame soup and Mediterranean wrap make a pretty solid lunch, especially if you accompany them with a lemongrass ginger lemonade. They have only one size of table though (multiplied about a dozen times), so come with a group or be prepared to be communal with other guests.
Mama's Warung
Simple, adorable, family-run warung a bit off the beaten path. Your meal will be prepared and served by various members of the family, including Mama herself. The tomato salad is literally a bowl of tomato chunks with dressing and the tempeh sandwich is just tempeh, dressing, and a few veggies on plain bread. Even though the food is incredibly simple, it's surprisingly tasty. And cheap! The tomato salad, tempeh sandwich, and a mango juice cost me only $4.
Mamma Mia
Very capable, very casual Italian joint with two locations on Jalan Hanoman, one south of the monkey forest (by Taco Casa) and one north of the forest (by Kafe). I treated myself to the pizza campagnola (eggplant, mushrooms, and green peppers) and it was a solid Neopolitan-style offering. The garden salad was simple, but massive. No complaints here.
Murni's Warung
Laying claim to being the first real restaurant in Ubud (that still exists), Murni's is an upscale warung by the Campuhan bridge with great views of the lush greenery that lines the river gorge. The atmosphere is nice, the scenery is gorgeous, and the food is good: the mie goreng was tasty with lots of veggies and was surprisingly light. However, this place is a bit expensive for a "warung"; some of the prices on the menu were double what I've seen at other (perfectly nice) restaurants.
Nomad
Nice cafe at the center of Ubud that overlooks a very busy and horn-happy section of Jalan Raya Ubud. The menu has a mix of Western and Indonesian dishes, including a page of Indonesian tapas. After nomming on the complimentary bowl of leaf "chips", I had the vegetarian club sandwich and a blackcurrant iced tea. The sandwich is a bit hard to eat with your hands since it's so tall, but it's definitely good. Overall a pleasant and tasty, though noisy, lunch.
Pizza Bagus
I feel a bit weird reviewing a restaurant with "pizza" in its name without actually having eaten pizza there, but I'm going to anyway. I stopped in for lunch one day and treated myself to the bruschetta and the Greek salad, which felt right at the time. I'm sure glad I did, because both were right in my wheelhouse. The bruschetta had very fresh tomatoes and perfect toasted-yet-soft bread. The Greek salad was a monster: no lettuce or greenery of any kind, just big chunks of the good stuff, including an irresponsible amount of feta, which I absolutely loved. The recipe for the salad seriously must call for one whole cucumber, one whole tomato, one block of feta, one can of olives, etc. I will go back at some point for pizza, though it's going to be hard to not order the same menu items again.
Putu's Wild Ginger
I think this might be my favorite warung in Ubud, which I realize is an incredibly bold statement to make. The adorable name suggests an adorable restaurant, which does not disappoint. On a quiet street, this small spot has five beautiful, handmade tables, simple-but-classy decor, and some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. The family was so gracious and thankful for my patronage that I was convinced the restaurant was hurting for business or advertising, but a quick glance on TripAdvisor reveals that, nope, they're actually a top-ten restaurant in Ubud. They're just that warm and welcoming.
The guacamole, which came with rice crackers and some thin fried potatoes, was excellent and even a little bit sweet, which I liked. The real treat though was the vegetarian nasi campur: green beans, fried egg, curry vegetables, tempeh, and tofu. The tofu and tempeh were served in a sauce that was out of this world. It was similar to a smoky BBQ sauce, but that describes only half of the experience; the other half I don't even have words for. At this point, I don't even want to know what the sauce was because it would shatter the mystique.
Putu's was a truly wonderful experience in every sense and I can't recommend it enough. You know how when you're writing a review on TripAdvisor and one of the questions is whether or not this was one of the best meals you've ever had in a restaurant? This is the type of place where you answer Yes to that question.
Rumah Roda
Serving as the restaurant for the guesthouse of the same name, this place dishes up cheap and tasty Balinese fare. The vibe is peaceful and you can gaze at the guesthouse itself or the neighboring buildings from the second-story restaurant. The spring rolls and tempeh and vegetable curry were both good and the coffee had the gritty sediment I've come to expect on the island. Nothing too interesting or exciting here, just a solid meal for a low price: iced coffee, spring rolls, curry, and rice added up to $5. It's probably not worth the trek if you're staying far away, but if you're staying in the neighborhood or coming in for an evening dance performance, this place is definitely worth checking out.
Sari Organik
Restaurant nestled among the rice fields serving up wholesome, organic food with a pretty spectacular view. I had the orange-banana-mango smoothie (good, though it tasted like applesauce), pumpkin salad (good, though the dressing was bland), and marinated tempeh (just plain good), which came with lots of green veggies and potatoes. My meal was excessively colorful, which was very much appreciated. A starch-less lunch meant I was hungry again an hour later, but in a good way. The walk to and from the restaurant is as enjoyable as the food, so make sure you block off a decent amount of time to enjoy the whole experience.
Sjaki's Warung
This place is most definitely not your typical warung, as it's associated with Sjaki-Tari-Us, a Dutch organization that runs two schools in Bali specifically for children and teenagers with mental disabilities. As I waited for my lassi to arrive, Fleur, a sweet Dutch girl who just started a five-month internship at the Ubud location, gave me a tour of the school, which is in the same building as the warung. One group of teachers and volunteers works with the younger children and the other group works with the teenagers. Revenue from the warung and the store (featuring arts and crafts made by the students), as well as donations, help fund the school. Some of the teenagers work in the warung, either helping out in the kitchen or waiting on tables.
To be candid, the caliber of food here is not the primary reason for going. That said, my nasi campur was quite good, including some of the best sambal I've ever had; it tasted almost like sun-dried tomatoes, which is one of my great weaknesses. After finishing dinner and paying my bill, I hung around until my waiter, one of the teenagers in the school, emerged from the kitchen and I offered him his tip. At first he refused, to which I put on my most polite and gentle Futurama Fry impression. After a few moments, he bashfully accepted and offered a handshake and a huge smile in return.
If you have any heart at all, Sjaki's is a must-go in Ubud.
Swasti Organic Restaurant
If this place feels like you're dining in a garden, well, it's because you sort of are. Part of Swasti Eco Cottages, which has an organic garden, the restaurant is surrounded by lush greenery in a very tranquil setting. In addition to using organic ingredients, the restaurant advertises that they don't use dairy (but rather vegan substitutes like cashew milk) and their vegetables are "hand washed in reverse osmosis water". I don't know what that means chemically or nutritionally, but it sure sounds impressive.
After poring over the international menu, I decided to try the guacamole, tempeh in coconut cream curry, and a banana lassi. The guacamole was served almost like a dessert: it came in an ice cream bowl with a spoon and the toast was more of an afterthought. Clearly, the idea was to scarf it down by the spoonful, which I am certainly not above. It was only okay though; I've had better guacamole in Ubud (Cafe Angsa comes to mind). The tempeh curry came with veggies and organic red rice and was quite delicious.
I have to give Lonely Planet all the credit for this one, as I would never have thought to go restaurant-hopping in this part of Ubud (you have to walk through the monkey forest to get here). For a super peaceful environment and some great food, Swasti is an excellent choice.
Taco Casa
As a San Franciscan, I feel like I'm very much qualified to evaluate Mexican food, burritos specifically, and the 8-layer burrito at Taco Casa has my stamp of approval. The veggie version has everything you'd expect: organic red rice or cilantro lime rice, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, grilled veggies, and corn. However, the surprising part is that it's incredibly clean; it feels light and fresh and leaves you pleasantly satisfied without feeling gross. Pair it with a lemonade (or, in my case, two) and you've got yourself a solid lunch. No wonder this place is ranked as one of the best in Ubud.
Toro Sushi
Very capable Japanese restaurant to get your fix of sushi, soy sauce, and sake. Well, you might want to avoid the sake. It's pricey and not that good, but after a month of taking antibiotics (and therefore not being able to drink), some cold sake, even shitty cold sake, was delightful. The spicy tofu roll was very good (though not spicy at all) and the agedashi tofu was incredibly tasty. After dinner, I talked to the chef and he told me he has inari, though it isn't on the menu. I may have to go back at some point to try it.
Three Monkeys
I stopped in here for dinner one evening, somewhat unexpectedly as Laughing Buddha up the road was completely full. Based on the candles and the atmosphere and the style of dress of the waitstaff, I immediately resigned myself to a splurge night, so I ordered a $10 glass of Chilean Merlot. Much to my dismay, the wine was served cold. Granted, I've seen this done elsewhere in Southeast Asia, but I was really hoping a classy establishment like this wouldn't do that. After half an hour of alternating between twiddling my thumbs and warming the glass with my hands, the wine was warm enough to drink. Strike one.
For a starter, I decided to get the roasted spiced cashews, as I had discovered the immense joy of fried cashews when I was on Koh Phangan. However, instead of getting a plate of hot, roasted cashews, I was given a bowl filled with an irresponsibly large mound of cinnamon and sugar with maybe a dozen cashews hiding inside. Seriously, just add some milk and you have one of those shitty breakfast cereals with a cartoon mascot. Hey kids! Be sure to bug your parents to buy some Cinnamon Cashew Crunch! Somehow part of a balanced breakfast! Strike two.
I have to admit that I was waiting for my pumpkin ravioli with a lot of anxiety, almost scared to behold which inventive method they employed to fuck up my entree. Pessimistic, I know, but I just got burned on Chilean wine and roasted cashews, two things I take very seriously. Fortunately, I was able to relax once my dish arrived as it was a very capable and delicious ravioli. Nothing weird, just plain good. To continue the baseball analogy, it wasn't quite a home run, but maybe a triple? At least a ground-rule double.
Three Monkeys seems like a great spot and I hear there's a great view of the rice fields if you sit in the back of the restaurant during the day. Since the pumpkin ravioli salvaged my meal, I guess I can recommend the restaurant. Just don't make the same mistakes I did.
Tutmak Cafe
Spoiler alert: the dinner I had here was one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Granted, I was already in a really good mood because it had been a good day volunteering at the shelter and I had a beer and an amazing massage before going to dinner. Still, I've thought this over and I'm quite sure that the food alone was phenomenal, irrespective of my attitude going in.
For dinner, I had a banana lassi, the Vietnamese spring rolls, and the vegetarian nasi campur. The lassi was by far the best I've ever had; I ended up getting a second one (for dessert) and I'm still not sure what they add to it that makes it so damn good. My guess is crack. The spring rolls were so perfect that they made me realize that I've been wanting Vietnamese spring rolls the entire time I've been in Ubud, which explains why I've never been fully satisfied by any of the other spring rolls I've gotten. And the nasi campur was one of the best I've ever had: greens, peanuts, tempeh bits, a potato fritter, a corn fritter, tofu, curry tempeh, and curry egg. Bomb (with a capital "B") all around. I will definitely be going back and probably ordering the same exact meal because now I need my fix.
Warung Igelanca
Popular, cheap warung on Jalan Raya Ubud that always seems to be full. On my way home from the gym one evening I decided to stop in and try it out. They were "out of" nasi campur, so I had the corn fritters, Javanese-style tempeh, gado-gado, and a lychee iced tea. Honestly I think I overate a bit, even considering the trip to the gym, but it was all only $6! There was nothing amazing or unique, but it was a solid and inexpensive meal.
Warung Laba Laba
Another nice warung on Jalan Hanoman with a "counter" facing the street and elevated tables behind. The vegetarian nasi campur had greens, curry vegetables (with some of the best peanut sauce I've ever had), tempeh, prawn crackers, and tofu with a dark and very sexy sauce (almost a chocolate taste). Very excellent all around; I probably could have eaten two of those dishes.
Warung Pulau Kelapa
This warung is located a bit out of town, so I dovetailed a visit there with my trip to the Blanco Museum. It was only fitting, as I soon found out, that the interesting, colorful, and spicy artwork I saw in the morning would be followed by an interesting, colorful, and spicy lunch. The warung is designed a bit differently than the ones in town I'm used to. The tables are located only at the perimeter of the front lawn for maximum personal space (and maximum walking distance for all the waitresses).
The tempeh starter was nicely prepared and very tasty, but the vegetarian nasi campur stole the show: greens, a hard-boiled egg with sauce, tofu, jackfruit, green beans, brown beans, a sheet of very thin bread (kind of like naan) with corn and potatoes (I think) and other goodies baked in, some sweet, fried pastry/breading crumbles (hard to describe), and some damn spicy sambal. In fact, most of the meal was quite spicy; my mouth was still burning as I walked down the street after lunch was over. The entire meal was bursting with an overwhelming array of colors and flavors. Even the iced tea was dressed up a bit with a dash of lavender. I highly recommend this place for a really unique and mouth-watering (for more than one reason) meal.
Warung Sopa
This place was a very pleasant surprise. I knew going in that it was a vegetarian restaurant, but didn't realize it was a true warung; when you order the nasi campur, you go up to the display case and pick out which dishes you want. I opted for the "Bali curry" (tempeh and broccoli), tempeh bits, beet salad, tofu falafel, and a samosa. Narrowing down all the options to this assortment was really difficult as everything looked awesome and healthy. Not surprisingly, all the food was fantastic. The sambal has a strong coconut flavor (so I fell in love with it immediately), the tempeh bits were delightfully sweet (almost honey-like), and the iced Nepal chai accompanied the food perfectly. I'm a fan.
Yellow Flower Cafe
This place is a little tricky to find if you're not familiar with the area, but that's part of the appeal. The shade, quiet isolation, and surrounding walls of lush greenery were just what I needed after a forty-minute walk in the sun from the south of town. After cooling down with the iced lemongrass drink, I had the "half coconut": a coconut is grated in place and sprouts, tomatoes, and basil are added to make a salad in the coconut itself. The "F.A.T." (feta, avocado, tomato) was more like bruschetta than a sandwich, but still very good. I wasn't planning on getting dessert, but the waitress offered to grate up the coconut (from my salad) some more and add bananas, cashews, and coconut syrup, which was a delightful way to end the meal. If I was staying close by, I'd be here all the time.
Anomali Coffee
This is my favorite coffee place in Ubud for two reasons: it has a lot of great spaces for when I want to work on my laptop and the frozen, blended creations are awesome. Both floors have lots of tables and as long as you don't mind the constant sound of traffic and honking horns, you can be pretty productive here. The Mint Temptation and the Cookies N Cream (complete with a floating Oreo) are guilty pleasures.
Cafe Blossom
Small cafe on Jalan Dewi Sita nestled between boutique shops and restaurants. Great decor and ambiance and the place always seems to be either empty or full and never anything in between. Grab a table or sit at the bar and peruse their sampling of coffee, tea, juices, lassis, and some cocktails and mocktails. The Internet connection is much better than average, though you'll pay for it by being subjected to a constant aural barrage of motorbike engines and honking horns.
Freak Coffee
Great coffee shop vibe, very capable iced coffee, and the iced spiced island is interesting (on the good side). The baristas are nice and the couches are comfortable, though they don't lend themselves well to working on a laptop. Come here to have a conversation or read a book, especially since the Internet connection never seems to work. If you're looking for a small treat, try either the vegan orange and date blondie or the coffee brownie; both are excellent.
Juice Ja Cafe
Yet another uber-healthy cafe with an impressive non-alcoholic drink menu, including lots of juices, lassis, and the obligatory shot of wheatgrass. The food menu includes a legend for vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free. Need I say more? I stopped in after dinner one evening to satisfy a raging sweet tooth and ended up getting the banana date soy shake and the lemon poppyseed yogurt cake. The shake was good, the cake was excellent. The ideal spot here is the table on the patio underneath the vines that lets you watch the people and traffic going by.
Kopi Bali House
Nice cafe close to the Monkey Forest; in fact, you can sometimes see monkeys scrambling across the roofs of the shops across the street. I love coming here with my laptop for an afternoon pick-me-up. The combination of air conditioning, a delicious cold drink, and caffeine always leaves me feeling very energized, even if I felt lazy and worthless when I went in. The frozen coffee creations with tapioca balls (and extras like bananas or chocolate or whipped cream) make a perfect afternoon treat.
L.O.L. Bar
By day, this place is mild-mannered and pleasant and a good spot to rest your feet; by night, it's a bit more fun and rowdy (well, as rowdy as Ubud can get). There's a stage for live music and on nights that a good band is playing, patrons take full advantage of the shots specials and the bartenders put on their best fire poi impressions. In fact, some of the staff here seems to have an unhealthy obsession with dousing various parts of the bar in lighter fluid and setting it ablaze. Nevertheless, the ages of the clientele here run from 20 to 60. For a very refreshing non-alcoholic drink in the heat of the afternoon, try the strawberry ginger iced tea.
Full photo album here.
Napi Orti
Second-story watering hole that feels like a mashup of an island tiki bar and a suburban dad's finished basement. I was finishing up dinner across the street at Three Monkeys when I heard some live music start, so I wandered over. A very good reggae cover band was playing that night and their infectious melodies kept most of those in attendance on the dance floor the entire evening. The crowd was fun and involved too: one guy with dreads and glasses got on stage to sing some Bob Marley and a bearded hipster with the deepest v-neck I've ever seen took over guitar duties for a couple songs. I had way too much Bintang and found myself discussing scalar energy and the "9/11 hoax" with an older, mustachioed geothermal energy consultant named Joe who spent hours that evening banging his wooden claves with an inconsistent beat, occasionally matching up with the grooves coming out of the band's amplifiers. Great times all around.
XL Shisha Lounge
Large, ultra-cool lounge with Middle Eastern flair. Lots of candles and hookahs, comfortable couches, fish tanks, and even a koi pond. When there isn't a live band in the evening, intoxicating Middle Eastern music wafts through the air. Come here to smoke hookah with friends, or chill out on a couch and listen to live music, or grab a seat at the bar and watch sports, or even get some food.
Simple, casual cafe next door to the much more popular Atman Kafe. Same general layout where you can sit in front of the restaurant and watch the street or grab a table towards the back. Entire page of vegetarian options. The pumpkin soup with garlic bread was piping hot and very good. The vegetarian nasi campur (greens, sauteed peppers and mushrooms, potato fritters, tofu satay with peanut sauce, and tempeh) was excellent. The potato fritters explode in your mouth with flavor and then melt. Awesome.
Cafe des Artistes
Off the main road a bit, this French-inspired cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, great art on the walls, and a very nice design. I had the pumpkin and tomato soup and Italian salad (greens, tomatoes, and mozzarella), but I found most of the food to be quite bland. It didn't help matters that it was pricey too. The atmosphere is fantastic and very relaxing, but the food isn't worth the trip. Definitely go here for a drink and conversation though.
Cafe Havana
Though known as more of an evening spot with its lively music and salsa dancing, Cafe Havana beckoned to me one day for a leisurely lunch on their patio. At first, I was skeptical that a Cuban restaurant would have anything to offer me until I glanced over their menu and saw a long list of tapas and a vegetarian section. Sold! I built myself a nice lunch from their tapas menu - papas bravas, empanadas (cheese, spinach, and jalapeno), yucca fries, and a spiced corn quesadilla - and paired that with the strawberry mint iced tea. All of the food was starchy and delicious and the tea was very refreshing.
I struck up a conversation with the owner, Ernesto, and he invited me to an informal salsa dancing class that he puts on every Friday evening on the second floor. While the class convinced me I should stick to my usual dancing style, it was fun and I ended up meeting some great people and really enjoyed the whole atmosphere. Ernesto runs the restaurant like he's personally hosting a party in his home and his energy and happiness are very infectious. The red sangria is delicious and addictive; I had to force myself to stop after two glasses or else I'd start ordering pitchers just for myself.
Short version: this place is a must-go in Ubud for food, drinks, music, and an all-around good time. Even for a quiet lunch on the patio, it rocks.
Cafe Pomegranate
Located on the same road as the more popular Sari Organik, Cafe Pomegranate is another open-air, breezy, chilled-out restaurant with a beautiful view and delicious food. The menu caught me a bit off-guard, as I was greeted with pizza and Chinese food rather than Indonesian food and sandwiches. No worries though: the pumpkin and carrot soup and vegetarian dumplings were great and the banana juice was so refreshing I ordered two of them. Definitely worth the walk up from town.
Casa Luna
Super nice, almost bougie restaurant on Jalan Raya Ubud; the first things I noticed when I sat down were the fancy chairs and the chandelier. This place delivers though, as my lunch here was an incredible meal. The banana lassi was awesome (maybe second only to Tutmak Cafe for the best I've ever had) and the tempeh sandwich was probably the best sandwich I've had in Ubud, but the Lebanese feta cigars stole the show. Feta lovers, listen up: imagine a small, fried spring roll, but replace the veggie insides with feta. Like sex in the mouth, seriously. Best lunch I've had in a long time.
Cempaka Warung
I stopped in here one rainy evening for dinner on my way home from a workout, partially because I was starving, partially because I felt bad that this place was always empty when I walked by, even though it's super cute. It's very small (three tables) with an even smaller kitchen and the staff is super nice. The nasi campur (made vegetarian) came with a fried egg, sweet and sour veggies, greens with peanut sauce, prawn crackers, tofu, and tempeh with peanut sauce. Super solid dinner that made me happy I stopped by.
Clear Cafe
Organic, upscale restaurant that is certainly trendier than any other place in Ubud, but is still casual. Call it "island chic" or "accessible chic". Case in point, there is a sandal check (you actually get a tag with a number), they have cloth napkins, and the uber hip playlist of music entering my ears included Jurassic 5, French showtunes, and Jamiroquai. They have an impressive international menu with lots of non-alcoholic drink options. I treated myself to a chai vegan shake (chai tea, cashew nut milk, and coconut ice cream) and the TLT (tempeh, lettuce, tomato). The TLT was actually quite spicy, making me very happy that I had the shake to cool my mouth off. Everything was delicious.
Devilicious
Besides having the best name ever, Devilicious dishes up some tasty food in a typical casual setting. In addition to tables, there's a "counter" at the front of the restaurant where you can watch the street as you eat, a favorite of solo travelers such as myself. The veggie spring rolls (wrapped in cabbage rather than rice paper) are okay, but they felt more like neatly wrapped vegetables; think of a salad that has had its entropy greatly reduced. Go for the Balinese-style spring rolls instead. The nasi campur (modified to be vegetarian) was very good: brown rice, greens, a hard boiled egg with sauce, curry vegetables, tofu with peanut sauce, a rice "sheet" (as opposed to a cracker), and BBQ tempeh crumbles.
Dewa Warung
The first thing I noticed about this place was its non-atmosphere, especially compared to other restaurants in the area. Most of the tables are communal, there's no music, and there's not much of an attempt to give the place an ambiance. I will be the first person to note that there's absolutely nothing wrong with this; I love a simple, hole-in-the-wall place as much as (or probably more than) the next person. However, the other part of the hole-in-the-wall equation is amazing food and, unfortunately, Dewa Warung doesn't live up to that.
The spring rolls were, well, spring rolls (not much to improve upon there) and the vegetarian nasi campur (greens, tofu with "sambal", tofu satay with peanut sauce, and tempeh) was average at best. Everything was lukewarm, the greens were bland, the peanut sauce tasted mass-produced, and the "sambal" (notice my use of quotes for a second time now) tasted like stewed tomatoes straight from the can. The meal was very average; I can't explain it better than that.
I will give Dewa praise for one thing though: this place is dirt cheap. Spring rolls, nasi campur, and a Bintang cost me $4. That's just ridiculous. That said, I'd rather spend a few dollars more and get better food. If you're really on a budget though, Dewa might become your go-to spot.
Down To Earth
For those of you who live in San Francisco, this place feels like the easy-going lovechild of Herbivore and Rainbow. There are tables outside and upstairs for eating and the first floor is a store selling organic goods from produce to packaged foods to toiletries. The food is organic and vegetarian; the menu is absolutely overwhelming in terms of all the options. You could eat here every day for months and never have the same thing twice. The almond shake was good, but the date, banana, and soy milk smoothie was much better. The lentil soup was good, but the pumpkin and ginger soup is excellent. The tofu veggie wrap and the seitan steak (with mashed potatoes and greens) were fantastic. I love everything about this place, though, as you'd expect, the goods in the store are a bit on the pricey side.
Ethos Cafe
Even in a town that emphasizes nutrition and earth-friendliness, Ethos stands out. Besides denoting the usual vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items, the menu points out probiotics, prebiotics, and superfoods. The second half of the menu is essentially a written lecture on nutrition, including statistics and charts. They also make their own yogurt. This place is serious about health!
The blueberry lassi was very good and tasted noticeably different than any other lassi I've ever had: it had a distinct fermented taste rather than the usual yogurt taste, but was still quite tasty. For dinner, I had the tempeh plate, which also included rice, mashed sweet potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms. Everything was super delicious, though the tempeh could use some sauce since the rice, tempeh, and potatoes are all dry.
The cafe itself is super cute, on a quiet side street, and even has a small library and device charging station. This place completely flew under the radar for me when I was researching restaurants in Ubud and I'm really happy I happened to walk by on the way home from a dance performance. Definitely check this place out!
Kafe
Not much needs to be said here as this place already has a massive following in Ubud. Full virtually all hours of the day and evening, this is another one of those funky Ubud cafes (to paraphrase Lonely Planet) where you can spend hours on end eating, drinking, reading, talking, listening to music, or working on your laptop. I had the three berries lassi, the tomato and mushroom soup (a special of the day), and the fajitas wrap. Everything was incredible and now I understand why this place is always full.
Kebun
For a taste of Europe in Ubud, look no further than Kebun. Marble tabletops, wrought-iron lamps and fences, windows with wooden shutters, and a restaurant design that resembles a Parisian courtyard will make you temporarily forget that you're in Southeast Asia. The menu has quite a decent variety of food, from quiche to salads to snails to steak. The mint lime refresher is very true to its name and the vegetable wrap had a great presentation in addition to being delicious. The accompanying fries were perfect and once I saw there was aioli too, it was game over. I had overlooked this place initially because it seemed too bougie, but now I'm really happy I tried it. Hopefully I'll have time to go back and try the pumpkin frittata.
Kue
Pronounced koo-ay, this great spot on Jalan Raya Ubud has a bakery on the first floor and a restaurant on the second floor. The restaurant has a few tables and a large lounge area with sofas that overlooks the street. The menu is mostly western cafe fare (salads, sandwiches, wraps, quiche, burgers, etc.). I opted for the falafel wrap with salad and was not disappointed. I wasn't really in the mood for salad, but once I had some of the honey mustard dressing I realized I could eat those greens for days. The falafel wrap (especially the tzatziki) was excellent and even came with some sambal. I also had the red berries iced tea, which was very refreshing. Superb all around.
Lada Warung
Simple, non-flashy warung at the very north of Jalan Hanoman. The menu had the least number of vegetarian options I've seen since coming to Ubud (two), but fortunately one of them was gado-gado. Their version had carrots, green beans, sprouts, spinach, a hard-boiled egg, potatoes, tofu, and tempeh. The steamed vegetables were all plain (no sauce or spices), so I was extremely thankful for the side bowl of delicious peanut sauce, which I used liberally on almost everything. I treated myself to the "detox" drink (beetroot, ginger, and apple) and the black rice pudding (black rice, palm sugar, coconut milk), which I'd describe as warm, sweet rice soup. Everything was very good and this was possibly the most well-rounded meal I've ever had, mostly due to the variety of the gado-gado. They also sell small bags of crackers and cookies, which I couldn't resist as I was paying my bill.
Lala & Lili Warung
Cute, comfortable warung in Penestanan. I stopped in for lunch in between treks and by the time I was done, I was relaxed, well-fed, and ready for more adventures. The lumpia was very good and the tempeh satay was excellent (perfectly charred). Both dishes come with a very generous helping of peanut sauce and I felt it was my duty to use all of it. Challenge accepted, mission accomplished.
Laughing Buddha
Known for happy hour, live music, and late-night eats. The food is a little bit pricey, but it's definitely good. The creamy edamame soup and Mediterranean wrap make a pretty solid lunch, especially if you accompany them with a lemongrass ginger lemonade. They have only one size of table though (multiplied about a dozen times), so come with a group or be prepared to be communal with other guests.
Mama's Warung
Simple, adorable, family-run warung a bit off the beaten path. Your meal will be prepared and served by various members of the family, including Mama herself. The tomato salad is literally a bowl of tomato chunks with dressing and the tempeh sandwich is just tempeh, dressing, and a few veggies on plain bread. Even though the food is incredibly simple, it's surprisingly tasty. And cheap! The tomato salad, tempeh sandwich, and a mango juice cost me only $4.
Mamma Mia
Very capable, very casual Italian joint with two locations on Jalan Hanoman, one south of the monkey forest (by Taco Casa) and one north of the forest (by Kafe). I treated myself to the pizza campagnola (eggplant, mushrooms, and green peppers) and it was a solid Neopolitan-style offering. The garden salad was simple, but massive. No complaints here.
Murni's Warung
Laying claim to being the first real restaurant in Ubud (that still exists), Murni's is an upscale warung by the Campuhan bridge with great views of the lush greenery that lines the river gorge. The atmosphere is nice, the scenery is gorgeous, and the food is good: the mie goreng was tasty with lots of veggies and was surprisingly light. However, this place is a bit expensive for a "warung"; some of the prices on the menu were double what I've seen at other (perfectly nice) restaurants.
Nomad
Nice cafe at the center of Ubud that overlooks a very busy and horn-happy section of Jalan Raya Ubud. The menu has a mix of Western and Indonesian dishes, including a page of Indonesian tapas. After nomming on the complimentary bowl of leaf "chips", I had the vegetarian club sandwich and a blackcurrant iced tea. The sandwich is a bit hard to eat with your hands since it's so tall, but it's definitely good. Overall a pleasant and tasty, though noisy, lunch.
Pizza Bagus
I feel a bit weird reviewing a restaurant with "pizza" in its name without actually having eaten pizza there, but I'm going to anyway. I stopped in for lunch one day and treated myself to the bruschetta and the Greek salad, which felt right at the time. I'm sure glad I did, because both were right in my wheelhouse. The bruschetta had very fresh tomatoes and perfect toasted-yet-soft bread. The Greek salad was a monster: no lettuce or greenery of any kind, just big chunks of the good stuff, including an irresponsible amount of feta, which I absolutely loved. The recipe for the salad seriously must call for one whole cucumber, one whole tomato, one block of feta, one can of olives, etc. I will go back at some point for pizza, though it's going to be hard to not order the same menu items again.
Putu's Wild Ginger
I think this might be my favorite warung in Ubud, which I realize is an incredibly bold statement to make. The adorable name suggests an adorable restaurant, which does not disappoint. On a quiet street, this small spot has five beautiful, handmade tables, simple-but-classy decor, and some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. The family was so gracious and thankful for my patronage that I was convinced the restaurant was hurting for business or advertising, but a quick glance on TripAdvisor reveals that, nope, they're actually a top-ten restaurant in Ubud. They're just that warm and welcoming.
The guacamole, which came with rice crackers and some thin fried potatoes, was excellent and even a little bit sweet, which I liked. The real treat though was the vegetarian nasi campur: green beans, fried egg, curry vegetables, tempeh, and tofu. The tofu and tempeh were served in a sauce that was out of this world. It was similar to a smoky BBQ sauce, but that describes only half of the experience; the other half I don't even have words for. At this point, I don't even want to know what the sauce was because it would shatter the mystique.
Putu's was a truly wonderful experience in every sense and I can't recommend it enough. You know how when you're writing a review on TripAdvisor and one of the questions is whether or not this was one of the best meals you've ever had in a restaurant? This is the type of place where you answer Yes to that question.
Rumah Roda
Serving as the restaurant for the guesthouse of the same name, this place dishes up cheap and tasty Balinese fare. The vibe is peaceful and you can gaze at the guesthouse itself or the neighboring buildings from the second-story restaurant. The spring rolls and tempeh and vegetable curry were both good and the coffee had the gritty sediment I've come to expect on the island. Nothing too interesting or exciting here, just a solid meal for a low price: iced coffee, spring rolls, curry, and rice added up to $5. It's probably not worth the trek if you're staying far away, but if you're staying in the neighborhood or coming in for an evening dance performance, this place is definitely worth checking out.
Sari Organik
Restaurant nestled among the rice fields serving up wholesome, organic food with a pretty spectacular view. I had the orange-banana-mango smoothie (good, though it tasted like applesauce), pumpkin salad (good, though the dressing was bland), and marinated tempeh (just plain good), which came with lots of green veggies and potatoes. My meal was excessively colorful, which was very much appreciated. A starch-less lunch meant I was hungry again an hour later, but in a good way. The walk to and from the restaurant is as enjoyable as the food, so make sure you block off a decent amount of time to enjoy the whole experience.
Sjaki's Warung
This place is most definitely not your typical warung, as it's associated with Sjaki-Tari-Us, a Dutch organization that runs two schools in Bali specifically for children and teenagers with mental disabilities. As I waited for my lassi to arrive, Fleur, a sweet Dutch girl who just started a five-month internship at the Ubud location, gave me a tour of the school, which is in the same building as the warung. One group of teachers and volunteers works with the younger children and the other group works with the teenagers. Revenue from the warung and the store (featuring arts and crafts made by the students), as well as donations, help fund the school. Some of the teenagers work in the warung, either helping out in the kitchen or waiting on tables.
To be candid, the caliber of food here is not the primary reason for going. That said, my nasi campur was quite good, including some of the best sambal I've ever had; it tasted almost like sun-dried tomatoes, which is one of my great weaknesses. After finishing dinner and paying my bill, I hung around until my waiter, one of the teenagers in the school, emerged from the kitchen and I offered him his tip. At first he refused, to which I put on my most polite and gentle Futurama Fry impression. After a few moments, he bashfully accepted and offered a handshake and a huge smile in return.
If you have any heart at all, Sjaki's is a must-go in Ubud.
Swasti Organic Restaurant
If this place feels like you're dining in a garden, well, it's because you sort of are. Part of Swasti Eco Cottages, which has an organic garden, the restaurant is surrounded by lush greenery in a very tranquil setting. In addition to using organic ingredients, the restaurant advertises that they don't use dairy (but rather vegan substitutes like cashew milk) and their vegetables are "hand washed in reverse osmosis water". I don't know what that means chemically or nutritionally, but it sure sounds impressive.
After poring over the international menu, I decided to try the guacamole, tempeh in coconut cream curry, and a banana lassi. The guacamole was served almost like a dessert: it came in an ice cream bowl with a spoon and the toast was more of an afterthought. Clearly, the idea was to scarf it down by the spoonful, which I am certainly not above. It was only okay though; I've had better guacamole in Ubud (Cafe Angsa comes to mind). The tempeh curry came with veggies and organic red rice and was quite delicious.
I have to give Lonely Planet all the credit for this one, as I would never have thought to go restaurant-hopping in this part of Ubud (you have to walk through the monkey forest to get here). For a super peaceful environment and some great food, Swasti is an excellent choice.
Taco Casa
As a San Franciscan, I feel like I'm very much qualified to evaluate Mexican food, burritos specifically, and the 8-layer burrito at Taco Casa has my stamp of approval. The veggie version has everything you'd expect: organic red rice or cilantro lime rice, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, grilled veggies, and corn. However, the surprising part is that it's incredibly clean; it feels light and fresh and leaves you pleasantly satisfied without feeling gross. Pair it with a lemonade (or, in my case, two) and you've got yourself a solid lunch. No wonder this place is ranked as one of the best in Ubud.
Toro Sushi
Very capable Japanese restaurant to get your fix of sushi, soy sauce, and sake. Well, you might want to avoid the sake. It's pricey and not that good, but after a month of taking antibiotics (and therefore not being able to drink), some cold sake, even shitty cold sake, was delightful. The spicy tofu roll was very good (though not spicy at all) and the agedashi tofu was incredibly tasty. After dinner, I talked to the chef and he told me he has inari, though it isn't on the menu. I may have to go back at some point to try it.
Three Monkeys
I stopped in here for dinner one evening, somewhat unexpectedly as Laughing Buddha up the road was completely full. Based on the candles and the atmosphere and the style of dress of the waitstaff, I immediately resigned myself to a splurge night, so I ordered a $10 glass of Chilean Merlot. Much to my dismay, the wine was served cold. Granted, I've seen this done elsewhere in Southeast Asia, but I was really hoping a classy establishment like this wouldn't do that. After half an hour of alternating between twiddling my thumbs and warming the glass with my hands, the wine was warm enough to drink. Strike one.
For a starter, I decided to get the roasted spiced cashews, as I had discovered the immense joy of fried cashews when I was on Koh Phangan. However, instead of getting a plate of hot, roasted cashews, I was given a bowl filled with an irresponsibly large mound of cinnamon and sugar with maybe a dozen cashews hiding inside. Seriously, just add some milk and you have one of those shitty breakfast cereals with a cartoon mascot. Hey kids! Be sure to bug your parents to buy some Cinnamon Cashew Crunch! Somehow part of a balanced breakfast! Strike two.
I have to admit that I was waiting for my pumpkin ravioli with a lot of anxiety, almost scared to behold which inventive method they employed to fuck up my entree. Pessimistic, I know, but I just got burned on Chilean wine and roasted cashews, two things I take very seriously. Fortunately, I was able to relax once my dish arrived as it was a very capable and delicious ravioli. Nothing weird, just plain good. To continue the baseball analogy, it wasn't quite a home run, but maybe a triple? At least a ground-rule double.
Three Monkeys seems like a great spot and I hear there's a great view of the rice fields if you sit in the back of the restaurant during the day. Since the pumpkin ravioli salvaged my meal, I guess I can recommend the restaurant. Just don't make the same mistakes I did.
Tutmak Cafe
Spoiler alert: the dinner I had here was one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Granted, I was already in a really good mood because it had been a good day volunteering at the shelter and I had a beer and an amazing massage before going to dinner. Still, I've thought this over and I'm quite sure that the food alone was phenomenal, irrespective of my attitude going in.
For dinner, I had a banana lassi, the Vietnamese spring rolls, and the vegetarian nasi campur. The lassi was by far the best I've ever had; I ended up getting a second one (for dessert) and I'm still not sure what they add to it that makes it so damn good. My guess is crack. The spring rolls were so perfect that they made me realize that I've been wanting Vietnamese spring rolls the entire time I've been in Ubud, which explains why I've never been fully satisfied by any of the other spring rolls I've gotten. And the nasi campur was one of the best I've ever had: greens, peanuts, tempeh bits, a potato fritter, a corn fritter, tofu, curry tempeh, and curry egg. Bomb (with a capital "B") all around. I will definitely be going back and probably ordering the same exact meal because now I need my fix.
Warung Igelanca
Popular, cheap warung on Jalan Raya Ubud that always seems to be full. On my way home from the gym one evening I decided to stop in and try it out. They were "out of" nasi campur, so I had the corn fritters, Javanese-style tempeh, gado-gado, and a lychee iced tea. Honestly I think I overate a bit, even considering the trip to the gym, but it was all only $6! There was nothing amazing or unique, but it was a solid and inexpensive meal.
Warung Laba Laba
Another nice warung on Jalan Hanoman with a "counter" facing the street and elevated tables behind. The vegetarian nasi campur had greens, curry vegetables (with some of the best peanut sauce I've ever had), tempeh, prawn crackers, and tofu with a dark and very sexy sauce (almost a chocolate taste). Very excellent all around; I probably could have eaten two of those dishes.
Warung Pulau Kelapa
This warung is located a bit out of town, so I dovetailed a visit there with my trip to the Blanco Museum. It was only fitting, as I soon found out, that the interesting, colorful, and spicy artwork I saw in the morning would be followed by an interesting, colorful, and spicy lunch. The warung is designed a bit differently than the ones in town I'm used to. The tables are located only at the perimeter of the front lawn for maximum personal space (and maximum walking distance for all the waitresses).
The tempeh starter was nicely prepared and very tasty, but the vegetarian nasi campur stole the show: greens, a hard-boiled egg with sauce, tofu, jackfruit, green beans, brown beans, a sheet of very thin bread (kind of like naan) with corn and potatoes (I think) and other goodies baked in, some sweet, fried pastry/breading crumbles (hard to describe), and some damn spicy sambal. In fact, most of the meal was quite spicy; my mouth was still burning as I walked down the street after lunch was over. The entire meal was bursting with an overwhelming array of colors and flavors. Even the iced tea was dressed up a bit with a dash of lavender. I highly recommend this place for a really unique and mouth-watering (for more than one reason) meal.
Warung Sopa
This place was a very pleasant surprise. I knew going in that it was a vegetarian restaurant, but didn't realize it was a true warung; when you order the nasi campur, you go up to the display case and pick out which dishes you want. I opted for the "Bali curry" (tempeh and broccoli), tempeh bits, beet salad, tofu falafel, and a samosa. Narrowing down all the options to this assortment was really difficult as everything looked awesome and healthy. Not surprisingly, all the food was fantastic. The sambal has a strong coconut flavor (so I fell in love with it immediately), the tempeh bits were delightfully sweet (almost honey-like), and the iced Nepal chai accompanied the food perfectly. I'm a fan.
Yellow Flower Cafe
This place is a little tricky to find if you're not familiar with the area, but that's part of the appeal. The shade, quiet isolation, and surrounding walls of lush greenery were just what I needed after a forty-minute walk in the sun from the south of town. After cooling down with the iced lemongrass drink, I had the "half coconut": a coconut is grated in place and sprouts, tomatoes, and basil are added to make a salad in the coconut itself. The "F.A.T." (feta, avocado, tomato) was more like bruschetta than a sandwich, but still very good. I wasn't planning on getting dessert, but the waitress offered to grate up the coconut (from my salad) some more and add bananas, cashews, and coconut syrup, which was a delightful way to end the meal. If I was staying close by, I'd be here all the time.
Drink
Anomali Coffee
This is my favorite coffee place in Ubud for two reasons: it has a lot of great spaces for when I want to work on my laptop and the frozen, blended creations are awesome. Both floors have lots of tables and as long as you don't mind the constant sound of traffic and honking horns, you can be pretty productive here. The Mint Temptation and the Cookies N Cream (complete with a floating Oreo) are guilty pleasures.
Cafe Blossom
Small cafe on Jalan Dewi Sita nestled between boutique shops and restaurants. Great decor and ambiance and the place always seems to be either empty or full and never anything in between. Grab a table or sit at the bar and peruse their sampling of coffee, tea, juices, lassis, and some cocktails and mocktails. The Internet connection is much better than average, though you'll pay for it by being subjected to a constant aural barrage of motorbike engines and honking horns.
Freak Coffee
Great coffee shop vibe, very capable iced coffee, and the iced spiced island is interesting (on the good side). The baristas are nice and the couches are comfortable, though they don't lend themselves well to working on a laptop. Come here to have a conversation or read a book, especially since the Internet connection never seems to work. If you're looking for a small treat, try either the vegan orange and date blondie or the coffee brownie; both are excellent.
Juice Ja Cafe
Yet another uber-healthy cafe with an impressive non-alcoholic drink menu, including lots of juices, lassis, and the obligatory shot of wheatgrass. The food menu includes a legend for vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free. Need I say more? I stopped in after dinner one evening to satisfy a raging sweet tooth and ended up getting the banana date soy shake and the lemon poppyseed yogurt cake. The shake was good, the cake was excellent. The ideal spot here is the table on the patio underneath the vines that lets you watch the people and traffic going by.
Kopi Bali House
Nice cafe close to the Monkey Forest; in fact, you can sometimes see monkeys scrambling across the roofs of the shops across the street. I love coming here with my laptop for an afternoon pick-me-up. The combination of air conditioning, a delicious cold drink, and caffeine always leaves me feeling very energized, even if I felt lazy and worthless when I went in. The frozen coffee creations with tapioca balls (and extras like bananas or chocolate or whipped cream) make a perfect afternoon treat.
L.O.L. Bar
By day, this place is mild-mannered and pleasant and a good spot to rest your feet; by night, it's a bit more fun and rowdy (well, as rowdy as Ubud can get). There's a stage for live music and on nights that a good band is playing, patrons take full advantage of the shots specials and the bartenders put on their best fire poi impressions. In fact, some of the staff here seems to have an unhealthy obsession with dousing various parts of the bar in lighter fluid and setting it ablaze. Nevertheless, the ages of the clientele here run from 20 to 60. For a very refreshing non-alcoholic drink in the heat of the afternoon, try the strawberry ginger iced tea.
Full photo album here.
Napi Orti
Second-story watering hole that feels like a mashup of an island tiki bar and a suburban dad's finished basement. I was finishing up dinner across the street at Three Monkeys when I heard some live music start, so I wandered over. A very good reggae cover band was playing that night and their infectious melodies kept most of those in attendance on the dance floor the entire evening. The crowd was fun and involved too: one guy with dreads and glasses got on stage to sing some Bob Marley and a bearded hipster with the deepest v-neck I've ever seen took over guitar duties for a couple songs. I had way too much Bintang and found myself discussing scalar energy and the "9/11 hoax" with an older, mustachioed geothermal energy consultant named Joe who spent hours that evening banging his wooden claves with an inconsistent beat, occasionally matching up with the grooves coming out of the band's amplifiers. Great times all around.
XL Shisha Lounge
Large, ultra-cool lounge with Middle Eastern flair. Lots of candles and hookahs, comfortable couches, fish tanks, and even a koi pond. When there isn't a live band in the evening, intoxicating Middle Eastern music wafts through the air. Come here to smoke hookah with friends, or chill out on a couch and listen to live music, or grab a seat at the bar and watch sports, or even get some food.
