You have your flights booked, accommodation paid for, what else is there to consider? The Food of Bali!
Other things to consider:
- When to go to Bali
- Travel Vaccinations for Bali
- Do I Need a Visa for Bali?
- Best Places to Visit in Bali
What am I going to eat in Bali?
What are the Best Foods to try in Bali and where do I eat Bali local food?
The Food of Bali is some of the tastiest cuisines in the world! So get out there and start eating.
Dietary Requirements for Eating The Food of Bali!
Bali has a variety of eats to choose from depending on your dietary requirements.
Anything from vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or just a lover of meat, you will be able to find it in Bali.
If you want the comforts of home and enjoy eating steaks and very western food I wouldn’t stray too far away from Kuta, Nusa Dua, Sanur Beach, Seminyak and Canggu areas.
These areas have many restaurants catering to the needs of westerners and have a variety of options. (e.g. Almond milk in your coffee or gluten-free toast)
Don’t worry Bali has you covered here.
Best Blog Read: Bali Travel Guide
More Adventurous? Go Local, Eat Bali Local Food!
Want to really experience the taste of Bali? Then find yourself reputable Warung restaurants.
These local eateries serve up delicious local cuisine at really affordable prices and you will be surprised at how amazing the food of Bali can be.
You will expect to spend around 20,000 IDR ($2) for a meal and about 25,000 IDR for a Bintang.
We have 6 people in our family and when we eat out and really splurge it will usually cost us from 200,000 IDR to 300,000 IDR or 20-30 dollars!
You will find Warungs everywhere just look for one with a sign and menu.
Preferably one with a reputation or customers eating there.
So far in my experience, I haven’t come across a bad local Warung they all seem to be fantastic.
Eating at Your Hotel or Villa?
Don’t fancy eating out? Then Bali has you covered.
Supermarkets like Pepi, Minimarts such as Circle K and Family Mart are everywhere in Bali.
You can almost get anything from these stores, beer, bread, milk, chips & chocolate, instant noodles, pre-made dinners, drinks, fruit and vegetables, water and toys.
Did I mention most of these establishments have ATM’s also!
What Type of Dishes Do I Order in Bali?
We will show you here the recommended list of great eats in Bali local restaurants or Warungs.
The Top Best dishes in Bali;
Nasi Goreng (Veg, Chicken, Pork, Shrimp)
This is the national dish of Bali and can be found in every restaurant on the island. The Indonesian fried rice is served with the spiced flavours of Asia and an egg sunny side up on top.
The ingredients of Nasi Goreng are:
- Long Grain Rice
- Chinese Cabbage
- Shallots
- Onion & Garlic
- Chicken, Pork or Prawns
- Honey, Soy Sauce, Sweet Chilli
- Butter, Shrimp Paste & Sambal
To serve Nasi Goreng includes an egg sunny side up, sliced cucumber and some thinly sliced red chillies.
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
Nasi Mie Goreng (Veg, Chicken, Pork, Shrimp)
The traditional Indonesian fried noodle which is almost the same as a Nasi Goreng recipe but with noodles instead of rice.
The ingredients of Nasi Mie Goreng are;
- Yellow Egg Noodles
- Chinese Cabbage & Tomato Wedges
- Shallots
- Bean Sprouts
- Onion & Garlic
- Chicken, Pork or Prawns
- Honey, Sweet Soy Sauce, Sweet Chilli, Scallion
- Butter, Shrimp Paste & Sambal
To serve Nasi Mie Goreng can include an egg sunny side up, sliced cucumber and thinly sliced red chillies just like Nasi Goreng.
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
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Cap Cay
An authentic Indonesian dish that will warm up your belly on those rainy days and keep you healthy on your trip.
The ingredients of Cap Cay are:
- Cubes of Chicken
- Cauliflower & Sugar Peas
- Carrots
- Spring Onion & Garlic
- Chicken broth & hot water
- Sugar, Pepper, Salt, Corn Starch
Served in a bowl to your table, make this at home by clicking here!
Babi Guiling
Or Indonesian pork belly can be found in many Balinese Warungs around the country.
The ingredients of Babi Guiling include:
- Pork Belly
- Salt & Tumeric
- Kaffir Lime Leaves
- Salam Leaves
- Spice Paste – Chillies, Shallots, Garlic, Ginger, Lemongrass
- Galangal, Kencur
Sliced then served with rice.
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
Bebek and Ayam Betutu
This classic and iconic Balinese dish consists of a whole Balinese chicken or duck stuffed. It comes with rice and vegetables wrapped into a palm leaf.
The ingredients of Betutu / Bebek are:
- Whole Chicken or Duck
- White long grain rice
- Galangal, Ginger & Candlenuts
- Shallots & Garlic
- Kaffir lime & Lemongrass
- Palm Sugar, Lime, Salt, Chillies, Shrimp Past
- Black pepper, Coriander seeds, Cummin seeds
- Nutmeg, Coconut oil, Tumeric, Cinnamon
- Baby Spinach
To serve include sliced cucumber, tomato and coriander.
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
Sate or (Satay) Meat on a Stick
Indonesian meat on a stick, which is considered a national dish and created by street vendors.
The ingredients of Sate are:
- Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Marinade – Fish Sauce, Lime Juice, Lemongrass, Chillies, Agave, Soy Sauce, Ginger, Garlic
Then cooked over a grill and served single or can be ordered as an entree with many of the Balinese dishes.
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
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Gado Gado
This is one of Indonesia’s best-known dishes and is a mixed up vegetable salad.
The ingredients of Gado Gado are:
- Potatoes
- Eggs
- Silken Tofu
- Chinese Cabbage
- Tomatoes, Cucumber
- Radishes
- Bean Sprouts, Chilli
- Coriander
This is all mixed into a special peanut sauce and served for your delight.
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
Best Blog Read: Ultimate Family Guide to Canggu
Bakso
The Bakso dish is mainly sold from little local food carts and comes in the form of meatballs made from beef, pork or chicken served with egg noodles or rice noodles.
The ingredients of Bakso are:
- Beef or Chicken
- Eggs
- Garlic, Fried Onion
- Salt & Pepper
- Beef Broth
- Pok Choy & Tofu
- Celery etc
If you want to make this at home visit this link for the recipe.
Other Popular Foods in Bali
- Sayur Asem is a popular Indonesian Tamarind dish
- Opor Ayam a braised chicken dish cooked in coconut milk
- Mie Ayam
- Ayam Goreng Indonesian Fried Chicken
- Spring Rolls (Vegetable & Chicken)
Best Drinks in Bali Include;
- Fruit juices (Banana, Papaya, Pineapple, Watermelon, Orange)
- Beer Bintang local beer or Bali Hai Premium (Heineken is available also)
- Coffee & Tea (Coffee is black with sediment at the bottom, but if you like it black then it is pretty good)
Experience the Real Bali
If you want to experience real Bali food then visit the Warungs.
In our experience, the food tends to be more jam-packed full of vegetables in the east and north of Bali.
This is because these areas are more like the real Bali and offer more value for money.
The south tends to have more competition with western restaurants and cafes so the quality can vary.
Because the prices are considerably lower you can afford to try everything on the menu without breaking the bank.
Food is Everything When Traveling
When traveling food is everything so why not experience everything Bali has to offer and visit your local Warung.
Here is a list of a few memorable Warungs we visited in Bali while visiting;
- Warung Bu Tuk
- Warung Kelak
- Warung Murah
- Warung Kat Kat
- Warung Kadek
- Nyoman & Nyoman
- Ayam Kendeel
Go explore food in Bali, there are so many excellent places to eat that will satisfy your taste buds!
Termia Kerse (Thankyou)
What is your Favourite Warung in Bali?
Gabbie
Hello! Thank you for all the helpful Bali posts, I’m starting at food because I was curious if you guys experienced feeling sick at all from eating the local food from local places? I’m about to book a trip to the Philippines and I thought I might fly over to Bali while I’m there! Thank you, now I’m going to keep reading about Bali!
admin
We had no trouble in Bali with local food or anywhere in Southeast Asia. But that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
It only takes one place that could be western, local or your own cooking to make you sick.
Just make sure you have your Hep A, B, Typhoid shots and everything will work out fine.
We all have some stomach pains or the runs at certain periods overseas, that is natural because your body isn’t used to certain foods, spices or water.
So just wash your hands regularly and use your best judgements, if it smells or looks funny don’t touch it.
Always eat where there are a few people or heaps of locals, this means it is probably really good food.
Goodluck!